Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
Before a single animal is slaughtered, the person preparing the sacrifice has already raised three unskillful knives — of body, speech, and mind — against themselves, and the fires genuinely worth honoring are not the sacrificial fire at all, but the fires of greed, hate, and delusion to be abandoned, and one's parents, household, and worthy ascetics to be tended instead.
Ānanda's correction, before the Buddha speaks a word
Uggatasarīra opens by asking the Buddha to simply confirm what he has already heard — that kindling the sacrificial fire is very fruitful — three times over, and three times the Buddha only says he too has heard this, without endorsing it. It is Ānanda who intervenes, telling Uggatasarīra he is asking the wrong question entirely, and coaching him to ask for advice instead. Only then does the Buddha actually teach.
Three unskillful knives, raised before the fire is even lit
The Buddha's first move is to name a cost that precedes the sacrifice itself: even before kindling the fire, one raises a mental knife in wishing for the animals' slaughter, a verbal knife in saying so aloud, and a bodily knife in personally undertaking the preparations — three unskillful knives, all self-inflicted, before a single animal has died.
The seven fires of AN 7.46, now explained in full
The Buddha then works through AN 7.46's seven fires one by one: greed, hate, and delusion should be given up because a person ruled by them does bad by body, speech, and mind and is reborn badly as a result; one's parents (the fire of those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods), one's household (a householder's fire), and self-restrained ascetics and brahmins (the fire of those worthy of a religious donation) should be honored and cared for; and the actual wood fire should simply be fanned, watched over, extinguished, or set aside as practical need requires — the only item on the list needing no ethical judgment at all.
The outcome: 2,500 animals, set free
Uggatasarīra does not merely praise the teaching. He declares himself a lay follower for life and then, in his own words, sets free all five hundred each of bulls, bullocks, heifers, goats, and rams — 2,500 animals in total — wishing them grass to eat, cool water to drink, and a cool breeze, closing this discourse with an act rather than only a statement of faith.
Key terms
The text
The sacrifice, and Uggatasarīra's opening question
§1Now at that time the brahmin Uggatasarīra had prepared a large sacrifice. Bulls, bullocks, heifers, goats and rams—five hundred of each—had been led to the post for the sacrifice. Then the brahmin Uggatasarīra went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha, “Worthy Gotama, I have heard that kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post is very fruitful and beneficial.” “I’ve also heard this, brahmin.” For a second time … and third time Uggatasarīra said to the Buddha, “Worthy Gotama, I have heard that kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post is very fruitful and beneficial.” “I’ve also heard this, brahmin.” “Then the worthy Gotama and I are in total agreement in this matter.”
Ānanda's correction, and the Buddha's invitation to teach
§2When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to Uggatasarīra, “Brahmin, you shouldn’t ask the Buddha in this way. You should ask in this way: ‘Sir, I want to kindle the sacrificial fire and raise the sacrificial post. May the Buddha please advise and instruct me. It will be for my lasting welfare and happiness.’” Then Uggatasarīra said to the Buddha, “Worthy Gotama, I want to kindle the sacrificial fire and raise the sacrificial post. May the worthy Gotama please advise and instruct me. It will be for my lasting welfare and happiness.”
Three unskillful knives, raised before the fire is even lit
§3“Even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post, one raises three unskillful knives which ripen and result in suffering. What three? The knives of the body, speech, and mind. Even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post one gives rise to the thought: ‘May this many bulls, bullocks, heifers, goats, and rams be slaughtered for the sacrifice!’ Thinking, ‘May I make goodness’, one makes wickedness. Thinking, ‘May I do good’, one does bad. Thinking, ‘May I seek the path to a good rebirth’, one seeks the path to a bad rebirth. Even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post one raises this first unskillful mental knife which ripens and results in suffering. Furthermore, even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post, one says such things as: ‘May this many bulls, bullocks, heifers, goats, and rams be slaughtered for the sacrifice!’ Thinking, ‘May I make goodness’, one makes wickedness. Thinking, ‘May I do good’, one does bad. Thinking, ‘May I seek the path to a good rebirth’, one seeks the path to a bad rebirth. Even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post one raises this second unskillful verbal knife which ripens and results in suffering. Furthermore, even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post one first personally undertakes preparations for the sacrificial slaughter of bulls, bullocks, heifers, goats, and rams. Thinking, ‘May I make goodness’, one makes wickedness. Thinking, ‘May I do good’, one does bad. Thinking, ‘May I seek the path to a good rebirth’, one seeks the path to a bad rebirth. Even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post, one raises this third unskillful bodily knife which ripens and results in suffering. Even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post, one raises these three unskillful knives which ripen and result in suffering.
Three fires to abandon, and why
§4Brahmin, these three fires should be given up and shunned, not cultivated. What three? The fires of greed, hate, and delusion. And why should the fire of greed be given up and shunned, not cultivated? A greedy person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. That’s why the fire of greed should be given up and shunned, not cultivated. And why should the fire of hate be given up and shunned, not cultivated? A hateful person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. That’s why the fire of hate should be given up and shunned, not cultivated. And why should the fire of delusion be given up and shunned, not cultivated? A deluded person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. That’s why the fire of delusion should be given up and shunned, not cultivated. These three fires should be given up and shunned, not cultivated.
Three fires to tend, identified in turn
§5Brahmin, you should properly and happily take care of three fires, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and venerating them. What three? The fire of those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods. The fire of a householder. And the fire of those worthy of a religious donation. And what is the fire of those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods? Your mother and father are called the fire of those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods. Why is that? Since it is from them that you’ve been incubated and produced. So you should properly and happily take care of this fire, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and venerating it. And what is the fire of a householder? Your children, partners, bondservants, servants, and workers are called a householder’s fire. So you should properly and happily take care of this fire, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and venerating it. And what is the fire of those worthy of a religious donation? The ascetics and brahmins who refrain from intoxication and negligence, are settled in patience and gentleness, and who tame, calm, and extinguish themselves are called the fire of those worthy of a religious donation. So you should properly and happily take care of this fire, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and venerating it. You should properly and happily take care of these three fires, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and venerating them.
The wood fire, and Uggatasarīra's own act of release
§6But the wood fire, brahmin, should, from time to time, be fanned, watched over with equanimity, extinguished, or put aside.” When he said this, the brahmin Uggatasarīra said to the Buddha, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! … From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life. Worthy Gotama, I now set free these five hundred bulls, five hundred bullocks, five hundred heifers, five hundred goats, and five hundred rams. I give them life! May they eat grass and drink cool water and enjoy a cool breeze!”
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