z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 04.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 268
268 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Sacrifices are a waste. Animal sacrifices are cruelties. Sacrifices cannot be part of religion. It is a worst form of religion which says you can go to heaven by killing an animal.” III
I was inclined to ask “Is there, O Gautama, any other sacrifice with more fruit and more advantage than killing animals ?”
“Yes, O Brahmin, there is.”
“And what, O Gautama, may that be ? ”
“When a man with trusting heart takes upon himself the precepts—abstinence from destroying life; abstinence from taking what has not been given; abstinence from evil conduct in respect of lusts; abstinence from lying words; abstinence from strong, intoxicating, maddening drinks, the root of carelessness that is a sacrifice better than open largesse, better than perpetual alms, better than the gift of dwelling places, better than accepting guidance.”
And when he had thus spoken, Kutadanta the Brahmin said to the Blessed One: “Most excellent, O Gautama, are the words of thy mouth, most excellent.”
(ii)
Now the Brahmin Ujjaya said this to the Exalted One :
“Pray does the worthy Gautama praise sacrifice ? ”
“No Brahmin, I do not praise every sacrifice. Yet I would not withhold praise from every sacrifice. In whatever sacrifice, Brahmin, cows are slaughtered, goats and sheep are slaughtered, poultry and pigs are slaughtered and divers living creatures come to destruction—such sacrifice, Brahmin, which involves butchery, I do not praise.” “Why so ?”
“To such a sacrifice, Brahmin, involving butchery, neither the worthy ones nor those who have entered on the worthy way draw near.
“But in whatever sacrifice, Brahmin, cows are not slaughtered—and living creatures come not to destruction, such sacrifice not involving butchery,