Maha Yanna (Great Sacrifice) Sutta: Anguttara Nikaya 4

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Uggatasharira was a Brahmin who had planned to make a Great sacrifice (maha yañña) of the 500s (―500 bulls, 500 bullocks, 500 heifers, 500 goats, and 500 rams‖), but was given good advice by the Buddha on the true sacrifice.  
 
Before lighting the inaugural fire and raising the flag post to conduct the Great Sacrifice which he thought was beneficial, the Brahmin visited the Buddha seeking his blessings. Having worshipped the Buddha the Brahmin reported the blessed one that he is about to light the inaugural fire and raise the flag post to begin the Yaga and inquired  if the Buddha agrees that such rituals are beneficial and has good consequences ( mahathpala mahanisansa ). The buddha agreed that such preparations will have worthy consequences provided they are done with good intentions. The Brahmins' intention was that conducting such sacrifice was a holy act, as done in the day, which was considered beneficial to the society and has good consequences removing evil, he was happy with the Buddha's response and reassured himself by inquiring again and again from the Buddha who gave the same answer all three times. Being delighted by Buddha's responses, the Brahmin uttered, oh Lord I am glad that we both agree that this Maha Yaga is beneficial and has good consequences.

Ven Ananda who was listening to this conversation noted that the Brahmin had misunderstood what the Buddha said and advised him that he should further clarify it from the Buddha. The Brahmin thus approached the Buddha and requested Buddha's blessings before he began his preparations for the Maha Yaga. At this point the Buddha explained the Brahmin that the lighting of the fire and raising the flag post for his  great sacrifice is  good in so far as it is not done with intentions to harm anyone, if not, the Buddha said, lighting the inaugural fire and raising the flag post could also launch three other weapons which will have evil consequences which are, the weapon of thought, the weapon of speech and the weapon of bodily action . If so, the Blessed one continued, you will have evil thoughts to kill that many animals, and you will utter evil words calling out to kill that many animals, moreover, you will engage in the act of killing animals. If so Brahmin you will be doing evil in the name of doing good, immoral in the name of moral and you will be treading on the unholy path thinking you are on the holy path. This is your way of lighting a fire, Brahmin , however, I say there are threefold fires you should put off and further threefold fires you should light up.
 
The fires to put off , Brahmin, are  Greed, Hatred and Delusion (Raga, Dosha, Moha aggi). Due to these three fires of greed, hatred and delusion one does evil through mind, speech and bodily action which has the consequence of being born in lower realms. Therefore Brahmin,  you should put off those three fires. 

There are other three fires which you should honour and pay homage to , which are beneficial and have good consequences .  They are,
  • Ahuneyya Aggi- Honouring and caring for parents and the Brahmins. such fire brings in
  • Grahapathi Aggi- Honouring and taking care of one's wife, children, servants and workers .
  • Dhakkineyya Aggi- Honouring and paying homage to the shramana brahmins who refrain from indulgence and are heedful and have tamed their minds .
Brahmin, there is also a fire that is lit with wood which one may light when required and put off thereafter.

The Brahmin Uggatasharira was delighted, and uttered , excellent my Lord Excellent , I take refuge in you, please take me as a lay disciple. He further vouched that he will let free all those animals that were being prepared for the sacrifice.

It is remarkable how the Buddha convinced the Brahmin tactfully without confronting his immoral act of sacrifice. When the Brahmin visited the Buddha with respect expecting his blessing the Buddha did not reject his intentions straight away but made him listen to him first by acknowledging the Brahmins preparations for the ritual. Thereafter, he gradually diverted Brahmin's attention to realise for himself , pointing to the evils of his intended act. This is the unparalleled noble quality of 'Anuttaro Purusha Dhamma Sarathi' of the Buddha.

: Based on a sermon by Venerable Alawwe Anomadassi Thero

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