Minor Collection
2. Ethics

The Feast for the Dead: a past life story

Khuddaka Nikāya
2. Sīlavagga
Matakabhattajātaka
Minor Collection
2. Ethics
The Feast for the Dead: a past life story
Khuddaka Nikāya
2. Sīlavagga
Matakabhattajātaka
The Feast for the Dead: a past life story

“If folk but knew.”—This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana about Feasts for the Dead. For at this time the folk were putting to death goats, sheep, and other animals, and offering them up as what is called a Feast for the Dead, for the sake of their departed kinsmen. Finding them thus engaged, the Brethren asked the Master, saying, “Just now, sir, the folk are taking the lives of many living creatures and offering them up as what is called a Feast for the Dead. Can it be, sir, that there is any good in this?”

Ruta suttaJa 18Sutta Piṭaka › Khuddaka Nikāya › Jātaka › 1. Ekakanipāta › 2. Sīlavagga › Matakabhattajātaka
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The Feast for the Dead: a past life story
8. Matakabhattajātaka
The Feast for the Dead: a past life story
8. Matakabhattajātaka
The Feast for the Dead: a past life story8. Matakabhattajātaka

If beings only knew*A goat is being prepared for a sacrifice as an offering for the departed, but it startles with its alternate laughing and weeping. It turns out, it laughs because it knows its bad kamma is about to be expiated, and it weeps because it knows the sacrificer will suffer as he has. Goat sacrifice was known since Vedic times (Rig Veda 1.162, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 6.2.1.2).how this suffering is created by birth,no creature would kill another,for the slayer of creatures grieves.

“Evañce sattā jāneyyuṁ, dukkhāyaṁ jātisambhavo; Na pāṇo pāṇinaṁ haññe, pāṇaghātī hi socatī”ti.

If beings only knew*A goat is being prepared for a sacrifice as an offering for the departed, but it startles with its alternate laughing and weeping. It turns out, it laughs because it knows its bad kamma is about to be expiated, and it weeps because it knows the sacrificer will suffer as he has. Goat sacrifice was known since Vedic times (Rig Veda 1.162, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 6.2.1.2).
“Evañce sattā jāneyyuṁ,
how this suffering is created by birth,
dukkhāyaṁ jātisambhavo;
no creature would kill another,
Na pāṇo pāṇinaṁ haññe,
for the slayer of creatures grieves.
pāṇaghātī hi socatī”ti.

If beings only knew*A goat is being prepared for a sacrifice as an offering for the departed, but it startles with its alternate laughing and weeping. It turns out, it laughs because it knows its bad kamma is about to be expiated, and it weeps because it knows the sacrificer will suffer as he has. Goat sacrifice was known since Vedic times (Rig Veda 1.162, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 6.2.1.2).“Evañce sattā jāneyyuṁ, how this suffering is created by birth,dukkhāyaṁ jātisambhavo; no creature would kill another,Na pāṇo pāṇinaṁ haññe, for the slayer of creatures grieves.pāṇaghātī hi socatī”ti.

Matakabhattajātakaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.

Matakabhattajātakaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.

Matakabhattajātakaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.