At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ.

While walking along the road he saw a fish dealer in a certain spot selling fish that he had killed himself. Addasā kho bhagavā addhānamaggappaṭipanno aññatarasmiṁ padese macchikaṁ macchabandhaṁ macche vadhitvā vadhitvā vikkiṇamānaṁ. Seeing this he left the road, sat at the root of a tree on the seat spread out, Disvā maggā okkamma aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle paññatte āsane nisīdi. and addressed the mendicants, Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Mendicants, do you see that fish dealer selling fish that he killed himself?” “passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, amuṁ macchikaṁ macchabandhaṁ macche vadhitvā vadhitvā vikkiṇamānan”ti?

“Yes, sir.” “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“What do you think, mendicants? “Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Have you ever seen or heard api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā: of a fish dealer selling fish that he killed himself who, by means of that work and livelihood, got to travel by elephant, horse, chariot, or vehicle, or to enjoy wealth, or to live off a large fortune?” ‘macchiko macchabandho macche vadhitvā vadhitvā vikkiṇamāno tena kammena tena ājīvena hatthiyāyī vā assayāyī vā rathayāyī vā yānayāyī vā bhogabhogī vā mahantaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasanto’”ti?

“No, sir.” “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, mendicants! “Sādhu, bhikkhave. I too have never seen or heard of such a thing. Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: ‘macchiko macchabandho macche vadhitvā vadhitvā vikkiṇamāno tena kammena tena ājīvena hatthiyāyī vā assayāyī vā rathayāyī vā yānayāyī vā bhogabhogī vā mahantaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasanto’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because when the fish are led to the slaughter he regards them with bad intentions. Te hi so, bhikkhave, macche vajjhe vadhāyupanīte pāpakena manasānupekkhati, tasmā so neva hatthiyāyī hoti na assayāyī na rathayāyī na yānayāyī na bhogabhogī, na mahantaṁ bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasati.

What do you think, mendicants? Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Have you ever seen or heard api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā: of a butcher of cattle selling cattle that he killed himself who, by means of that work and livelihood, got to travel by elephant, horse, chariot, or vehicle, or to enjoy wealth, or to live off a large fortune?” ‘goghātako gāvo vadhitvā vadhitvā vikkiṇamāno tena kammena tena ājīvena hatthiyāyī vā assayāyī vā rathayāyī vā yānayāyī vā bhogabhogī vā mahantaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasanto’”ti?

“No, sir.” “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, mendicants! “Sādhu, bhikkhave. I too have never seen or heard of such a thing. Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: ‘goghātako gāvo vadhitvā vadhitvā vikkiṇamāno tena kammena tena ājīvena hatthiyāyī vā assayāyī vā rathayāyī vā yānayāyī vā bhogabhogī vā mahantaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasanto’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because when the cattle are led to the slaughter he regards them with bad intentions. Te hi so, bhikkhave, gāvo vajjhe vadhāyupanīte pāpakena manasānupekkhati, tasmā so neva hatthiyāyī hoti na assayāyī na rathayāyī na yānayāyī na bhogabhogī, na mahantaṁ bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasati.

What do you think, mendicants? Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Have you ever seen or heard api nu tumhehi diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ vā: of a butcher of sheep … ‘orabbhiko …pe… a butcher of pigs … sūkariko …pe… a butcher of poultry … sākuṇiko …pe… or a deer-hunter selling deer which he killed himself who, by means of that work and livelihood, got to travel by elephant, horse, chariot, or vehicle, or to enjoy wealth, or to live off a large fortune?” māgaviko mage vadhitvā vadhitvā vikkiṇamāno tena kammena tena ājīvena hatthiyāyī vā assayāyī vā rathayāyī vā yānayāyī vā bhogabhogī vā mahantaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasanto’”ti?

“No, sir.” “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, mendicants! “Sādhu, bhikkhave. I too have never seen or heard of such a thing. Mayāpi kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, neva diṭṭhaṁ na sutaṁ: ‘māgaviko mage vadhitvā vadhitvā vikkiṇamāno tena kammena tena ājīvena hatthiyāyī vā assayāyī vā rathayāyī vā yānayāyī vā bhogabhogī vā mahantaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasanto’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because when the deer are led to the slaughter he regards them with bad intentions. Te hi so, bhikkhave, mage vajjhe vadhāyupanīte pāpakena manasānupekkhati, tasmā so neva hatthiyāyī hoti na assayāyī na rathayāyī na yānayāyī na bhogabhogī, na mahantaṁ bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasati.

By regarding even animals led to the slaughter with bad intentions he did not get to travel by elephant, horse, chariot, or vehicle, or to enjoy wealth, or to live off a large fortune. Te hi nāma so, bhikkhave, tiracchānagate pāṇe vajjhe vadhāyupanīte pāpakena manasānupekkhamāno neva hatthiyāyī bhavissati na assayāyī na rathayāyī na yānayāyī na bhogabhogī, na mahantaṁ bhogakkhandhaṁ ajjhāvasissati. How much worse is someone who regards human beings brought to the slaughter with bad intentions! Ko pana vādo yaṁ manussabhūtaṁ vajjhaṁ vadhāyupanītaṁ pāpakena manasānupekkhati. This will be for their lasting harm and suffering. Tañhi tassa, bhikkhave, hoti dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.” Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatī”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.