[231] "But, Master Gotama, is there any other sacrifice (yañña) that is less costly and involves less undertaking than this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice with its sixteen accessories, and yet is of greater fruit and greater benefit?"
"There is, brahmin, another sacrifice that is less costly and involves less undertaking than this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice with its sixteen accessories, and yet is of greater fruit and greater benefit."
"But what, Master Gotama, is that sacrifice that is less costly and involves less undertaking than this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice with its sixteen accessories, and yet is of greater fruit and greater benefit?"
"Brahmin, those regular gifts (niccadāna), customary sacrifices (anukūlayañña), that are given specially to virtuous renunciants — this, brahmin, is the sacrifice that is less costly and involves less undertaking than this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice with its sixteen accessories, and yet is of greater fruit and greater benefit."
"What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the reason, why that regular gift, that customary sacrifice, is less costly and involves less undertaking than this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice with its sixteen accessories, and yet is of greater fruit and greater benefit?"
"Brahmin, neither arahants nor those who have entered upon the path to arahantship attend a sacrifice of that kind. For what reason? Because there, brahmin, blows with sticks are seen, and seizings by the throat; therefore neither arahants nor those who have entered upon the path to arahantship attend a sacrifice of that kind. But as for those regular gifts, those customary sacrifices, that are given specially to virtuous renunciants — a sacrifice of that kind, brahmin, arahants and those who have entered upon the path to arahantship do attend. For what reason? Because there, brahmin, no blows with sticks are seen, nor seizings by the throat; therefore arahants and those who have entered upon the path to arahantship do attend a sacrifice of that kind. This, brahmin, is the cause, this is the reason, why that regular gift, that customary sacrifice, is less costly and involves less undertaking than this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice with its sixteen accessories, and yet is of greater fruit and greater benefit."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.