Furthermore, even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post one first personally undertakes preparations for the sacrificial slaughter of bulls, bullocks, heifers, goats, and rams. Thinking, ‘May I make goodness’, one makes wickedness. Thinking, ‘May I do good’, one does bad. Thinking, ‘May I seek the path to a good rebirth’, one seeks the path to a bad rebirth. Even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post, one raises this third unskillful bodily knife which ripens and results in suffering. Even before kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post, one raises these three unskillful knives which ripen and result in suffering.

Brahmin, these three fires should be given up and shunned, not cultivated. What three? The fires of greed, hate, and delusion.

And why should the fire of greed be given up and shunned, not cultivated? A greedy person does bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. That’s why the fire of greed should be given up and shunned, not cultivated.