The story of people who surrendered to God
Even today some people pray to God for success in their affairs. Devadana is given. That's what Ayachithabhatta is for. In some religions , even today, animals are killed and sacrificed to prove their vows. The meat of those killed animals is cooked and given. Even in Buddha's time there was that custom in Dambadi.
In those days, the Blessed One lived in Savatnuwara Jetavana. When some merchants prepare to go to a distant region for trade, they make a vow to God before the journey. For that, they go to each temple and kill goats and sheep. They promise to God that they will make this kind of sacrifice again if they can return from their home without any trouble. After that, he leaves for trade. If they can come back without any trouble and trade well, they think that everything has gone well with the inspiration of God. Therefore, the sacrifice is performed to prove the commitment.
Knowing this, the monks treated the Blessed One with this.
"Lord, blessed ones, these traders kill and sacrifice animals to make their trade prosperous and provide protection. Will this kind of thing do any good to these people?"
"Sir, such things have happened before. A long time ago, a resident of a certain village went to Suvishala Nugaruka in front of the village. He promised to give alms from animal sacrifice to the deity who took that banyan tree. He also promised that he would come back without any trouble and sacrifice those animals and release him from bondage. Then the Rukdevi who was in that banyan tree appeared in front of the man through the leaves and recited this stanza.
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"If you are released from now on
Be free from the hereafter!
You say you will be free
Bound to evil!
Wise men are not freed thus
That freedom is the bond of the younger."
Rukdeviya's idea was well understood by everyone there. All of them understood the dangers of killing and sacrificing animals to free themselves from bondage . That custom was also stopped. Practiced righteous virtues. They were freed from the fear of hell after death and were born among Gods. Monks, I was the protector of that banyan tree that day."
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