The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Yajita [pp. of yajati] sacrificed Miln 219; J iv.19.
Yajubbeda
Yajubbeda [fr. Vedic yajus the sacrificial formula,+veda] the Yajurveda, the 2nd of the Vedas, dealing with
sacrifice Miln 178; DA i.247; SnA 447. As yajuveda at Dpvs v.62, where the 3 Vedas are enumd as
iruveda, yaju˚ and s!ma˚.
Yañña
Yañña [Vedic yajña, fr. yaj: see yajati. The metric reading in the Veda is sometimes yajana, which we are
inclined to look upon as not being the source of the P. yajana] 1. a brahmanic sacrifice. -- 2. almsgiving,
charity, a gift to the Sangha or a bhikkhu. The brahmanic ritual of Vedic times has been given a changed
and deeper meaning. Buddhism has discarded the outward and cruel form and has widened its sphere by
changing its participant, its object as well as the means and ways of "offering," so that the yañña now
consists entirely in a worthy application of a worthy gift to a worthy applicant. Thus the direct and as it
were self -- understood definition of yañña is at Nd2 523 given with "yañño vuccati deyyadhammo," and as
this the 14 constituents of the latter are enumd; consisting of the 4 paccayas, and of anna, p!na, vattha,
y!na, m!l!, gandh!, vilepana, seyya, avasatha, pad"peyya. Cp. Nd1 373. -- The term parikkh!ra, which
refers to the requisites of the bhikkhu as well (see DA i.204 -- 207), is also used in the meaning of
"accessory instrument" concerning the brahmanic sacrifice: see D i.129 sq., 137 sq. They are there given as
16 parikkh!ras, as follows: (4) catt!ro anumati -- pakkh! viz. the 4 groups khattiyas, ministers, brahmans
and householders, as colleagues by consent; (8) a&&hang!ni of a king -- sacrificer; (4) catt!r' ang!ni of a
purohita. The term mah!yañña refers to the brahmanic ritual (so at M ii.204; DhsA 145, cp. Expositor
193); its equivalent in Buddhist literature is mah!d!na, for which yañña is also used at Pv ii.950 (cp. PvA
134). The J!takas are full of passages referring to the ineffectiveness and cruelty of the Brahmanic
sacrifice, e. g. J iii.518 sq.; vi.211 sq., & cp. Fick, Sociale Gliederung, p. 146 sq. One special kind of
sacrifice is the sabba -- catukkayañña or the sacrifice of tetrads, where four of each kind of gifts, as
elephants, horses, bulls, and even men were offered: J i.335; iii.44, 45; PvA 280. The number 4 here has the
meaning of evenness, completeness, or harmony, as we find it freq., in the notion of the square with ref. to
Vim!nas & lotus ponds (in J., Vv & Pv etc.); often also implying awfulness & magic, as attached e. g. to
cross -- roads. Cp. the Ep. of niraya (Purgatory) "catu -- dv!ra" (esp. at Pv i.10). See cpds. of catur. -- It
may also refer to the 4 quarters of the sky, as belonging to the 4 Guardians of the World (lokap!l!) who
were specially worth offering to, as their influence was demonic (cp. Pv i.4). The prevailing meaning of
yañña in the Suttapi&aka is that of "gift, oblation to the bhikkhu, alms-giving." Cp. Sn 295, 461, 484, 1043.
At Vv 3426 the epithets "su -- dinna, su -- huta, su -- yi&&ha" are attributed to d!na. -- The 3 constituents
which occur under d!na & deyyadhamma as the gift, the giver and the recipient of the gift (i. e. the Sangha:
cp. opening stanza Pv i1) are similarly enumd under yañña (or yaññapatha) as "ye yañña' (viz. c"vara' etc.)
esanti" those who wish for a gift, "ye yañña' abhisankharonti" those who get it ready, and "ye yañña'
denti" those who give it, at Nd2 70 (under appamatta). Similarly we find the threefold division of "yañña"
(=c"vara etc.), "yaññay!jaka" (=khattiy!, br!hma*! etc., including all 8 classes of men: see Nd2 p. 129 s. v.
khattiya, quoted under janab), and "dakkhi*eyya" (the recipient of the gift, viz. sama*a -- br!hma*!,
kapa*'addhik! vanibbak!, y!cak!) at Nd2 449b (under puth(). -- Cp. the foll. (mixed) passages: D i.97, 128
-- 144 (brahmanic criticised); ii.353, 354 (profitable and unprofitable, criticised); M i.82 (brahm.); S i.76,
160; ii.42 sq., 63, 207; iii.337; iv.41; A i.166; ii.43 (nir!rambha' yañña' upasankamanti arahanto, cp.
DhsA 145); Sn 308 (brahm.), 568 (aggihutta -- mukh! yaññ!: the sacrifices to Agni are the best; brahm.);
Th 1, 341; J i.83, 343; iii.517 (˚' yajati; brahm.); iv.66; v.491, 492; vi.200 (yañña -- k!raka -- br!hma*a),
211 sq.; DA i.267; DhA ii.6. -- âg!ra a hall for sacrifices Pug 56 (=yañña -- s!l! PugA 233). -- !v!&a the
sacrificial pit D i.142, 148; J i.335; iii.45, 517; vi.215 (where reading yaññav!&a, cp. yaññav!&aka at Cp.
i.72). It has been suggested by Kern, Toev, s. v., and it seems more to the sense, to read yañña -- v!&a for
yanñ' !v!&a, i. e. enclosed place for sacrifice. Thus at all passages for ˚!v!&a. -- k!la a suitable (or the
proper) time for sacrifice D i.137; Sn 458, 482; DA i.297. -- upan"ta one who has been brought to the
sacrifice S i.168 (trsl. K.S. 211 not quite to the point: "the oblation is brought." Reading is uncertain; v. l.
˚opan"ta which may be read as opav"ta "wearing the sacrificial cord": see foll.). -- opav"ta (?) [see upav"ta]
in phrase yaññ' opav"ta -- ka*&h! "having the (sacrificial, i. e.) alms -- cord wound round their necks" SnA