Āyācitabhattajātaka
“Take thought of life hereafter.” This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana about the offering of a sacrifice under vow to gods. Tradition says that in those days folk when going a journey on business, used to slay living creatures and offer them as a sacrifice to gods, and set out on their way, after making this vow,—“If we come safely back with a profit, we will give you another sacrifice.” And when they did come safely back with a profit, the Idea that this was all due to gods made them slay a number of living creatures and offer them up as a sacrifice to obtain a release from their vow.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral
1.1PTS 1.169“Sace mucce pecca mucce,If you would be released, after death might you be released,11.2Muccamāno hi bajjhati;because releasing binds.21.3Na hevaṁ dhīrā muccanti,That’s not how the attentive are released;1.4Mutti bālassa bandhanan”ti.such release is the fool’s bondage.
2.1Āyācitabhattajātakaṁ navamaṁ.
The story is that a merchant makes a sacrifice to ensure the success of his voyage, vowing that on his return he will perform another sacrifice, freeing him from his vow. The verse is riddling, so I translate literally and paraphrase in the comments.
“If you want to be released from your vow, only in some future life might you find release.”
“Because releasing yourself from a vow by sacrificing an animal only binds you to suffering.”
