In those days it was common in India for people to kill animals as a sacrifice, or offering, to their gods. This was supposed to make the gods happy. Then the gods would give the people what they prayed for, such as wealth, or rain for their crops.
Buddha saw that this custom was cruel and mistaken. As he did with the wounded swan when he was still a young boy, Buddha tried to protect the life and relieve the suffering of all beings, animal and human alike. He not only wished to save the sheep and cows and other animals from being sacrificed, but he wished to protect the people who wanted to kill these poor animals. He knew that those who sacrificed animals were actually creating the cause for their own future suffering. Buddha taught, “It is not right to make another unhappy so that you can be happy. Everyone wants to remain alive just as you do. Therefore, if you sacrifice an animal, you are just being selfish. And I have said again and again that a selfish person finds nothing but unhappiness in life.”
Many people who heard these words of wisdom saw that they were true. Immediately they gave up their custom of sacrificing animals. In this way a great deal of unhappiness was brought to an end.