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The First of the Five Precepts states, Do not Kill. This is usually interpreted to mean do not kill any living thing. The Ten Commandments say the same thing, but only for humans, and only conditionally. But Buddhism actually means do not kill anything. Bhikkhu Bodhi says that all sentient beings desire to be happy.
And this is where things start to break down. The Commentaries to the Dhammapada make the point that the accidental death of insects has no kammic effect. The unwholesome kamma arises from situations where there is malice.
"If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him"
Dhammapada, v1
In my own situation, when I live in Northern California, the issue of killing insects doesn't really come up.
But on my farm in tropical Cebu, where I raise avocados, bananas, mangoes, papayas, and calamansi, I must use judicious use of mild pesticides or the insect larva will eat my fruit, and my family will suffer. Recently, I destroyed a termite mound that had eaten one whole wall of my home. I feel no malice, but I think feeding people is more important than termites.
Also, how about the situation of insects such as mosquitoes which carry Malaria and Dengue fever. The Buddha probably suffered from amoebic dysentery in his last days according to Bhikkhu Nanamoli. (See the Life of the Buddha)
This issue of ahimsa, reverence for all living things, is where I have a problem with Traditional Buddhism. Actually, I have a problem with samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth. I guess this is why I am a secular Buddhist.
First of all, part to the "answer" to your post is how you perceive karma. It sounds as if you see karma as having some all-powerful karma-decider up in the sky some place who rains karma down on people who do bad things. I see karma as more of a cause and effect principle. Bad actions are more likely to bring bad results, good actions are more likely to bring good results. I don't see your killing of insects to have a bad result, but rather a necessary result.
Second, there are different interpretations of sentience. Some see it as being able to feel pain, while I see it more as being able to experience pain emotionally.
But, third, You last paragraph is where I compliment your thinking -- you are a secular Buddhist. Great! And I'll just add...do I believe in rebirth toward enlightenment. I don't know. But whether those things exist or not, some of the principles leading to them are still valid.
No I do not kill insects,bugs,etc..... They have as much right to live as I do.....
I have seen ants about in my room..... If anything I try to get them and place them outside..... I consider it murder to even kill them......... Why should they lose thier lives just cause they ended up inside?
It is said that one, who has the true understanding, CAN NOT harm anything alive. Simply can not. That goes for all the kingdoms of the world. Any disturbance done to Reality, is disturbance to the Great Brahman.
By no means do I intend to stir the fine fabric of someone's life philosophy, but there are no exclusions to this rule. You either follow it, or not. If you do not, then the rest is basically idle talk. Takes one bug to throw one back hundreds of lives to have this worked out through karma.
It is also known that one, who is enlightened, is in full harmony with Reality and, as such, Reality is in harmony with that Self. That Self, while in human body, will never suffer from any pests or else, as he is welcomed by Reality and cared for by it. Remember the king cobra who covered Sukyamuni under the bodhi tree during his meditation. It is said, that when Mahavira walked anywhere, everything, even dead shrubs, blossomed and birds sung songs of joy, for miles around him.
Such Self has no need to harm anything in self protection. But even if so, that one will be fully aware - and in consent with it - that anything that happens to him, is good. Even mosquito bite will make him happy.
It is said that one, who has the true understanding, CAN NOT harm anything alive. Simply can not. That goes for all the kingdoms of the world. Any disturbance done to Reality, is disturbance to the Great Brahman.
By no means do I intend to stir the fine fabric of someone's life philosophy, but there are no exclusions to this rule. You either follow it, or not. If you do not, then the rest is basically idle talk. Takes one bug to throw one back hundreds of lives to have this worked out through karma.
It is also known that one, who is enlightened, is in full harmony with Reality and, as such, Reality is in harmony with that Self. That Self, while in human body, will never suffer from any pests or else, as he is welcomed by Reality and cared for by it. Remember the king cobra who covered Sukyamuni under the bodhi tree during his meditation. It is said, that when Mahavira walked anywhere, everything, even dead shrubs, blossomed and birds sung songs of joy, for miles around him.
Such Self has no need to harm anything in self protection. But even if so, that one will be fully aware - and in consent with it - that anything that happens to him, is good. Even mosquito bite will make him happy.
I challenge you to sleep in a bed that also contains a cobra.
But just for the record...there is nothing in Buddhism that you are required do, as it is in the Abrahamic religions.
Nah, I have a clear cup with a lid that I use to catch them and then I release them outside. I have never encountered something poisonous, I'm sure that would make me nervous, but I would still not want to kill it.
I'm vegetarian so in 99.9% of my life I'm kind to animals and all things living.
Except for mosquitoes. I'm one of those people they head straight for. I can get dozens of bites in minutes and I can have reactions 5 inches in diameter. ie I get the double whammy.
The last few years I've had my garden perimeter sprayed and it's made my summer more livable.
When they asked me what kind of spray I wanted I asked for whatever was the nuclear option. It's them or me.
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