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No intention to kill .....

minimayhen88minimayhen88 Veteran
edited June 2012 in Buddhism Basics
Is this a violation of the 1st Precept (in your honest opinion?) .... I went along with / accepted the use of flea drops upon my friends puppy, when we were talking about it (she has flea bites on her leg, and was worried).... In doing so I did not even realise the loss of life until later on .... and made sure I did not activeley condone the use of flea drops any further ....

However.... In the begining I went along with the idea, as just a logical response, without activeley realising the loss of life. Would you consider this a violation? I had no intention to kill, and yet I was condoning an activity, that would lead to the loss of life?

Please help!

Sorry if this seems silly, but I am a young Buddhist, finding my way on the path, so bare with me (^.^)

x x x x

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    How else would you - or could you - have dealt with the problem?

    There are no hard and fast rules, in Buddhism.
    You have to weigh up whatever actions with the consequences and do what you believe to be skilful.
    Monks at a monastery had to deal with a cockroach infestation in a similar way.
    you make the decision that is right for you, but accept that whatever is mind-wrought, has consequences.

    simple.
  • DavidDavid A human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First Nations Veteran
    What would you do if your child had lice?
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    What would you do if your child had lice?
    Exactly.

  • seeker242seeker242 Zen Florida, USA Veteran
    Is this a violation of the 1st Precept (in your honest opinion?)
    No.
    :)
  • VictoriousVictorious Grim Veteran
    Is this a violation of the 1st Precept (in your honest opinion?) ....
    Yes but there is no other more skillfull way to act.
    The lice must be killed.

    /Victor
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    Well the line is somewhere. Otherwise it violates the first precept to wash your hands because it kills bacteria.

    It's your choice where you draw the line. Think of the benefit to the puppy. The puppy has a very developed nervous system.
  • ToshTosh Veteran
    Ajahn Brahm reckons the precepts are worded beginning with 'refrain', such as 'refrain from killing', not 'thou shalt not kill', because in some instances it's only right that we should kill, but we shouldn't kill just for some trivial reason.

    It's the same with lying; there are occasions when it would be skilful to lie.

    Our white blood cells are killing bacteria all the time (hopefully) too, without us even realising it.

    And in Buddhism, intention counts for everything; you're intention was to be compassionate towards your dog; you did not kill the fleas out of some malicious pleasure; so you're fine.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    And just to follow with a side-note: please, let's not diverge into the "is lying really ever skilful?" debate, here....

    many thanks!
  • ToshTosh Veteran
    edited June 2012
    And just to follow with a side-note: please, let's not diverge into the "is lying really ever skilful?" debate, here....

    many thanks!
    I like the 'hiding Jews' example, Fed. ;-)

  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    I think is wisdom in the reference to whether or not there is another more skillful way, as well as in general such situations being situational.

    For example, if I'm out hiking and see a rattlesnake, I let it go its way, I go mine. If I had a rattlesnake in my basement window well, well, it's gonna be dead. Different situations, different actions.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    And just to follow with a side-note: please, let's not diverge into the "is lying really ever skilful?" debate, here....

    many thanks!
    I like the 'hiding Jews' example, Fed. ;-)



    :lol:

    (Idiot!)
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    What would you do if your child had lice?
    Send them to a different school. :p
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    yeah, that's right, be part of the problem, not part of the solution..... :rolleyes: :D
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    As a retired school principal, the lice situation, which seemed to come up about every 2-3 years, was practically the most dreaded situation that would arise.
  • jlljll Veteran
    the objective of 1st precept is respect for all life.
    not to intentionally take a life.
    Is this a violation of the 1st Precept (in your honest opinion?) .... I went along with / accepted the use of flea drops upon my friends puppy, when we were talking about it (she has flea bites on her leg, and was worried).... In doing so I did not even realise the loss of life until later on .... and made sure I did not activeley condone the use of flea drops any further ....

    However.... In the begining I went along with the idea, as just a logical response, without activeley realising the loss of life. Would you consider this a violation? I had no intention to kill, and yet I was condoning an activity, that would lead to the loss of life?

    Please help!

    Sorry if this seems silly, but I am a young Buddhist, finding my way on the path, so bare with me (^.^)

    x x x x
  • jlljll Veteran
    i will shave her bald.
    What would you do if your child had lice?
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    I know we're originally discussing fleas here, and as such it's a slight departure from the topic, but headlice is a big issue.
    when I was a girl, we had to keep long hair plaited or in a topknot AND wear bonnets, and there never was a case of headlice in my school the whole 4 years I was there.
    The year I left, they ceased the habit of girls wearing bonnets - and 3 months later, we had the first outbreak.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    the objective of 1st precept is respect for all life.
    not to intentionally take a life.
    Incorrect.
    Please post a reference, or check facts prior to posting such a claim.

    Many thanks.
    i will shave her bald.

    sure you would. :rolleyes:

    I don't think she would have much respect for you if you did.....
    going to such lengths would do more damage than good.

  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    i will shave her bald.
    What would you do if your child had lice?
    I hope you wouldn't do that to a child when there are plenty of satisfactory shampoos and treatments available.

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