天台菩薩戒疏 2.12

2.12

Tenth, the precept against keeping various killing instruments. Implements for harming living beings are called killing instruments; concealing, storing, and keeping them is called keeping. Bodhisattvas should always give away all their possessions; to keep killing instruments instead with the intent of harming sentient beings increases sin day and night, termed an evil unmanifest [act]; therefore it is instituted. It specifically comprises four conditions: first, being killing instruments; second, knowing them to be such; third, lacking an exceptional allowance (in the vinaya there is an allowance to keep them to deceive bandits); fourth, intentionally keeping them past a day; whereupon one commits an offense. The text has three parts: first, designating the name, listing the matters, and instituting prohibition; second, adducing what is heavy to illustrate what is light; third, concluding the offense for violating the institution. When it first says 'knives, staves, etc.', those originally fashioned to harm living beings are what is meant. Any weapon of killing must not be kept, hence it says 'all'. Next, from 'yet a bodhisattva' onward, it adduces what is heavy to illustrate what is light. The vinaya states: 'If hostility is removed with hostility, hostility is never removed. Only by resolving hostility does hostility cease.' If an enemy has not yet harmed one, one should sincerely respect and support them; if one has already been harmed, understanding past karma oneself and that enmity reciprocates enmity, one repays it; conversely, if someone intentionally kills one's parents, it is instituted that one must not retaliate. From 'if intentionally' onward, it concludes the offense for violating the institution.