梵網經菩薩戒本疏 1.47

1.47

Sixth, regarding severity, there are two: first, coarse; second, subtle. Within the coarse, there are three: first, in terms of the sentient being killed; second, in terms of the killing mind; third, in terms of the method of killing employed. In the first, although the kinds of sentient beings killed are boundless, broadly summarizing them in this realm, there are no more than seven: namely, the six destinies and the noble ones. Yet regarding these seven ranks, there are four aspects of severity: First, in terms of severing a living being's life, all are pārājika offenses. Question: How could there be killing of a hell-being? Answer: Because bodhisattvas also roam in that destiny to rescue sentient beings; therefore, toward them there is also non-killing, not to mention that there are bodhisattvas who first give rise to compassion in the hells, achieving the initial mind. Second, in terms of karmic retribution, humans are heavy and animals, etc., are light, because humans are vessels accessible to the two vehicles, Great and Small. Third, in terms of virtue, harming one who has generated bodhicitta makes the karmic path heavier, regardless of human or animal. Thus the sūtra states: killing an animal that has generated bodhicitta is a heavier offense than killing a person with wrong views. Fourth, in terms of the heinous crimes, that is, among the seven heinous crimes mentioned below, excluding causing a schism in the Saṃgha—since there is no life that can be harmed, there is only the heinous crime and nothing else. Shedding the blood of a Buddha is both a heinous crime and a heavy preparatory [offense]; since [a Buddha] cannot be killed, there is no pārājika. For the remaining five, according to their position, each incurs two offenses: namely, a heinous crime and a pārājika. Among them, parents and the two teachers may each incur three offenses: first, a pārājika; second, a heinous crime. That is, if among these four persons there is one who attained arhatship: (1) killing a parent, etc.; (2) killing an arhat; (3) cutting short a living being's life—hence one incurs three offenses. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra states: 'First, killing a royal father; second, killing a srotāpanna.' If according to the Abhidharmakośa, one incurs only a single immediate [offense], because it relies on a single [individual]. Second, explaining severity in terms of the mind: although the thoughts and intentions of killing are many, they do not exceed the three natures: wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate, which constitute three grades. Unwholesome is heavy, wholesome is middling, and indeterminate is lower or without retribution. Within this there are two: first, distinguished separately; second, intermingled. First, within internal unwholesomeness, the seven formed by the mutual inducement of the three poisons also have three grades: the three singles are light, the three pairs are next, and the one combined is heavy. Within the singles there are also three: greed is lowest, anger is next, and delusion is heavy. Why is this? Truly, because when famine approaches from without and the fire of greed scorches within, although one understands the karmic path, one cannot control oneself; coveting their skin and meat to sustain one's own body, one ends up severing their life; therefore it is not extremely heavy. Second, although one also understands cause and effect, when fury is difficult to restrain and one severs life out of anger, the karmic path surpasses the former; therefore it is next. Third, not believing in cause and effect, thinking there is no offense but rather virtue, one indulges one's mind in killing sentient beings and further urges others to kill. The Vibhāṣā says: 'Tigers, leopards, jackals, centipedes, rainbows, snakes, and the like harm humans; killing them carries no offense. When parents are decrepit and old or afflicted with illness, if one can kill them, one gains immeasurable merit. Furthermore, killing living beings to sacrifice to Heaven is regarded as merit.' Furthermore, obstinately clinging to the idea that killing carries merit and no offense, like the ṛṣi Vasu who suffered torment for many kalpas; therefore, the cause of delusion is the heaviest. The Sujāta Sūtra (Upāsakaśīla Sūtra) states: 'Killing living beings with a mind of greed is light, with a mind of anger is next, and with a mind of delusion is heavy.' Hence it is stated thus. The three pairs also have three grades: greed and anger are lowest, greed and delusion are next, and anger and delusion are heavy. The one combined is equal parts, which is the most supreme. This distinguishes severity in terms of the karmic path; if in terms of transgressing the teaching, all commit a major [offense]. Second, regarding a wholesome mind: killing living beings with a wholesome mind, such as seeing a sentient being suffering extremely from chronic illness, unable to bear their suffering, one then cuts short their life faculty with a compassionate mind. Or as in the Vinaya, where a monk had again committed a capital offense, and a monk told the executioner to plead for a single knife [stroke], etc. In all these, the karmic path is light, but all violate a major precept. Third, regarding an indeterminate mind: either it does not constitute an offense, because the indeterminate does not constitute karma; or it also has karma, because one still receives retribution. For example, a monk living in the mountains pushed a stone and killed an ant; the ant took the body of a pig and likewise pushed a stone, harming that monk; each had an indeterminate mind, yet invisibly received retribution. Thus, regarding the precepts, although it is not an offense, yet killing karma like this does not perish; therefore it cannot be taken lightly. There are foolish people in the world who, drinking and using water with insects, say: 'I only use the water, I do not originally harm the insects; if the insects die on their own, it is certainly not my fault.' This is not recognizing the karmic path and not seeing the holy teachings; it is truly a lamentable folly. Second, explaining the intermingled: also seven. In terms of the minds at the three times: namely, wishing to act, actively acting, and having acted. In these three times, minds of the three natures arise alternately, so the karma has degrees of severity. That is, among the three: one unwholesome and two indeterminate is light; one unwholesome and two wholesome is next; one wholesome and two unwholesome is heavy. Furthermore, one wholesome and two indeterminate is light; one indeterminate and two wholesome is next; one indeterminate and two unwholesome is heavy. Furthermore, the three: all unwholesome is heavy, all wholesome is next, and all indeterminate is light, as distinguished separately above. Second, in terms of the presence or lack of the killing mind at the three times: lacking two minds is light, lacking one mind is next, and possessing all three is heavy. These three apply generally to the above gate of distinguishing by nature; within each mind there are these three, which should be understood according to their severity. Third, regarding the severity of the method of killing employed, there are two: first, in terms of the three karmas; second, in terms of suffering and torment. In the first, the singles, pairs, etc., of the three karmas also have seven. The three singles: (1) In killing through bodily karma, it means applying knives and staves, etc.; or bodily manifesting an appearance to frighten them into falling into a ravine; or gesturing to instruct others to effect the killing, etc.; or writing a letter ordering a killing; or digging pits, setting snare nets, shooting arrows, administering poison, giving killing tools, etc.; whether in water, on land, or flying in the sky, having a cause that leads to death—the light and heavy offenses can be known. (2) Killing through speech: either using gentle words to encourage detestation of the body and death; or instructing someone to kill; or incanting to kill; or like a strong man shouting a proclamation to cause death. Among these killings through speech, the first is light, the next is middling, and the last two are heavy. (3) Killing through intention: as in the Viṃśikā-kārikā, where a ṛṣi cursed and killed the sentient beings of three kingdoms, who died all at once, and even the grasses and trees died and did not grow; therefore we know that intention is the heaviest. Here speech and intention jointly produce bodily karma. The pairs: possessing killing through body and speech, meaning bodily performing while chanting incantations—this is light; or possessing killing through body and intention is next; or killing through speech and intention is heavy; the single combination of all three is the heaviest. Second, in terms of suffering and torment: that is, slicing and severing the body piece by piece so that life ends over many days—here the suffering and torment are great, and since the intention to kill is deep, it is heavy; the reverse of this should be light. Furthermore, whether there is kindness or no kindness, fault or no fault, all have degrees of severity that should be understood. Second, subtle explanation: however, these subtle details of the karmic path regarding severity, in opening up the mind in relation to objects, should be contemplated and weighed well.