[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [高僧傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059) › 9.22 # 高僧傳 9.22 高僧傳 9.22 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [9.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.9.22) 虎常問澄：「佛法云何？」澄曰：「佛法不殺。」「朕為天下之主，非刑殺無以肅清海內，既違戒殺生，雖復事佛，詎獲福耶？」澄曰：「帝王之事佛，當在心體恭心順，顯暢三寶，不為暴虐，不害無辜。至於凶愚無賴，非化所遷，有罪不得不殺，有惡不得不刑。但當殺可殺，刑可刑耳。若暴虐恣意，殺害非罪，雖復傾財事法，無解殃禍。願陛下省欲興慈，廣及一切，則佛教永隆，福祚方遠。」虎雖不能盡從，而為益不少。 > Hu once asked Deng: "What is the Buddhadharma?" Deng said: "The Buddhadharma is non-killing." \[Hu said:\] "I am the lord of all under heaven; without punishment and execution, there is no way to pacify the realm. Having transgressed the precept against taking life, even if I serve the Buddha, how can I attain merit?" Deng said: "An emperor serving the Buddha should do so in his heart, embodying reverence and compliance, elucidating and propagating the Three Jewels, not committing violence and cruelty, and not harming the innocent. As for the vicious, foolish, and depraved who cannot be transformed by moral influence, when they are guilty of crimes, they cannot but be executed; when they commit evil, they cannot but be punished. One should only kill those who should be killed, and punish those who should be punished. If one indulges in violence and cruelty, killing and harming those who are guiltless, then even if one exhausts one's wealth to serve the Dharma, it will not dispel calamities. May Your Majesty lessen your desires and cultivate compassion, extending it widely to all beings; then the Buddhist teachings will forever flourish, and your blessings will be long-lasting." Although Hu could not follow all of it, it brought no small benefit. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 9.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.9.21) - [Next: 9.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.9.23) - [Up: 9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.9) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059~en-mt.9.22) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.9.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.9.22) · Pramāṇa