鐔津文集 2.10

2.10

Creatures have nature; creatures have life. Creatures love life and hate death; all that possess blood and breath are like this. This is why the sage wishes to preserve life and does not wish to kill. Now, living and killing have cause and effect; good and evil have resonance and response. If the cause is good, the effect is good; if the cause is evil, the effect is evil. The mind that loves life is good; the mind that loves killing is evil. How could one not be cautious regarding the resonance of good and evil? Humans eat animals, and animals provide for humans: in the past they incurred debts to one another, and in secret they repay one another. Karma brings this about. Humans and creatures remain unaware, saying that creatures are naturally born of Heaven to nourish humans. How could Heaven be so partial? To harm natures and lives in order to nurture natures and lives—how could the Way of Heaven, being supremely humane, be like that? The principle of mutual repayment is dark and hard to speak of; the momentum of slaughter accumulates and is difficult to halt. Therefore the laws of antiquity ensured that people did not treat creatures violently, did not close the circle of a hunt, and did not wipe out whole flocks. The Master angled but did not use a net; he shot at birds but not at those roosting. Was this not a gradual step toward stopping killing? The Buddhist teachings instruct people that one may foster life but must not kill. Should one not reflect on this? Indeed it is true!