佛說佛名經 20.20

20.20

"We disciples now, having made general confession of all karma, shall now proceed to make separate, individual confessions one by one. Whether general or separate, coarse or fine, light or heavy, spoken or unspoken, according to their categories, we pray that all may be eradicated. As for separate confession: first confess the three [unwholesome actions] of body, next confess the four of speech, and for all remaining hindrances prostrate in succession. Among the three bodily actions, the first is killing and injuring. As the sūtras explain, using oneself as a simile: do not kill, do not use the rod. Though beasts and birds differ [from human beings], in cherishing life and fearing death their case is the same. If we trace these sentient beings from beginningless time, they may have been our fathers, mothers, brothers, and six kinds of kin; through the conditions of karma they transmigrated in the six destinies, being born and dying, changing forms and altering their retributions, no longer recognising one another. Yet now we raise up harm, eating their flesh and cutting off the seeds of great compassion. For this reason the Buddha said: 'Even when obtaining other food, one should regard it like the flesh of one's own son during a time of famine. How much more so the eating of this fish and flesh?' He also said: 'Killing sentient beings for profit and using money to purchase the flesh of sentient beings: both are evil karma, and upon death one falls into the Raurava Hell.' Thus we know that killing, injuring, and eating [meat] incur sins as deep as rivers and seas, and faults heavier than hills and mountains. Yet we disciples, from beginningless time, not meeting good spiritual friends, have all committed such karma. For this reason, the sūtra says: 'The sin of killing and injuring can cause sentient beings to fall into the hells and hungry ghosts to suffer torment. If among animals, they receive bodies such as tigers, dogs, jackals, wolves, hawks, and falcons, or receive bodies such as venomous snakes, vipers, and scorpions, constantly harbouring malice; or they receive bodies such as roe deer, stags, and bears, constantly harbouring terror. If born among humans, they receive two kinds of karmic retribution: first, frequent illness; second, a shortened life.' Since killing, injuring, and eating have such immeasurable and diverse kinds of karmic retributions, therefore, we disciples today prostrate ourselves with the utmost devotion and with supreme sincerity take refuge in the Buddha.