Killing Insects

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
Post Reply
ccook70
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:50 am

Killing Insects

Post by ccook70 »

Hello,

Did the Buddha teach we are not to kill insects?

Wasps, termites, bedbugs, etc?

Thanks!

Corey
culaavuso
Posts: 1363
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 8:27 pm

Re: Killing Insects

Post by culaavuso »

AN 8.39
AN 8.39: Abhisanda Sutta wrote: There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, abandoning the taking of life, abstains from taking life. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression.
AN 4.67
AN 4.67: Ahina Sutta wrote: May all creatures,
all breathing things,
all beings
— each & every one —
meet with good fortune.
May none of them come to any evil.

Limitless is the Buddha,
limitless the Dhamma,
limitless the Sangha.
There is a limit to creeping things:
snakes, scorpions, centipedes,
spiders, lizards, & rats.
Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children
Thich Nhat Hanh wrote: I learned that a mosquito needs food in order to live. A mosquito is always trying to get some food. It is like us. When we are hungry we also look for something to eat, and that's very natural. I think there are ways in which we can protect ourselves from being bitten by mosquitos. In Vietnam everyone has a mosquito net to sleep under at night. And if they don't use a mosquito net, they have to kill mosquitos the whole night. Not only a few - because after you kill one, another will come. You could spend your entire night killing mosquitos. So killing mosquitos is not a solution. One way we can protect ourselves is by using a mosquito net.
...
Sometimes when I see a mosquito landing on me, I produce a kind of storm with my hand so the mosquito will fly away. I do it without any anger. I just prevent the mosquito from biting.
SarathW
Posts: 21234
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Re: Killing Insects

Post by SarathW »

Only way you can eradicate pest is by using pesticides which will have harmful effect on human.
The best way to control them is to make an environment not suitable for them.
Metta
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
User avatar
Mkoll
Posts: 6594
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: USA

Re: Killing Insects

Post by Mkoll »

Intention is kamma (AN 6.63).

Intending to kill an insect and doing it is killing a living being which leads to pain in the future (MN 46), ie. bad kamma.

The Buddha taught that it is bad kamma to intentionally kill living beings.

:anjali:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
ccook70
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:50 am

Re: Killing Insects

Post by ccook70 »

Thanks for your wise advice.
User avatar
greenjuice
Posts: 285
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:56 pm

Re: Killing Insects

Post by greenjuice »

User avatar
Cittasanto
Posts: 6646
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:31 pm
Location: Ellan Vannin
Contact:

Re: Killing Insects

Post by Cittasanto »

SarathW wrote:Only way you can eradicate pest is by using pesticides which will have harmful effect on human.
The best way to control them is to make an environment not suitable for them.
Metta
Good to bear in mind. Sometimes the world (legal duties) require action even if we prefer non.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
User avatar
rowboat
Posts: 700
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2010 5:31 am
Location: Brentwood Bay

Re: Killing Insects

Post by rowboat »

Cittasanto wrote:
SarathW wrote:Only way you can eradicate pest is by using pesticides which will have harmful effect on human.
The best way to control them is to make an environment not suitable for them.
Metta
Good to bear in mind. Sometimes the world (legal duties) require action even if we prefer non.
Why gentleness requires courage; because the world is so often wrong.
Rain soddens what is covered up,
It does not sodden what is open.
Therefore uncover what is covered
That the rain will not sodden it.
Ud 5.5
User avatar
phil
Posts: 874
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:08 am
Location: Tokyo

Re: Killing Insects

Post by phil »

If we are lay followers with family responsibilities sometimes there is no choice but to kill insects. Especially disease carrying one such as mosquitoes. (Dengue fever and other diseases spreading into northern hemisphere. )If because I was following the precepts I allowed acmosquito to go wandering off to bite my partner (or children if I had them) or passed on the duty of killing them to my partner, I think it would be grossly irresponsible, almost obscene, we are not monks so are sila cannot be perfect. Of course we do everything we can to avoid having mosquitoes into the house. As for insects which are harmless but frightening to others such as cockroaches that's a tough call personally I don't kill them unless there is a big outbreak that is upsetting my partner, again we have responsibilities to care for our loved ones. if someone wants to play monastic and try to maintain perfect sila at the cost of responsibilitiesn to your loved ones, is your choice. (It would be great if my partner also took the precepts or had an interest in Buddhism still hoping for that to happen, and when I kill insects I don't take it lightly and I discuss it with her.)

Strangely this summer we have neither mosquitoes nor cockroaches, very unusual in Japan. Sorry for typos, gotta run.

Phil
Kammalakkhano , bhikkhave, bālo, kammalakkhano pandito, apadānasobhanī paññāti
(The fool is characterized by his/her actions/the wise one is characterized by his/her actions/Wisdom shines forth in behaviour.)
(AN 3.2 Lakkhana Sutta)
User avatar
cooran
Posts: 8503
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: Killing Insects

Post by cooran »

Hello all,

There is no need to kill living beings. You are definitely breaking the Precept.

I use non-harming traps for mice and rats and the release them into bushland.

Insect repellent lotion and insect screens on windows keep mosquitoes and flys away.

And as for cockroaches - well, they are more intelligent and caring than you think:
http://www.peta.org/living/humane-home/ ... ckroaches/

With metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
Sanjay PS
Posts: 311
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 2:26 pm

Re: Killing Insects

Post by Sanjay PS »

cooran wrote:Hello all,

There is no need to kill living beings. You are definitely breaking the Precept.

I use non-harming traps for mice and rats and the release them into bushland.

Insect repellent lotion and insect screens on windows keep mosquitoes and flys away.

And as for cockroaches - well, they are more intelligent and caring than you think:
http://www.peta.org/living/humane-home/ ... ckroaches/

With metta,
Chris

:smile:
The Path of Dhamma

The path of Dhamma is no picnic . It is a strenuous march steeply up the hill . If all the comrades desert you , Walk alone ! Walk alone ! with all the Thrill !!

U S.N. Goenka
User avatar
rowboat
Posts: 700
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2010 5:31 am
Location: Brentwood Bay

Re: Killing Insects

Post by rowboat »

Image


Na tena ariyo hoti yena pāṇāni hiṃsati.
Ahiṃsā sabbapāṇānaṃ
"ariyo"ti pavuccati.
- Listen

One is not noble who injures living beings.
One is called "noble" because
one is harmless towards all living beings.

-Dhammapada 19.270
Rain soddens what is covered up,
It does not sodden what is open.
Therefore uncover what is covered
That the rain will not sodden it.
Ud 5.5
SarathW
Posts: 21234
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Re: Killing Insects

Post by SarathW »

phil wrote:If we are lay followers with family responsibilities sometimes there is no choice but to kill insects. Especially disease carrying one such as mosquitoes. (Dengue fever and other diseases spreading into northern hemisphere. )If because I was following the precepts I allowed acmosquito to go wandering off to bite my partner (or children if I had them) or passed on the duty of killing them to my partner, I think it would be grossly irresponsible, almost obscene, we are not monks so are sila cannot be perfect. Of course we do everything we can to avoid having mosquitoes into the house. As for insects which are harmless but frightening to others such as cockroaches that's a tough call personally I don't kill them unless there is a big outbreak that is upsetting my partner, again we have responsibilities to care for our loved ones. if someone wants to play monastic and try to maintain perfect sila at the cost of responsibilitiesn to your loved ones, is your choice. (It would be great if my partner also took the precepts or had an interest in Buddhism still hoping for that to happen, and when I kill insects I don't take it lightly and I discuss it with her.)

Strangely this summer we have neither mosquitoes nor cockroaches, very unusual in Japan. Sorry for typos, gotta run.

Phil
Hi Phil
I see your point.
But chemical we used to kill insect harm human as well.
They (Sri Lankan government) used to spray DDT in to our houses.
It was mandatory and executed by force (40 years ago)
My mother got breast cancer.
I put the blame on DDT.
As you know, DDT is not allowed to use any more.
There was a dengu out break in Sri Lanka recently.
Community awareness help to eradicate the breeding ground for mosquitos.
:thinking:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
User avatar
greenjuice
Posts: 285
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:56 pm

Re: Killing Insects

Post by greenjuice »

No reactions to the incredible clip I found of "enchanting" :D flies to not move so one can harmlessly pick them up? All you need is a blow drier, and chopsticks. x)

Anyways, concerning killing insects there is no way of getting around the first precept, it definetely bars intentional killing of all beings, including insects.

The only two ways of thinking that one can "get away with" breaking the precept is either with the notion that it is permissable to break precepts if one pursues a greater good, or with a notion that one shouldn't mind too much breaking a precept because he can make it up by good kamma.

The first notion exists in mahayana and vajrayana scriptures, but I'm not sure that there is mention of it in the suttas. Has anyone come across something like that?

As far as the second notion is concerned, I think there is something like that, I remember it only vaguely, something like Buddha saying that when a little salt is dropped in a cup of water, it will become aalty, but when a little salt is droppen in a river, it will not become salty, and that it is the same when bad kamma and a virtuous and an unvirtuous person. Can someone reming me which sutta is that?
User avatar
Mkoll
Posts: 6594
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: USA

Re: Killing Insects

Post by Mkoll »

greenjuice wrote:No reactions to the incredible clip I found of "enchanting" :D flies to not move so one can harmlessly pick them up? All you need is a blow drier, and chopsticks. x)
Is that for real? I mean, does it really work? Where can I get one? :P

I wouldn't trust my chopstick skills not to crush the poor little bugger so I'd just use a glass and index card. :D
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Post Reply