does killing insects break the precepts?

Buddhist ethical conduct including the Five Precepts (Pañcasikkhāpada), and Eightfold Ethical Conduct (Aṭṭhasīla).
confusedsoso
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:45 am

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by confusedsoso »

DNS wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:13 am Moderator reminder, terms of service 2.d. includes not making threats to other members about karmic retribution. Offending posts have been removed.
Yes, I think some of his posts were a little bit offensive.
User avatar
DNS
Site Admin
Posts: 17191
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:15 am
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos de América
Contact:

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by DNS »

confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 2:14 am Inside the house like flys, mosquitos, spiders, house centipedes and cockroaches.
Most insects can be safely removed from the house in non-lethal manners by opening the window or using repellants. I should admit though that some are very difficult to remove and could literally take over your home, for example cockroaches, fleas, termites, and probably some others too.

Spiders are good, they don't live in colonies, tend to be mostly solitary beings and eat the other bugs.
santa100
Posts: 6814
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:55 pm

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by santa100 »

confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:16 am
DNS wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:13 am Moderator reminder, terms of service 2.d. includes not making threats to other members about karmic retribution. Offending posts have been removed.
Yes, I think some of his posts were a little bit offensive.
And just to be fair, that's nothing compared to the enormous pain and suffering you've been inflicting on those poor insects for decades.
confusedsoso wrote:I do it because I get paranoid they are going to bite me. Its already been a habit for a very long time like for a few decades. I started when I was small. I kill them every chance I get so I have killed a lot of insects in my time.
confusedsoso
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:45 am

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by confusedsoso »

santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:25 am
confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:16 am
DNS wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:13 am Moderator reminder, terms of service 2.d. includes not making threats to other members about karmic retribution. Offending posts have been removed.
Yes, I think some of his posts were a little bit offensive.
And just to be fair, that's nothing compared to the enormous pain and suffering you've been inflicting on those poor insects for decades.
confusedsoso wrote:I do it because I get paranoid they are going to bite me. Its already been a habit for a very long time like for a few decades. I started when I was small. I kill them every chance I get so I have killed a lot of insects in my time.
A quick death. Doesnt everyone want a quick death if it was under your control.
santa100
Posts: 6814
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:55 pm

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by santa100 »

confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:29 am
santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:25 am
confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:16 am

Yes, I think some of his posts were a little bit offensive.
And just to be fair, that's nothing compared to the enormous pain and suffering you've been inflicting on those poor insects for decades.
confusedsoso wrote:I do it because I get paranoid they are going to bite me. Its already been a habit for a very long time like for a few decades. I started when I was small. I kill them every chance I get so I have killed a lot of insects in my time.
A quick death. Doesnt everyone want a quick death if it was under your control.
You yourself said that lethal injection is painful. So really there's no quick death using your own vocabulary. My ISIS's burning alive vs throat slitting analogy was also used to demonstrated this exact point. Unfortunately you failed to see the point.
Last edited by santa100 on Sat May 27, 2023 3:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
DNS
Site Admin
Posts: 17191
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:15 am
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos de América
Contact:

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by DNS »

santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:25 am ...
Just curious, do you know of any non-lethal ways to get rid of some of the ones I mentioned that could literally take over your home if you do nothing? For example, fleas, cockroaches, termites.
santa100
Posts: 6814
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:55 pm

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by santa100 »

DNS wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:33 am
santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:25 am ...
Just curious, do you know of any non-lethal ways to get rid of some of the ones I mentioned that could literally take over your home if you do nothing? For example, fleas, cockroaches, termites.
I think you also miss the point, cuz according to the OP's post:
confusedsoso wrote:I do it because I get paranoid they are going to bite me. Its already been a habit for a very long time like for a few decades. I started when I was small. I kill them every chance I get so I have killed a lot of insects in my time.
He kills out of the paranoia of being biten, NOT because of being literally taken over like the case you've just raised.
Last edited by santa100 on Sat May 27, 2023 3:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
confusedsoso
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:45 am

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by confusedsoso »

santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:31 am
confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:29 am
santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:25 am
And just to be fair, that's nothing compared to the enormous pain and suffering you've been inflicting on those poor insects for decades.
A quick death. Doesnt everyone want a quick death if it was under your control.
You yourself said that lethal injection is painful. So really there's no quick death using your own vocabulary. My ISIS's burning alive vs throat slitting was also used to demonstrated this exact point. Unfortunately you failed to see the point.
I think the guillotine is pretty quick.
santa100
Posts: 6814
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:55 pm

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by santa100 »

confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:36 am
santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:31 am
confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:29 am

A quick death. Doesnt everyone want a quick death if it was under your control.
You yourself said that lethal injection is painful. So really there's no quick death using your own vocabulary. My ISIS's burning alive vs throat slitting was also used to demonstrated this exact point. Unfortunately you failed to see the point.
I think the guillotine is pretty quick.
Then try to build a mini-guillotine and use it on those poor insects. But remember, using the guillotine or not, you'd still break the 1st precept.
confusedsoso
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:45 am

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by confusedsoso »

santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:38 am
confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:36 am
santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:31 am
You yourself said that lethal injection is painful. So really there's no quick death using your own vocabulary. My ISIS's burning alive vs throat slitting was also used to demonstrated this exact point. Unfortunately you failed to see the point.
I think the guillotine is pretty quick.
Then try to build a mini-guillotine and use it on those poor insects. But remember, using the guillotine or not, you'd still break the 1st precept.
I think its nice that you think about those poor insects. Quite compassionate of you.
santa100
Posts: 6814
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:55 pm

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by santa100 »

confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:41 am
santa100 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:38 am
confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:36 am

I think the guillotine is pretty quick.
Then try to build a mini-guillotine and use it on those poor insects. But remember, using the guillotine or not, you'd still break the 1st precept.
I think its nice that you think about those poor insects. Quite compassionate of you.
Not only the insects, actually I wouldn't even bother to write had i not also felt compassionate for you.
User avatar
mjaviem
Posts: 2302
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2020 5:06 pm

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by mjaviem »

confusedsoso wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 6:45 pm
confusedsoso wrote: Fri May 19, 2023 11:20 pm
Eko Care wrote: Fri May 19, 2023 11:18 pm

Hell.
Otherwise, Short Lifespan.
...
How long in hell?

Ontheway wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:17 am
confusedsoso wrote: Fri May 19, 2023 11:20 pm

How long in hell?
...
The key point is: to stop repeating the mistakes and turn a new leaf. Keep working on improving oneself in term of Dana, Sila and Bhavana....
Everything you say sounds right but I cant seem to stop killing insects.
You're getting good replies from our friends Elko Care and Onthewsy above.
confusedsoso wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:35 pm I do it because I get paranoid they are going to bite me. Its already been a habit for a very long time like for a few decades. I started when I was small. I kill them every chance I get so I have killed a lot of insects in my time.
Stop. Make it your priority. Understand that killing do come with consequences. Understand you are the heir of your actions. Understand that bad actions lead to bad destinations. Stop doing it and don't do it again, under no circumstances. You'll have to work hard to live as you want without taking anyone's life.
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambuddhassa
confusedsoso
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 12:45 am

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by confusedsoso »

mjaviem wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 12:14 pm
confusedsoso wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 6:45 pm
confusedsoso wrote: Fri May 19, 2023 11:20 pm

How long in hell?

Ontheway wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:17 am
...
The key point is: to stop repeating the mistakes and turn a new leaf. Keep working on improving oneself in term of Dana, Sila and Bhavana....
Everything you say sounds right but I cant seem to stop killing insects.
You're getting good replies from our friends Elko Care and Onthewsy above.
confusedsoso wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:35 pm I do it because I get paranoid they are going to bite me. Its already been a habit for a very long time like for a few decades. I started when I was small. I kill them every chance I get so I have killed a lot of insects in my time.
Stop. Make it your priority. Understand that killing do come with consequences. Understand you are the heir of your actions. Understand that bad actions lead to bad destinations. Stop doing it and don't do it again, under no circumstances. You'll have to work hard to live as you want without taking anyone's life.
I dunno. I cant stop now. I'll just have to bear with the karmic consequences. I cant be the only one that kills insects. How about exterminators? Do they get punished for doing their jobs?
Dhammapardon
Posts: 373
Joined: Mon May 09, 2022 12:11 am

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by Dhammapardon »

Precepts are a guide to escape samsara. If you have no interest in escape, there is no need to follow precepts.
Just as a bird, wherever it goes, flies with its wings as its only burden; so too is he content with a set of robes to provide for his body and almsfood to provide for his hunger. Wherever he goes, he takes only his barest necessities along. This is how a monk is content.(DN11)
User avatar
DNS
Site Admin
Posts: 17191
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:15 am
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos de América
Contact:

Re: does killing insects break the precepts?

Post by DNS »

confusedsoso wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 6:08 pm I dunno. I cant stop now. I'll just have to bear with the karmic consequences. I cant be the only one that kills insects. How about exterminators? Do they get punished for doing their jobs?
Yes, exterminators will face the karmic consequences. They not only kill living beings, but do so in large amounts and it is their occupation (wrong livelihood). But what the exact consequence is, no one knows. As Ontheway wrote:
I don't think anyone here can give you that exact information. Only the Buddha knows the full extent of kammic consequence.
Post Reply