佛言 佛子 若自殺 教人殺 方便殺 讚歎殺 見作隨喜 乃至咒殺 殺因 殺緣 殺法 殺業 乃至一切有命者 不得故殺 是菩薩應起常住慈悲心 孝順心 方便救護一切衆生 而反更加惡心故殺衆生者 是菩薩波羅夷罪
fó yán fó zǐ ruò zì shā jiào rén shā fāng biàn shā zàn tàn shā jiàn zuò suí xǐ nǎi zhì zhòu shā shā yīn shā yuán shā fǎ shā yè nǎi zhì yī qiē yǒu mìng zhě bù dé gù shā shì púsà yīng qǐ cháng zhù cí bēi xīn xiào shùn xīn fāng biàn jiù hù yī qiē zhòng shēng ér fǎn gēng jiā è xīn gù shā zhòng shēng zhě shì púsà bō luó yí zuì
Key Message
Killing is forbidden in every form. A bodhisattva bears the active duty to protect all forms of life with a compassionate heart.
▸The Precept Against Killing (不殺生戒) is the first and most fundamental of the ten major precepts of the Bodhisattva Precepts in the Brahmajala Sutra.
The Precept Against Killing (不殺生戒) is the first and most fundamental of the ten major precepts of the Bodhisattva Precepts in the Brahmajala Sutra. It comprehensively forbids all acts connected with killing: killing by one's own hand (自殺), ordering another to kill (教人殺), killing by indirect means (方便殺), praising killing (讚歎殺), rejoicing upon witnessing a killing (見作隨喜), and even killing through the use of spells (咒殺). The scope of this precept extends to 'all living beings' (一切有命者) — every sentient creature, from human beings down to the smallest creature. A bodhisattva must always maintain a compassionate heart (慈悲心) and a heart of filial reverence (孝順心), using every skillful means to rescue and protect all living beings. To deliberately kill any sentient being out of malice constitutes a pārājika offense (波羅夷罪) — the gravest class of transgression, which causes the bodhisattva to forfeit the bodhisattva status.