Virgo wrote:Sanjay PS wrote:
What is mentioned makes sense . With these noble thoughts of trying our best not to intentionally harm any beings , we must dig deeper and look further inside ourselves whether the roots of lust, anger , hatred , conceit , jealousy , ill will , harbored since time immemorial , is loosing its hold on us . If these base emotions continue to be strong with us , and yet we focus mostly only on the intricate details , i think somewhere down the road , we may have unknowingly forgotten our basics .
Also the contemplation of dukkha in everything that we do , is a pointer of the way life has been , is , and will always be..........the noble truth of living.............
sanjay
Hi Sanjay. What you may not realize is that killing is always done with dosa. Why is one beings life more important than another? It is natural that we way think in this way but really is it wholesome or unwholesome? It is good to know these things. Equinimity should arise at times.
All the best,
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Its compassion that is important , not the attachment to it .
Killing is dosa , yes , but so long as there is malice and hatred mixed with it .
Even in the Tipitaka , there is a clear mention by Lord Buddha , that having to resort to this base deed , so long as it is in self-defence does not will the force of kamma .What is important , is the forming mental impressions should not be of hatred , anger and ill-will . In the case of tick and fleas and other beings , it may not be in self-defence , but for the welfare of pets at large, or in many cases we humans ourselves ( we harbor so many unimaginable parasites and bacteria and get sick sooner or later , having but no choice to take whatever medication , in bringing down the infestation levels by eradicating that what caused the imbalance ) . Yes , it is a one way action , there is no disagreement to it , but it is the situation , intensity and intent of killing that matters .
If for example i have strived in living a life in trying my best in not knowingly kill any being however tiny it may be , whatever be the cause . But on the other hand if i find that someone insulting me ,hurting me , gets me agitated and worked up , instead of having compassion and kindness for the person and situation , then it goes on to show a contradiction .
There are four kinds of acts :
1) Intentionally
2) Unintentionally
3) Knowingly
4) Unknowingly
The above are inter-dependent , yet very different . Its worthwhile to contemplate on them, and find meaning and answers for ourselves .
More than worlds of hell and heaven , what is really stirring to feel is that whatever we do , however horrific and beatific be the planes , there is dukkha . To build a hut or make a dwelling , we knowingly or unintentionally kill multitudes of beings. Living is dukkha , one just cannot escape this fact . Nature torches this reality of life both on a macro level and also at the tiniest atomic level , where birth , growth , decay and vaporizing , flashes by . Fundamentally the same , the sorrow of change , of parting away from an illusion.........
And i think Arhants or Ariyas will have no interest whatsoever to have pets , just as it is completely meaningless for them to lead a family life .
sanjay