Re: How bad is killing a mosquito?
Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:28 pm
In Sotar Sutta
The Listener
Buddha told:
"And how is a monk an endurer? There is the case where a monk is resilient to cold, heat, hunger, and thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words and bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, and menacing to life. This is how a monk is an endurer.
In Kayagata Sati Sutta
Buddha told:
Ten Benefits
"Monks, for one in whom mindfulness immersed in the body is cultivated, developed, pursued, given a means of transport, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken, ten benefits can be expected. Which ten?
"[1] He conquers displeasure and delight, and displeasure does not conquer him. He remains victorious over any displeasure that has arisen.
"[2] He conquers fear and dread, and fear and dread do not conquer him. He remains victorious over any fear and dread that have arisen.
"[3] He is resistant to cold, heat, hunger, thirst, the touch of gadflies and mosquitoes, wind and sun and creeping things; to abusive, hurtful language; he is the sort that can endure bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, sharp, stabbing, fierce, distasteful, disagreeable, deadly.
etc. ..... (The [3] is important.
In Sabbasava Sutta
(All the Fermentations)
"[3] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by using? There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, uses the robe simply to counteract cold, to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles; simply for the purpose of covering the parts of the body that cause shame.
"Reflecting appropriately, he uses lodging simply to counteract cold, to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles; simply for protection from the inclemency’s of weather and for the enjoyment of seclusion.
"[4] And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by tolerating? There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, endures. He tolerates cold, heat, hunger, and thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words and bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, and menacing to life. The fermentations, vexation, or fever that would arise if he were not to tolerate these things do not arise for him when he tolerates them. These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by tolerating.
Sorry, but I don't know the real answer of your question that how "bad" is killing a mosquito? I don't know how to measure "badness." If rebirth is considered as the measure then I think one will be reborn as a mosquito (and someone else will kill it again).