Lzh Mu Bi Vb Pc 47Intentionally Killing Living Creatures
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sañcicca
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Commentary on the Scripture Concerning the Intentional Killing of Living Creatures (Sañcicca)
Background
The Sañcicca scripture is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Pācittiya section (Pātimokkha) — the lighter class of prohibitions that nonetheless require confession and expiation. This constitutes an important part of the Bhikkhu Vinaya, established by the Buddha to protect the lives of all living beings and to cultivate compassion within the Sangha.
The Vinaya Piṭaka in general is not merely a collection of rigid rules, but rather a reflection of the Noble Eightfold Path expressed on the plane of ethical conduct. The Sañcicca scripture places particular emphasis on the role of intention (cetanā) — this being the core factor that determines the moral character of an action. An action becomes a transgression of the Vinaya only when there is deliberate intent in its commission.
Principal Content
This scripture records a rule of conduct that bhikkhus must observe: one must not intentionally (sañcicca) kill any living creature (pāṇa), however small it may be. This prohibition encompasses the deliberate killing of, or the intentional causing of death to, any living being within the realm of the Buddha-Dharma.
The word sañcicca — meaning "deliberately, with premeditation" — is the key term here. Even if someone causes the death of a living creature accidentally, if there was no intention to kill, this prohibition is not transgressed. This demonstrates that the Buddha-Dharma is not a law of inadvertence, but rather a principled exercise of understanding and compassion. Nevertheless, the exercise of care to avoid causing harm — even unintentionally — is still strongly encouraged.
This rule has its basis in the First of the Five Precepts (Pañcasīla) observed by all Buddhists: "To refrain from the taking of life." However, for those who have gone forth into the homeless life, this standard is established at an exceptionally stringent level, for they have relinquished worldly existence and committed themselves to a life of the highest ethical conduct.
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