Lzh Mu Bu Vb Pc 62Intentionally Killing Living Creatures
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sañcicca
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Sañcicca Discourse: On Intentionally Killing Living Beings
Background
This rule appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the explanation of the rules for bhikkhunīs. Sañcicca in Pāli means “intentional” or “with intention,” referring to an action carried out deliberately and with prior thought.
In the rules of Theravāda Buddhism, the nature of an action is determined not only by the result but also by the intention (cetanā) of the one who performs it. This reflects the basic principle of causality (karma): intentional action produces powerful karmic results. Therefore, deliberately killing a living being is considered a more serious ethical and monastic violation than causing harm unintentionally.
This historical background shows that Theravāda Buddhism values the factor of intention in moral action more than the merely physical or social consequence.
Main Content
The Sañcicca rule states that any bhikkhunī or bhikkhu who intentionally kills any living being, whether small or large, violates one of the basic prohibitions. This action includes three factors: the intention to kill (sañcicca), a direct or indirect action causing death, and the result that a living being dies.
According to the Theravāda teaching, “intentional” (sañcicca) is the crucial point. If someone accidentally steps on an ant and it dies, this is not a violation of the rule because there was no intention to kill. Conversely, even if someone merely tries to kill the smallest insect and does not succeed, that intention is still regarded as a violation, because karma is reckoned by intention and not only by result.
This rule applies to all living beings (pāṇa), from human beings to single-celled organisms. Theravāda Buddhism does not distinguish the value of life among species; all life is worthy of respect.
Meaning for Practice
The rule concerning intentionally killing living beings is a foundation of the spirit of loving-kindness (mettā) in Theravāda Buddhism.
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