Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Pj 3Murder
Pāli / Sanskrit:Manussaviggaha
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Interpretation of the Manussaviggaha Sutta (The Offense of Killing a Human Being)
Background
The Manussaviggaha Sutta is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically in the Pātimokkha. These are regulations for the ethical practice of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, those who have gone forth according to the Buddha's teaching.
The historical picture of this code was formed during the Buddha's lifetime. As the Sangha developed and violations of virtue occurred, the Blessed Buddha set forth the pātimokkha, the rules of training, in order to maintain discipline and the purity of the monastery. The Manussaviggaha Sutta is one of the most basic prohibitions, standing at the highest level in the system of penalties in the Vinaya Piṭaka.
Main Content
The Manussaviggaha Sutta deals with the extremely grave offense related to killing a human being, an act considered the deepest violation of the Pārājika precept. This is not merely ordinary law, but a detailed analysis of the elements constituting wrongdoing from the Buddhist perspective.
The offense of killing a human being is defined not only on the basis of physical action, but also on the intention (cetanā) behind that action. For an act to be considered complete killing of a human being, four necessary factors must be present:
First, the object must be a living human being (manussassa jīvita). Second, the actor must have a clear intention to kill (parikappanā). Third, there must be a specific act leading to death (kamma). Fourth, that person must actually die (maraṇa).
The discourse also distinguishes among different cases: direct killing, indirect killing, inciting another to kill, and so forth. However, the specific content of these cases in the Sarva canon has not yet been fully translated, but according to the general context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, the purpose is for bhikkhus to understand clearly the boundary concerning harm to life.
Practical Meaning
The Manussaviggaha Sutta is not only a criminal code for monastics.
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