Lzh Sarv Bu Vb Pc 62Intentionally Killing Living Creatures
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sañcicca
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Discourse on Intentional Killing (Sañcicca)
Background
This discourse appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically among the Pātimokkha rules, the basic prohibitions for monks and bhikkhunīs. Sañcicca (intentional, deliberate) is a key factor in determining the nature of an offense according to the Vinaya Piṭaka of early Buddhism.
This legal background arose from specific situations encountered by the Buddha and his disciples in the early monastic community. As Buddhism developed, clear rules were needed to maintain discipline and the purity of the practice community. The Vinaya Piṭaka therefore records offenses and the conditions that make an action a serious or light violation.
The distinction between intentional and unintentional action is foundational to this monastic legal system. An offense is considered complete (sampatti) only when all the elements are present, among which intention (cetanā) plays an important role. This is a deep understanding of Buddhist psychology, where intention is regarded as the source of moral action.
Main Content
The discourse states that intentional killing, deliberately causing the death of a living being, is one of the most negative offenses in the discipline for monastics. This differs from unintentionally causing death, in which case the nature and degree of fault are different.
Sañcicca, intentional or deliberate, here refers to a clear intention to cause the death of a living being. It is not only the physical act (kāya-kamma) but the root in the mind (cetanā), the mental decision that gives rise to the action. According to Buddhist teaching, cetanā is the true kamma, while action is only the expression of that intention.
This offense belongs to the category of pārājika, an offense leading to loss of monastic status and not remediable, or saṅghādisesa, a serious offense requiring handling by the Sangha, depending on the specific tradition. The discourse not only absolutely prohibits the act, but also educates monastics about the nature of ethical action.
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