The First Precept (Harmlessness/Not Killing)

[Rachel Green]

I am talking to a friend about this precept and she raises a wonderful example of the complexities of this precept. Is it simply only about the creatures you see or is it deeper than this? What if, for instance, you were mixing concrete and had some left over, if you threw the left overs onto soil afterwards, are you breaking the precept? Surely you would be killing many unseen creatures who live there in every cubic metre? Do we not also need to be mindful of issues such as this?

It is a very difficult precept to keep, in my experience. It is not a black and white issue. It is impossible to keep it perfectly because we are living in samsara and we will always be faced with such dilemmas because we are part of nature. We can't remove ourselves from nature, so we are always going to have to compromise about how we keep this precept. It requires constant mindfulness of both the seen and the unseen. It requires constant adjustment.

It isn't just about our intention as we can use that as an excuse for heedlessness, can't we? Do we not also need to develop mindfulness of all the living creatures who are living in close proximity to us.

[Rachel Green]

What to do about insects biting ... Ajahn Brahmali has just said this in response to a great question by Martin about mosquito bites distracting from meditation. Ajahn Brahmali's idea hasn't been mentioned here yet and I thought it a relevant one to help us in our quest to refrain from killing. I want to meditate under the full moon tonight - the following sounds like the perfect solution - last night I gave in after the mosquitos started biting but am happy to say I didn't kill the mosquitos.

"An insect repellent that simply keeps the insects away is fine, if it works. In Thailand, monks who walk "tudong" - e.g. stay by themselves in the forest - usually have an umbrella-like device with a mosquito net hanging down on all sides, called a "glot" in Thai. Perhaps you can make one of these contraptions by sowing a mosquito net onto a large umbrella. Or perhaps they can even be purchased over the web."

[Rachel Green]

[QUOTE=Bhante Nandiya;877]
I have just seen Blake is now Bhante Nandiya. How wonderful. Congratulations and much metta to you on your continuing spiritual life Bhante Nandiya.

[Rachel Green]

Nice one Jerrod, yes I often talk to creatures big and small, makes it easy to care for them. I just removed a sergeant ant (very big with horrible sting) from our bathroom this morning and managed to talk kindly to him/her as I coaxed it into a container and then released him a VERY long way from the house. Great thanks to scorpions and sergeant ants for giving me so much practice this week!!

Last night we were walking on the road and saw a huge wolf spider carrying its egg sac behind it. My husband kindly removed her from the road so she wouldn't be run over - I had a chat to her admiring her features - gorgeous.

I can do all the talking when things don't land on me, but I am with Anne there is an inbuilt response to brush things off if they suddenly land on me in case they are about to bite me. A survival instinct. I will work on this though and just try and insert a pause first.

[Jerrod Lopes]

I was at the monastery near my home a couple of days ago, sitting under a tree and "kind of meditating". I felt a slight little thump on my shoulder and looked to see this tiny fly-type creature. He just landed there it seemed for no reason and sat on my shoulder. I struck up a conversation with him. I know that small talk is not really considered right-speech, but I wanted to be cordial. It's just that I find that dealing with these guys on a more personal level, as opposed to dominant species versus subordinate species, it is much easier to keep the precept and even cultivate some happiness at a visit from one of these little friends. I'm no arahant, but this really works for me. Just some food for thought.

Jerrod : )

PS I realize in retrospect that I really did get some joy and a smile out of this unexpected visit from my little fly friend. Funny,no?

[Anne Raeburn]

Wow, yes Rachel, that scorpion was big. Lucky it didn't migrate to the bed while you were in it!

I guess it is an involuntary reaction to swipe at something crawling on you, particularly if you are distracted, ie working at your desk. Last night I was reading my book in bed, felt a tickle on my cheek, and without thinking whacked it. Turned out to be a small harmless creature the size of a fat mosquito, just going about his business. I was deep into my reading matter and not concentrating on what I was doing. Sometimes one forgets to be mindful I guess!

Good luck Rachel.

[Anne Raeburn]

Couldn't agree more Michael, the thought of creepy crawlies still gives me the creeps, although I have been using the tapping method to try to help get rid of my aversion and keep telling myself they are much smaller than me. I may have improved marginally, but have to admit that I have not come up against any creature that would put me to the test!

[Rachel Green]

Wow you did so well Jerrod - what an inspiration you are. There is an issue with time - it does take a lot more time to be careful and our society is very time pressured and yes the fatigue of being so careful can kick in especially at work. I hadn't thought about it being an issue of thinking of it as "my" time - good point!

I also think the kindness once practised on one creature can flow to another hence your kindness to the spider. For me it is sometimes easier with a big creature I can see (hence a big spider) than a smaller thing creeping on me! It is all such good learning and quite fun to practice really!

[Jerrod Lopes]

Rachel,

I do find my ability to keep the precept varies. Just yesterday I was working for a client repairing a wooden fence that had fallen down. I discovered a colony of ants living in the post that had broken, when I started knocking it with a hammer. They came running out, all over my arms! I initially wanted to swat them all but ended up blowing them off instead. It took a while, and toward the end I admit I was a little tired of being so considerate toward them. I didn't kill any that I know of. The significant part was in noticing my eventual loss of enthusiasm for being compassionate to them. Why? Because they were wasting "my" time. I was busy being careful to save them and not getting my work done. Selfishness. Not to mention I wasn't real fond of the sensation of several hundred ants crawling all over my arms. There again... had I not had an opinion about the sensations of them crawling on me, that part wouldn't have been an issue. Eventually I just let the random ant here and there crawl on me while I continued my work. Maybe you could try finding one (maybe a variety that doesn't bite) and just give it a minute to crawl on your hand or arm. Interestingly enough; the unusually large black widow spider that later crawled right where my left hand had just been didn't bother me near as much as usual. Still a creature to be given much respect, but my usual fear was quite diminished. They really are a very beautiful spider after all. I regarded it as a visit from a friend. Sounds silly, I know. But it works for me.

Jerrod : )

[Rachel Green]

I like to keep monitoring how I am going with this precept each day, it reminds me I am a long way from refraining from killing any living being.

Here is my progress and otherwise this week. Well we got a big surprise on Weds a scorpion about 12 cm in length (that's big!) arrived in our bedroom next to the bed where my husband walks in bare feet on getting in and out of bed. The scorpion had a fair pair of pincers and a big tail complete with sting. He was calmly covered with a plastic container and removed outside. That was all easy and calm, no worries.

So how come is it when I am sitting at my desk and I feel the tiniest of tiny nips from a small sugar ant my instinct is to zap it. Yes, despite years of practice when "things" arrive on my body my first instinct is still to get rid of them pronto ... and ask questions later. I will keep practising! Maybe I will set myself up and have a special target this week of preserving very single ant in my study nip and no nip! I will report back on my progress. Wish me luck, there are a lot of then at the moment and they appear into sorts of places on my body.

Anyone else find their ability to keep the precept varies?

[Indira Fernando]

Very impressed by Blake's generosity and kindness.

[Jerrod Lopes]

It won't make you a better archer to train with different types of targets if they all remain static targets and of roughly the same size and ranges. If you train to hit a target, a target is a target. Rachel is very wise when she says to take your own feelings as your guide. In fact, her whole last paragraph of the preceding post really makes it redundant for me to comment at all! LOL

Be well,

Jerrod : )

[Rachel Green]

What a thoughtful question John, thanks so much for adding it here - I thought you might get even more comments. I think you have the answer within your question, you say:

For a number of weeks some of the field archers have been asking me to join them shooting at the 3D's, which is something I'm not entirely comfortable with. I keep asking them if they would feel comfortable shooting at photo's of loved ones and most of them agree that they wouldn't, yet there are those who still think I'm nuts.

Metta to all.

I would take your own discomfort as your guide, your heart and mind knows. Trust this. The fact that others think you are nuts is irrelevant. All of the precepts are swimming against the stream of general society so it isn't an uncommon reaction from others!

[John Stephen]

Hello all. I have been advised to repost this thread. My apologies Rachel.
I have been a practising Buddhist now for four years and during that time I believe I've had a good understanding of the five precepts, particularly the first. To abstain from the taking of life. But what about simulating that? Let me explain. A few months ago I joined an archery club whose disciplines include target and field archery. For those of you who don't know, target archery is the sort you see at the olympic games, field archery is shooting at either pictures or three dimensional lifesize models of animals (simulated hunting). Now, for a number of weeks some of the field archers have been asking me to join them shooting at the 3D's, which is something I'm not entirely comfortable with. I keep asking them if they would feel comfortable shooting at photo's of loved ones and most of them agree that they wouldn't, yet there are those who still think I'm nuts. So my question is, am I taking the first precept too literally or should I go along with the few on one occasion just to appease them? (Even as I write this a whole plethora of questions are arising, but one step at a time hey).Any feedback on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks. John.

Metta to all.

[Rachel Green]

Beautifully described thanks so much Blake. It puts a whole new meaning on "to tread softly on the earth".
I am sure the animals etc can pick up our vibes, they know with whom they are safe and with whom they aren't.
I try to also do the same as the girl with the spider, spiders are incredibly beautiful if you stop long enough to look at them.

I laughed one day when a huge big male kangaroo came into our back garden and was eating our plants and food and water and occupying a large space right outside our back door. When I mean big I mean 70 kgs and much taller than me and with claws capable of ripping open a person's chest. This was a wild animal. I wanted to go into the garden and fill the bird bath so my instinct was to yell at it and make a whole lot of noise and try and frighten it away. He just looked at me. A close friend (non Buddhist) was with me and he sat down on the step and started talking kindly to the big fellow and just asked him kindly to move away so we felt safer, and explained to him in a gentle voice that much as we admired him we'd like him to leave. The kangaroo walked away.

That was a brilliant lesson in metta.