CHAPTER 5, THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IN THE NATURAL WORLD
REVERENCE FOR LIFE
Passages in this section prescribe the ethic proper to reverence
for life. There is, first of all, the ethic of ahimsa, nonviolence
toward all living beings. Religious vegetarianism is motivated by this
ethic. Then we have passages on the ethic of proper stewardship,
recognizing that the natural world is given to humans as a trust, to be
tended, maintained, and made fruitful. These deal with doing kindness
to animals in distress, the proper management of natural resources,
agriculture, animal husbandry, hunting, and forestry.
As a mother with her own life guards the life of her own child, let all-
embracing thoughts for all that lives be thine.
1.
Buddhism. Khuddaka Patha, Metta Sutta
Have benevolence towards all living beings.
2.
Jainism. Tattvarthasutra 7.11
The mode of living which is founded upon a total harmlessness towards
all creatures or [in case of actual necessity] upon a minimum of such
harm, is the highest morality.
3.
Hinduism. Mahabharata, Shantiparva 262.5-6
One should not injure, subjugate, enslave, torture, or kill any animal,
living being, organism, or sentient being. This doctrine of nonviolence
is immaculate, immutable, and eternal. Just as suffering is painful to
you, in the same way it is painful, disquieting, and terrifying to all
animals, living beings, organisms, and sentient beings.
4.
Jainism. Acarangasutra 4.25-26
One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try
it on himself to feel how it hurts.
5.
African Traditional Religions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria)
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Metta Sutta: Cf. Lion's Roar of Queen Srimala 4, p. 373; Milarepa, p.
316; Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti 1, p. 1034.
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The Exalted One was entering Savatthi when he saw some youths
ill-treating a snake with a stick. Then he uttered these verses of
uplift,
Whoso wreaks injury with a rod
On creatures fain for happiness,
When the self hereafter he seeks happiness,
Not his, it may be, happiness to win. 6.
Buddhism. Udana 11-12
This is the quintessence of wisdom: not to kill anything. Know
this to be the legitimate conclusion from the principle of reciprocity
with regard to non-killing. He should cease to injure living beings
whether they move or not, on high, below, and on earth. For this has
been called the Nirvana, which consists in peace....
A true monk should not accept such food and drink as has been
especially prepared for him involving the slaughter of living beings.
He should not partake of a meal which contains but a particle of
forbidden food: this is the Law of him who is rich in control. Whatever
he suspects, he may not eat. A man who guards his soul and subdues his
senses, should never assent to anybody killing living beings. 7.
Jainism. Sutrakritanga 1.11.10-16
Without doing injury to living beings, meat cannot be had anywhere; and
the killing of living beings is not conducive to heaven; hence eating of
meat should be avoided.
8.
Hinduism. Laws of Manu 5.48
If one is trying to practice meditation and is still eating meat, he
would be like a man closing his ears and shouting loudly and then
asserting that he heard nothing... Pure and earnest bhikshus, when
walking a narrow path, will never so much as tread on the growing grass
beside the path. How can a bhikshu, who hopes to become a deliverer of
others, himself be living on the flesh of other sentient beings? Pure
and earnest bhikshus will never wear clothing made of silk, nor wear
boots made of leather for it involves the taking of life. Neither will
they indulge in eating milk or cheese because thereby they are depriving
the young animals of that which is rightfully belongs to them.
9.
Buddhism. Surangama Sutra
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Udana 11-12: Cf. Anguttara Nikaya iv.41-45, pp. 863f., condemning the
slaughter of animals for ritual sacrifice.
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Buy captive animals and give them freedom.
How commendable is abstinence that dispenses with the butcher!
While walking be mindful of worms and ants.
Be cautious with fire and do not set mountain woods or forests ablaze.
Do not go into the mountain to catch birds in nets, nor to the water to
poison fishes and minnows.
Do not butcher the ox that plows your field. 10.
Taoism. Tract of the Quiet Way
At the openings of ant hills
Please have trustworthy men
Always put food and water,
Sugar and piles of grain.
Before and after taking food
Offer appropriate fare
To hungry ghosts, dogs,
Ants, birds, and so forth. 11.
Buddhism. Nagarjuna, Precious Garland 249-50
"He that is wise, wins souls" (Proverbs 11.30). The rabbis said, "This
refers to Noah, for in the Ark he fed and sustained the animals with
much care. He gave to each animal its special food, and fed each at its
proper period, some in the daytime and some at night. Thus he gave
chopped straw to the camel, barley to the ass, vine tendrils to the
elephant, and glass to the ostrich. So for twelve months he did not
sleep by night or day, because all the time he was busy feeding the
animals."
12.
Judaism. Midrash, Tanhuma, Noah 15a
According to Abu Hurairah, the Messenger of God said, "A man
traveling along a road felt extremely thirsty and went down a well and
drank. When he came up he saw a dog panting with thirst and licking the
moist earth. "This animal," the man said, "is suffering from thirst
just as much as I was." So he went down the well again, filled his shoe
with water, and taking it in his teeth climbed out of the well and gave
the water to the dog. God was pleased with his act and granted him
pardon for his sins."
Someone said, "O Messenger of God, will we then have a reward for
the good done to our animals?" "There will be a reward," he replied,
"for anyone who gives water to a being that has a tender heart." 13.
Islam. Hadith of Bukhari
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it
and keep it.
14.
Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Genesis 2.15
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Precious Garland 249-50: Cf. Digha Nikaya ii.88, Nihon Shoki 22, p. 372.
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Never does a Muslim plant trees or cultivate land, and birds or men or
beasts eat out of them, but that is a charity on his behalf. 15.
Islam. Hadith of Muslim
For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; but in
the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of
your people may eat; and what they leave the wild beasts may eat. You
shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.
16.
Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Exodus 23.10-11
A certain priest had been killed by the bite of a snake, and when they
announced the matter to the Blessed One, he said, "Surely now, O
priests, that priest never suffused the four royal families of snakes
with his friendliness. For if that priest had suffused the four royal
families of the snakes with his friendliness, that priest would not have
been killed by the bite of a snake....
Creatures without feet have my love,
And likewise those that have two feet,
And those that have four feet I love,
And those, too, that have many feet.
May those without feet harm me not,
And those with two feet cause no hurt;
May those with four feet harm me not,
Nor those who many feet possess.
Let creatures all, all things that live,
All beings of whatever kind,
See nothing that will bode them ill!
May naught of evil come to them!" 17.
Buddhism. Vinaya Pitaka, Cullavagga v.6
Behold this buffalo, O Grandfather, which You have given us.
He is the chief of all four-leggeds upon our Sacred Mother.
From him the people live and with him they walk the sacred path.
18.
Native American Religions. Sioux Prayer
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Hadith of Muslim: And likewise if he should cause a stream to flow: see
Hadith of Ibn Majah, p. 1015. Exodus 23.10-11: The sabbath for the land
signifies that God is the true landowner, and He gives the land to us as
its stewards. Land, like man and beast, deserves periodic rest; it
should not be overexploited. In addition, the fallow land provided food
to the poor who had no property. Cf. Leviticus 25.1-7. Cullavagga v.6:
Buddha gives in these verses a song for protection against harm from
wild animals. Sioux Prayer: The buffalo, as the source of food,
clothing, and all life's necessities for the Sioux, represents Mother
Earth herself.
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The cows have come and brought us good fortune,
may they stay in the stall and be pleased with us;
may they live here, mothers of calves, many-colored,
and yield milk for Indra on many dawns....
They are not lost, nor do robbers injure them, nor
the unfriendly frighten, nor wish to assail them;
the master of cattle lives together long
with these, and worships the gods and offers gifts.
The charger, whirling up dust, does not reach them,
they never take their way to the slaughtering stool,
the cows of the worshipping man roam about
over the widespread pastures, free from all danger.
To me the cows are Bhaga, they are Indra,
they [their milk] are a portion of the first-poured Soma.
These that are cows are Indra, O people!
the Indra I long for with heart and spirit.
Ye cows, you fatten the emaciated,
and you make the unlovely look beautiful,
make our house happy, you with pleasant lowings,
your power is glorified in our assemblies. 19.
Hinduism. Rig Veda 6.28
A man should not breed a savage dog, nor place a shaking ladder in his
house.
20.
Judaism. Talmud, Ketubot 41b
Confucius fished with a line but not with a net. While fowling he would
not aim at a roosting bird.
21.
Confucianism. Analects 7.26
If you do not allow nets with too fine a mesh to be used in large ponds,
then there will be more fish and turtles than they can eat; if hatchets
and axes are permitted in the forests on the hills only in the proper
seasons, then there will be more timber than they can use... This is
the first step along the kingly way.
22.
Confucianism. Mencius I.A.3
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Rig Veda 6.28: Vv. 1, 3-6. This special regard for cows as sacred
animals has persisted in India from Vedic times till today. Ketubot
41b: Stewardship includes creating a safe environment. Cf. Deuteronomy
22.8, a biblical ordinance requiring flat-roofed houses to have
parapets.
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When you besiege a city for a long time, making war against it in order
to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against
them; for you may eat of them, but you shall not cut them down. Are the
trees in the field men that they should be besieged by you?
23.
Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Deuteronomy 20.19
The destruction of vegetable growth is an offense requiring expiation.
24.
Buddhism. Pacittiya 11
There is a type of man whose... aim everywhere is to spread mischief
through the earth and destroy crops and cattle. But God loves not
mischief.
25.
Islam. Qur'an 2.205
Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai used to say, "If there be a plant in your hand
when they say to you, 'Behold the Messiah!', go and plant the plant, and
afterwards go out and greet him."
26.
Judaism. Talmud, Abot de Rabbi Nathan, Ver. B, 31
Rajah Koravya had a king banyan tree called Steadfast, and the shade of
its widespread branches was cool and lovely. Its shelter broadened to
twelve leagues.... None guarded its fruit, and none hurt another for
its fruit. Now there came a man who ate his fill of fruit, broke down a
branch, and went his way. Thought the spirit dwelling in that tree,
"How amazing, how astonishing it is, that a man should be so evil as to
break off a branch of the tree, after eating his fill. Suppose the tree
were to bear no more fruit." And the tree bore no more fruit.
27.
Buddhism. Anguttara Nikaya iii.368
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Deuteronomy 20.19: But contrast Qur'an 59.5. Pacittiya 11: This
monastic rule refers to monks living in forest dwellings. It is
interpreted to mean that monks should never cut down large trees to
clear the land; they may only clear underbrush. Abot de Rabbi Nathan
Ver. B, 31: Cf. Luke 14.16-24, p. 674. Anguttara Nikaya iii.368: Cf.
Nihon Shoki 22, p. 372.
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