Friends:
Once in
Savatthi the Blessed
Buddha
said this:
What, householder friends, is the Dhamma explanation befitting to
oneself?
Here,
householder friends, a Noble Disciple reflects thus:
I am one who wishes to live, who does not wish to die; I desire
happiness and do not like suffering.
If someone were to take my life, it would neither be pleasing nor
agreeable to me.
If I kill whatever another being: One who also wishes to live, who also
does not wish to die, who also desires happiness & who also dislike
suffering, that would neither be pleasant nor acceptable to that other
being either...
What is displeasing and disagreeable to me, is also displeasing and
disagreeable to any other being too.
How can I inflict upon another being what is displeasing and
disagreeable to myself?
Having reflected repeatedly thus, then gradually:
1: He/she will carefully avoid all destruction of any life-form
whatsoever...
2: He/she will persuade others also to abstain from all destruction of
any life...
3: He/she will speak praising harmlessness and avoidance of all & any
killing...
In exactly this way is this good bodily behaviour purified in three
respects!!!
Source
(edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:353]
section 55: Sotāpattisamyutta. Thread 7: To the people at the Bamboo
gate...
HARMLESSNESS AVOIDS THE
ULTIMATE WRONG!
All sentient beings feel
pain from violence.
All sentient beings fear death.
Seeing other beings are like oneself;
Treating other beings like oneself;
One should never ever harm nor kill ...
Dhammapada 129
Whoever harms the harmless
& innocent beings,
upon such very fool, pain of evil promptly return
as dust thrown against the wind.
Dhammapada 125
Whoever injures, with
weapon or stick, beings
searching for their happiness - when after death -
seeking same happiness, such fool never finds it!
Dhammapada 131
Whoever never injures, with
weapon nor stick, beings
searching for their happiness - when after death -
seeking same happiness, such clever & kind one
always gain it!
Dhammapada 132
The Noble is not one who
injures living beings.
The Noble is one who never injures living beings.
Dhammapada 270
Ever are the true disciples
of the Buddha
well awake & quite aware. Constantly they
meditate both day & night on Harmlessness.
Dhammapada 300
The one who has left
violence,
who never harm any being,
whether moving are stationary,
who never kill nor causes to kill,
such one, harmless, is a Holy One.
Dhammapada 405
The one who is friendly
among the hostile,
who is harmless among the violent,
who is detached among the greedy,
such one is a Holy One.
Dhammapada 406
More on Harmlessness and
non-violence (Ahimsa):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_short_&_long_life.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Harmlessness_and_Tolerance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_I.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Threefold_Right_Action.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Action.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Five_Basics.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Virtue.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Slaying_Anger.htm