Buddhist Writings.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| II. The Doctrine |
| | | Love for Animals |
| | [SUBLIME STATE OF FRIENDLINESS]
Translated from the Culla-Vagga (v. 6.) |
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| NOW at that time a certain priest had been killed by the bite of a snake, and when they announced the matter to The Blessed One, he said: | 1 |
“Surely now, O priests, that priest never suffused the four royal families of the snakes with his friendliness. For if, O priests, that priest had suffused the four royal families of the snakes with his friendliness, that priest, O priests, would not have been killed by the bite of a snake. And what are the four royal families of the snakes? The Viru pakkhas are a royal family of snakes; the Erpathas are a royal family of snakes; the Chabyputtas are a royal family of snakes; the Kanhgotamakas are a royal family of snakes. Surely, now, O priests, that priest did not suffuse the four royal families of the snakes with his friendliness. For surely, O priests, if that priest had suffused the four royal families of the snakes with his friendliness, that priest, O priests, would not have been killed by the bite of a snake. I enjoin, O priests, that ye suffuse these four royal families of the snakes with your friendliness; and that ye sing a song of defence for your protection and safeguard. After this manner, O priests, shall ye sing:| | “‘Viruakkhas, I love them all, |
| The Erpathas, too, I love, |
| Chabyputtas, I love them, too, |
| And all Kanhgotamakas. |
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| “‘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. |
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| “‘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. |
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| “‘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! |
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| “‘Infinite is The Buddha, infinite the Doctrine, infinite the Order! Finite are creeping things: snakes, scorpions, centipedes, spiders, lizards, and mice! I have now made my protection, and sung my song of defence. Let all living beings retreat! I revere The Blessed One, and the seven Supreme Buddhas!’ ” | 3 |
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