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Buddhist Writings.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

II. The Doctrine

Love for Animals

[SUBLIME STATE OF FRIENDLINESS]
Translated from the Culla-Vagga (v. 6.)

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:

“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 Virupakkhas 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.
  •  
  • “‘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!
  • “‘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!’”