Question asked by Jonathan
Dear Pastors,
I would like to ask a basic yet complicated questions. In Buddhist teachings, it says we must not kill. All living things have life but do all of them have souls? As a PhD student working in the laboratory, we constantly culturing parasites in millions of numbers. Parasites do have life e.g they can move they can crawl and they can infect our cells.
In addition, our lab is doing tests by killing the parasites (they cant be seen thru naked eye). Does this will also generate negative karma?
A more relevant metaphor is do you generate negative karma if you try to kill parasites/ bacteria?
Would really wanna know. Thanks!
Dear Jonathan,
In Buddhist terms,it is ‘consciousness’ that determines whether it is killing of a kind that involves heavy negative karma. If a being has a consciousness, that consciousness has a mental continuum that continues into rebirth after rebirth. A parasite or bacteria does not have this mental continuum or consciousness. Nonetheless, it’s still a life. There will be some negativity involved in the act of killing.But this is samsara and often, we cannot avoid killing. In this case, the motivation is important. If killing the parasites is going to lead to saving lives,etc, then killing them in a lab may not create significant negative karma.
Still, in general, it will be good to recite ‘Om mani padme hum’ daily and dedicate to the good rebirth of all beings that you may have killed accidentally or for research purposes, etc. It will also be good to practice good virtuous acts, like going vegetarian or save or rescue animals,etc.This will collect merits for you and create causes for good health,happiness and good future lives.
Thank you.