Offense of Harming Sentient Beings and Offense of Human Trafficking

Original text from the Second Section of the Upāsaka Five Precepts Sūtra: Stealing footless beings such as leeches, Udara worms, etc. If someone captures them and places them in a container, and an upāsaka takes them from the container, he commits an unpardonable offense. The selection process is as described above. Stealing two-legged or three-legged beings such as humans, geese, swans, parrots, birds, etc. If these birds are in cages and one takes them with thieving intent, he commits an unpardonable offense. The rest is as described above.

Explanation: Stealing footless beings, such as leeches or Udara worms. If someone captures them and places them in a container, and an upāsaka takes them from the container, he commits an unpardonable offense. If one selects footless beings within a container, it is the same as described above: if one selects but does not take them, it is a pardonable offense; if one takes them, it is an unpardonable offense. Stealing two-legged or three-legged beings, such as humans, geese, swans, parrots, etc., constitutes an unpardonable offense. If these birds are in cages and one takes them with thieving intent, it is an unpardonable offense. The rest is the same as described previously.

 Original text: There are two ways of stealing a person: first, carrying them away; second, forcing them to accompany. If an upāsaka, with thieving intent, lifts a person onto his shoulder so that both feet leave the ground, he commits an unpardonable offense. If he forces the person to accompany him and they walk beyond two double paces, he commits an unpardonable offense. The rest is as described above.

Explanation: There are two methods of stealing a person: first, carrying them; second, coercing them to go along. If one carries a person on the shoulder so that both feet leave the ground, it is an unpardonable offense. If one coerces them to walk beyond two double paces, it is an unpardonable offense. Other circumstances are the same as described above.

 Original text: Stealing four-legged beings refers to elephants, horses, cows, sheep, etc. If they are tied with a rope in one place and one, with thieving intent, leads them away beyond four double paces, it is an unpardonable offense. If they are lying down in one place and one, with thieving intent, drives them up and they move beyond four double paces, it is an unpardonable offense. The same applies to beings with more than four legs.

Explanation: Stealing four-legged beings, such as elephants, horses, cows, sheep, etc. If the owner ties them with a rope in one place, and an upāsaka, with thieving intent, leads them away beyond four double paces (measured by the pace of the four-legged being), he commits an unpardonable offense. If a four-legged being is lying down in one place, and an upāsaka, with thieving intent, drives it up and it moves beyond four double paces, it is an unpardonable offense. The same principle applies to beings with more than four legs.

Original text: If they are within walls, fences, or enclosures, and one, with thieving intent, drives them out beyond the herd for more than four double paces, it is an unpardonable offense. The rest is as described above. If they are grazing outside, and an upāsaka, with thieving intent, thinks: "When the herder enters the woods, I will steal them." At the moment this thought arises, he commits a moderately pardonable offense. If he kills them, it naturally carries the same offense as killing. If after killing them, he takes meat worth five māṣakas, he commits an unpardonable offense of theft.

Explanation: If four-legged beings are within walls, fences, or enclosures, and an upāsaka, with thieving intent, drives them out beyond the herd for more than four double paces, he commits an unpardonable offense. Other circumstances are the same as described above.

If four-legged beings are grazing freely in the wild, and an upāsaka, with thieving intent, thinks: "When the herder enters the woods, I will steal them." At the moment this thought arises, he commits a moderately pardonable offense. If he kills these beings, it naturally carries the same offense as killing. If after killing them, he obtains meat worth five māṣakas, he commits an unpardonable offense of theft.