Crime of Destruction of Property by Sorcery

The Original Text of the Second Section of the Sutra on the Five Precepts for Lay Practitioners: There was a lay practitioner who cultivated radishes. Then another man came to the garden and said to the lay practitioner, "Give me some radishes." The lay practitioner asked him, "Do you have money, or are you asking for them freely?" The man replied, "I have no money." The lay practitioner said, "If you want radishes, you should bring money. If I simply give them to you, how can I support my daily meals?" The visitor said, "Are you truly unwilling to give them to me?" The host replied, "How could I give them to you?" The visitor then used a spell to make the vegetables dry up. Later, he began to doubt himself: "Have I committed an unpardonable sin?" He went to seek the Buddha's judgment. The Buddha said, "The offense committed is to be assessed based on the value destroyed, determining whether it is pardonable or unpardonable. Stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits are all valued the same as the roots."

Explanation: A lay practitioner cultivated radishes. Another man came to the radish garden and said to the lay practitioner, "Give me some radishes." The lay practitioner asked him, "Do you have money, or are you asking for them freely?" The man replied, "I have no money." The lay practitioner said, "If you want radishes, you should bring money. If I simply give them to you, how can I support my daily meals?" The visitor said, "Are you truly unwilling to give them to me?" The lay practitioner replied, "How could I give them to you?" The visitor then used a spell to make the vegetables dry up. After returning, he began to doubt himself, thinking, "Have I committed an unpardonable sin?" He then went to the Buddha to seek clarification. The Buddha said, "The offense you committed is to be assessed based on the value of the vegetables you destroyed, determining whether it is pardonable or unpardonable. Stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits are all valued the same as the roots."