{"collection":"Buddhism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bud/bits/bits064.htm","path":"bud/bits/bits064.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits064.htm","text":"Sacred-Texts Buddhism Index Sources Previous Next\n| p. 302 | | \n\u00a7 64. LOVE FOR ANIMALS.\n[SUBLIME STATE OF FRIENDLINESS.]\nTranslated from the Culla-Vagga (v.6.).\nNow 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:\n\"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 Vir\u00fbpakkhas are a royal family of snakes; the Er\u00e2pathas are a royal family of snakes; the Chaby\u00e2puttas are a royal family of snakes; the Kanh\u00e2gotamakas 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:\n| \"Vir\u00fbpakkhas, I love them all, The Er\u00e2pathas, too, I love, Chaby\u00e2puttas, I love them, too, And all Kanh\u00e2gotamakas. | \n| p. 303 | [CV.v.6 | \n| \"'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. | \n| \"'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. | \n| \"'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! | \n\"'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!'\"","title":"Buddhism in Translations - \u00a7 64. Love for Animals.","type":"page"}