Troubled by pest control
This may silly to most; I was hoping the community here would understand. I have never in my life killed anything, purposefully. I just bought my first house and after moving in have found roaches. I’m not scared of many things, but roaches terrify me. I squished one this afternoon and I feel terrible. Even worse I called an exterminator who is going to treat the house tomorrow. All I can think about is all those insects dying for my convenience. I think about the pesticides inadvertently killing spiders (I love spiders) and other insects. This goes against everything I believe in, but also I don’t want my family getting sick. My motivation is 90% my fear of cockroaches 10% health concerns. Has anyone dealt with a situation like this? How do you decide between your comfort and safety vs killing?
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level 1
First off, we are laity, and aren't as strictly bound to the precepts as monastics are. Second, this is a matter of hygiene and health, and imo falls under the purview of self-defense. Third, the killing of insects is a minor offense and the commensurate repentance is confession to your preceptor.
There are rituals performed in certain traditions to repent for activities like these when the conditions call for them. It is not something to take lightly, or perform indiscriminately, and the gravity of these actions must be felt wholly in the repentance rituals.
Pray for them, and grieve for them, but in the case of an infestation, I think it is prudent to put the health and safety of your family first. You can make it up by abiding by the precepts strictly, vigilantly, and put the actions into place that hopefully never karmically result in you being put into this situation again. ideally, exhaust all non-lethal options before going to more extreme measures.
level 1
I had to think of the future to deal with this in my heart when I went through the same thing. In my case, we had an infestation in the previous house, and the community we were in had a designated pest control person. We moved later on (it was simply time, not because of the roaches), but a few of them, despite my careful efforts for their lives, carried over. Here too, I tried at first just like the first house to catch them in a cup and release them outside. However, the way that they multiply, this was simply not possible at all, no matter how strong my loving-kindness was towards them. Researching methods to do this gently, I came up with nothing effective that worked in my case. Knowing how this affected the lady of the house, I decided it was unfortunately time to take the matter into my own hands. I decided to accept whatever karma was to come from it, and to use it as an experience to grow further my intentions to not deprive a being intentionally of life in the future, and to use it towards wisdom and understanding. Not the killing, for killing is never good, mind you, but the forced situation I was placed in. It had to be done, in my view, and not seeing another way after looking extensively, I did so.
I did this with the mindset of realizing that this was a previous instance of karma between me and these insects. I did not take joy in eliminating them from the house, and I apologized to them as I placed down my very effective (I wanted to do this only once), wishing them well in their next lives and that there may be no animosity between us. At the same time, I realized that if I did not take care of them effectively, that first time, they would come back again and again, and the lady of the house would have accrued the negative karma of killing them again and again, and for me that was unacceptable. Better that I take that burden then.
Many people here in the past told me my justifications were at that time were incorrect, but then I used that opportunity to grow in the Dhamma. They were well meaning, but not knowing my situation or life, misguided as well in this. My friend, what you must do must be up to you, but in my understanding, I used this as a time of reflection, to further develop Bodhicitta for all beings, and to understand more the harsh prison we suffer from when we drop our ethics, compassion, and wisdom in the past. It is due to your past karma that they invaded your house in the first place; may you develop yourself well for the benefit of all others, and for you, that you may avoid such unfortunate interactions in the future.
May those roaches I killed be well in their next lives. May they find happiness and peace. May future insects never your house or any other human dwelling that will suffer from fear of these beings, for their protection and for those they would potentially invade. Metta! :)
level 1
Not killing bugs was more for monks who lived literally in the forest in Buddha's time, so they were literally in the animals' territory. I don't find that Buddha ever told householders to let roaches and rats live in their homes, or to let termites eat their homes to the ground. Downvote all you want. I'm still right.
level 2
I see your angle, for me though it feels wrong. I guess I’m asking for ways to deal with my decision to have them all exterminated.
level 2
"There are these five gifts, five great gifts — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that are not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & priests. Which five?
"There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, abandoning the taking of life, abstains from taking life. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, he gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the first gift, the first great gift — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that is not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & priests...
-Abhisanda Sutta: Rewards
The Buddha spoke to Mohenan: for lay people to leave behind killing, stealing, illicit conduct, false speech, alcohol consumption is known as the perfection of the precepts.
-Samyukata Agama fascicle 33
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