How to Deal with Dangerous and Annoying Animals - A Vinaya Perspective
A paper by Ann Heirman, University of Ghent, Blandijnberg.
Abstract:
“Against the background of guidelines on non-killing and developing ideas on the release of captured or domesticated animals, this study focuses on how vinaya (disciplinary) texts deal with dangerous and/or annoying animals, such as snakes, mosquitoes, and flies. Are there any circumstances in which they may be killed, captured, or repelled? Or should they be endured and ignored, or even protected and cherished, at all times? This paper discusses the many guidelines relating to avoiding—and, if necessary, chasing away—dangerous and annoying animals. All of these proposals call for meticulous care to reduce the risk of harming the creature. In this sense, animals, such as snakes and mosquitoes, seem to be assured a better life in comparison with domesticated or hunted animals. This distinction reflects the somewhat uncomfortable balance that Buddhist monastics must achieve between respecting the life of individual sentient beings, including all animals, and adhering to social conventions in order to safeguard their position in society.”
As with a great many things, I think the appropriate thing to do here would fall within the province of dhammic values (e.g., compassion) rather than vinaya rules. The latter would be chiefly concerned with the things that shouldn’t be done, e.g., smashing the car windows to rescue the dog.
Once I notice a child locked inside a car without an adult in a hot day.
I just waited there few minutes until the owner came back.
If owner did not come back in a reasonable time I would have called the police.
…just kidding.