Murder by Poisoning

Original text of the first section of the Upāsaka Five Precepts Sutra: Furthermore, there is killing neither through internal form, nor through external form, nor through the combination of internal and external form. For the purpose of killing, combining various poisons—whether applying them to the eyes, ears, nose, body, or sores on the body; whether putting them into food and drink; or placing them in bedding, carriages, or palanquins—with this thought: 'May he die because of this.' If he dies because of this, one commits an unrepentable offense. If he does not die immediately but later dies because of this, one also commits an unrepentable offense. If he does not die immediately and later does not die because of this, one commits a medium offense that is repentable.

Explanation: There is also the case of killing without using internal form, nor external form, nor the combination of internal and external form. For the purpose of killing, combining various poisons—either applying them to that person's eyes, ears, nose, body, or sores; putting them into that person's food and drink; or placing them in bedding, carriages, or palanquins—while thinking: 'May he be poisoned to death in this way.' If that person dies because of this, the upāsaka commits the unrepentable offense of killing. If that person does not die immediately but later dies because of this, he likewise commits the unrepentable offense of killing. If that person does not die immediately and later does not die because of this, the upāsaka commits a medium offense that is repentable.

 Original text: Furthermore, there are other methods of killing: making a smokeless fire pit to kill; killing with pits; killing with snares; killing with traps; killing with contact poison; killing with Vidhāraka (sorcery); killing by abortion; killing by pressing the abdomen; pushing into fire or water to kill; pushing into a pit to kill; or sending someone away to die on the road. Even in the womb, when the two faculties first arise—the body faculty and the life faculty—applying expedient means to kill.

Explanation: There are other methods of killing, such as setting a smokeless fire pit to kill; killing with pits; killing with small animal traps; killing with traps; killing with insecticides; killing with spells; killing by abortion; killing by pressing a pregnant woman's abdomen; pushing into fire or water to kill; pushing into a pit to kill; or sending that person to a certain place to be killed along the way. This extends even to applying various expedient means to kill when the body faculty and life faculty first appear in the womb. The body faculty refers to the fertilized ovum, and the life faculty refers to the mind faculty.