The Crime of Homicide by Means of Witchcraft

The Original Text of the First Section on the Five Precepts for Upāsakas: Taking life (by sorcery): On the twenty-ninth day, smear the ground with cow dung. Place food and wine upon it. After lighting a fire, immediately immerse it in water. While mentally focusing and verbally reciting, chant the spell: "Just as fire is extinguished in water, when the fire dies, may that life perish accordingly." Again, on the twenty-ninth day, smear the ground with cow dung and place food and wine upon it. Draw an image of the person one wishes to kill. After creating the image, immediately scatter and destroy it. While mentally focusing and verbally reciting, chant the spell: "Just as this image is destroyed, may that life also perish. When the image is destroyed, may that life perish accordingly." Again, on the twenty-ninth day, smear the ground with cow dung and place food and wine upon it. Pierce the corner of a garment with a needle, then immediately pull it out. While mentally focusing and verbally reciting, chant the spell: "Just as this needle is withdrawn, may that life be withdrawn accordingly." This is called taking life by sorcery. If one kills a person using various spells, one commits the unpardonable offense (of killing). If the person does not die, it is a venial offense requiring repentance.

Explanation: One who takes a human life using sorcery does so as follows: On the twenty-ninth day of the lunar month, smear the ground with cow dung and place food and wine upon it. After lighting a fire, immediately put it into water. While mentally focusing and verbally reciting, chant the spell: "Just as fire is extinguished in water, when the fire dies, may that person's life perish accordingly." Again, on the twenty-ninth day, smear the ground with cow dung, place food and wine upon it, and draw an image of the person to be killed. After finishing the image, immediately scatter and destroy it. While mentally focusing and verbally reciting, chant the spell: "Just as this image is destroyed, may that person's life perish. When the image is destroyed, may his life perish accordingly." Again, on the twenty-ninth day, smear the ground with cow dung, place food and wine upon it, pierce the corner of a garment with a needle, then immediately pull it out. While mentally focusing and verbally reciting, chant the spell: "Just as this needle is withdrawn, may his life be withdrawn accordingly." This is taking life by sorcery. If one kills a person using various spells, one commits the unpardonable offense of killing. If one does not succeed in killing the person, one commits a venial offense requiring repentance.