Abortion: The Sin of Killing

Original text of Section One of the Sūtra on the Karmic Classifications of the Five Precepts for Upāsakas: 又复堕胎者。与有胎女人吐下药。及灌一切处药。若针血脉。乃至出眼泪药。作是念。以是因缘令女人死。死者犯不可悔罪。若不即死。后因是死。亦犯不可悔罪。若不即死。后不因死。是中罪可悔。若为杀母故堕胎。若母死者。犯不可悔。若胎死者。是罪可悔。若俱死者。是罪不可悔。若俱不死者。是中罪可悔。若为杀胎故。作堕胎法。若胎死者。犯不可悔。若胎不死者。是中罪可悔。若母死者。是中罪可悔。俱死者。是犯不可悔。是名堕胎杀法。

Explanation: Next, regarding the case of killing by abortion: if one gives a pregnant woman emetic and purgative medicine, or administers purgative medicine through all orifices of the body, or inserts needles into her blood vessels and meridians, or even gives her medicine that makes her eyes tear up, while thinking in one's mind: "By these means, let this woman die." If the woman dies, the upāsaka commits an irremediable (unpardonable) offense. If the woman does not die immediately but later dies as a result of these medicines, the upāsaka also commits an irremediable offense. If the woman does not die immediately and does not later die because of this, it is a middling, remediable offense. If the upāsaka aborts the fetus for the purpose of killing the pregnant mother: if the mother dies, it is an irremediable offense; if the fetus dies, it is a remediable offense; if both die, it is an irremediable offense; if neither dies, it is a middling, remediable offense. If one performs the abortion for the purpose of killing the fetus: if the fetus dies, it is an irremediable offense; if the fetus does not die, it is a middling, remediable offense; if the mother dies, it is a middling, remediable offense; if both die, it is an irremediable offense. This is called the method of killing by abortion. Why is it that when the mother is killed and the fetus dies, the upāsaka commits only a remediable offense? Because the upāsaka had no intention to kill the fetus; the fetus died as a consequence of the mother's death. Why is it that when the fetus is killed and the mother dies, the upāsaka commits only a remediable offense? For the same reason as above: the upāsaka had no intention to kill the mother; the mother died as a consequence of the fetus's death.