Press Abdomen to Kill Sin

The Scripture on the Five Precepts for Upāsakas, Section One:

Original Text:

Regarding abdominal pressure killing: It is causing a pregnant woman to do heavy labor, or to carry heavy loads, to make her walk in front of a cart, or to make her climb a steep embankment, with the thought: 'May this woman die.' If the woman dies, the Upāsaka commits the unpardonable offense (ānantarya). If she does not die immediately but later dies because of this, this offense is also unpardonable. If she does not die because of it, this is a medium offense subject to repentance (duskṛta). If it is done for the sake of the fetus, it is as stated above. This is called abdominal pressure killing.

Explanation:

The method of killing by causing external pressure on the abdomen is: making a pregnant woman do heavy physical labor, or making her carry heavy loads, making her walk in front of a cart, or making her climb a steep cliff or embankment, while thinking: 'May this woman die.' If the woman actually dies, the Upāsaka commits the unpardonable offense. If the woman does not die immediately but later dies because of this, he also commits the unpardonable offense. If the woman does not die immediately and later does not die because of it, the Upāsaka commits a medium offense subject to repentance.

If the Upāsaka causes her to bear such burdens in order to kill the fetus, and the fetus dies, the Upāsaka commits the unpardonable offense. If the fetus does not die, he commits a medium offense subject to repentance. If the mother dies, he commits a medium offense subject to repentance. If both die, he commits the unpardonable offense. This is the method of abdominal pressure killing.

Original Text:

Even in the mother's womb, when the fetus first obtains the two faculties (indriya) — the body faculty (kāyendriya) and the life faculty (jīvitendriya) — in the kalala stage (the initial stage of the embryo), if one arises with the intention to kill and contrives to cause its death, and it dies, one commits the unpardonable offense. The remaining offenses are the same as explained above.

Explanation:

This applies even to a fetus in the mother's womb, just when it has first obtained the two faculties: the body faculty (the fertilized ovum) and the life faculty. In the kalala stage (the very first week of the embryo), if one arises with the intention to kill and contrives to cause the fetus to die, and the fetus actually dies, the Upāsaka commits the unpardonable offense. If the fetus does not die immediately but later dies because of this, he also commits the unpardonable offense. If the fetus does not die immediately and later does not die because of it, he commits a medium offense subject to repentance.