The Offense of Killing by Pressing the Abdomen

Original text of the Sūtra on the Precepts for Upāsakas, Section One: 按腹者。使怀妊女人重作。或担重物。教使车前走。若令上峻岸。作是念。令女人死。死者犯不可悔。若不即死。后因是死。是罪不可悔。若不因死者。是中罪可悔。若为胎者。如上说。是名按腹杀也。

Explanation: The method of killing by pressing the abdomen with external objects is to make a pregnant woman do heavy physical labor, or to have her carry heavy loads, to make her walk in front of a cart, or to make her climb a steep cliff, while thinking in one's mind: let this woman die. If the woman actually dies, the upāsaka commits an irredeemable offense. If the woman does not die immediately but later dies as a result, the offense is also irredeemable. If the woman does not die immediately and later does not die as a result, the upāsaka commits a moderate, redeemable offense.

If the upāsaka makes her carry such heavy loads for the purpose of killing the fetus, and the fetus dies, the upāsaka commits an irredeemable offense. If the fetus does not die, he commits a moderate, redeemable offense. If the mother dies, he commits a moderate, redeemable offense. If both die, he commits an irredeemable offense. This is the manner of killing by pressing the abdomen.

Original text: 乃至母胎中。初得二根。身根命根。迦罗逻时。以杀心起。方便欲令死。死者犯不可悔。余犯同如上说。

Explanation: Furthermore, when the fetus in the mother's womb has just acquired the two faculties—the body faculty (the fertilized embryo) and the life faculty—from the very first week of the embryo (kalala), if one gives rise to the intention to kill and devises means to cause the fetus to die, and the fetus actually dies, the upāsaka commits an irredeemable offense. If the fetus does not die immediately but later dies as a result, the offense is also irredeemable. If the fetus does not die immediately and later does not die as a result, he commits a moderate, redeemable offense.