问:这是一个同修用英文写来的问题,大概是外国同修。他说,第一个,Are Buddhists allowed to keep pets at home?就是说,佛教徒能不能够在家里养宠物?
答:这看如果是很严格的受了菩萨戒的人,Buddhists who have received the Bodhisattva Precepts are not allowed,就不可以了。为什么?因为菩萨要有慈悲心,对一切众生都要礼敬,礼敬诸佛,把一切众生看成自己过去父母、未来诸佛,那宠物也是。We can see the pets as the parents in the past,Buddhas in the future。所以我们怎么能够用玩宠物的心来对待牠?We should respect them,they are not just pets,they are Buddhas. How can we not respect them and play with them?另外一个,那些猫、狗往往会伤害一些众生,所以家里如果养牠们的时候,可能会有些众生因此遭到伤害,菩萨不忍心这么做。To prevent pets from hurting other small animals or insects,this is due to the compassion of bodhisattvas.
问:第二个问题。If the pets have fleas and ticks on them,and we need to kill the fleas and ticks in order to remove them from the animals,is it very bad Karma?What can we do to help the fleas and ticks?By chanting Amitabha,is it enough?如果发现这些宠物身上有些小虱子什么的,是不是要把牠们杀掉?
答:这个不可以。就刚才我讲到的,宠物牠带着这些虱子,我们不能杀。我们最好方法,把牠取下来放生。We should set free these fleas and ticks,do not kill them. So we should keep the pets clean,try to wash them every day to prevent these little fleas and ticks.帮助牠要干净,常常帮牠洗身,令牠们不要长这些小虱子。你能够常常念佛给牠听最好,跟牠沟通,让这个小动物也能够保持清洁,那些小虱子不长。