<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid0snfprgy72u4VMT5AbbYG58rUmQeuHQbKpzL2nuDVKYQcJ9MdYur4yvUJYEubZ6ZRl%26id%3D100033165156246&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="283" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> English --- Question: At the end of this week, my house is going to be fumigated. I’ve been thinking about the insects that will be killed, and I would like to know if there is any way I could mediate this killing offense. Master: First of all, you have every right to fumigate. It is your property, and that’s just how life is. They invaded your living space, and it’s your job to protect your property. Since you own it, anyone—or anything—that comes into your space must respect it. Therefore, you are entitled to evict or destroy those who are there to cause you harm. If you ask me, fumigation is perfectly okay; that is my personal opinion. However, when we cannot avoid creating killing karma, we must take remedial actions. First, you must repent. We don’t want to kill; we prefer not to kill. So, the next time we perform the Great Compassion Repentance or a similar service, you should repent sincerely. Show your earnestness. Express to them, "I didn't mean to kill you, but I couldn't help it." Doing this goes a long way toward erasing the ill will and resentment of the beings we harm. You need to prove to them that you are truly sorry and filled with regret. Second, you can help them after they die by creating rebirth blessings. You can recite the Buddha’s name or cultivate sutras on their behalf. For instance, we held the Pure Land Assembly this morning; by participating, you created rebirth blessings that you can now personally transfer to them. This is what we call "self-help"—using the blessings you generate to show your sincerity to the beings you harmed. It will certainly help ease the karmic burden. Third, you can seek professional help from a Mahayana temple. You can ask the temple to set up rebirth plaques for the beings you harmed. The rationale is simple: as monastics, we are professionals. When we perform these rebirth Dharmas, we generate far greater blessings than an individual can alone because we specialize in this cultivation. Beings trapped in the animal, ghost, or hell realms cannot generate rebirth blessings for themselves; they rely entirely on the human realm to do it for them. Therefore, if you have the means, going to a temple to request rebirth blessings is the most powerful way to resolve the enmity between you and them.