“The Buddhist system is no different than other religious systems that contain laws with embedded exceptions. In reviewing various Buddhist doctrines, doctrines, I have identified three recurring recurring exceptions to the rule of killing:

1. The intention of the person who commits the violence. Is the act accidental or deliberate?
2. The nature of the victim. Is someone killing a human, an animal, or a supernatural being? If someone kills a human, how moral is that person?
3. The stature of the killer. When evaluating the violence, is the person a king, a soldier, or a butcher?”