(Minghui.org) My father, a Falun Dafa practitioner, and I live in a harbor city. A rich variety of seafood is available here, and non-practitioners enjoy buying live seafood because it’s fresher and tastes much better. As cultivators, we follow the principle of no killing.

Though my dad likes seafood, especially clams, he only buys dead ones. My brother, a non-practitioner, knows that clams are Dad’s favorite. He has bought live clams and cooked them for Dad several times. We told my brother not to kill anymore, but he ignored us.

Though my dad had told my brother not to buy live clams, I felt that his words were for show. Our dad enjoyed eating the clams every time. I said to Dad, though you didn't directly kill the clams, you still accumulated karma by eating them, because my brother had killed them to satisfy your desires, which had made you mainly responsible. My dad explained that my brother wouldn’t listen to him. I suggested that Dad talk to my brother assertively and refuse to eat the clams if he wouldn’t listen. 

The same test came for me on my birthday. My brother bought me some live river crabs. I don’t care about seafood that much, but river crabs are my favorite. My brother told me that he had bought them for me since it was my birthday. 

“Why did you buy living ones again?” I asked, “Killing will cause karma.” My brother rebutted, “Grains and vegetables are lives too, according to your theory. Should you stop eating them?” I didn’t say anything. My brother said that he had bought a lot today, so Dad and I should have a hearty meal.

When my brother broiled the river crabs, I left the kitchen because I didn’t want to see the cruelty. When they were ready, my brother called Dad and me to come eat. Dad said that he wouldn’t. My brother couldn’t believe it. I was torn though. 

Dad indeed passed up the delicacy. He had realized it was killing, after our discussion. No matter how my brother tempted him, he refused to eat any. However, my will was eroded little by little in front of my favorite food. I told myself, “My brother didn’t ask me before he bought them. He bought something else on my previous birthday. This is the first time he has bought live river crabs. It must be a test for me. I should decline.”

My brother opened the shell of a river crab. The yummy juice gushed out, and the delicious smell rushed into my nose. I thought, “Okay, I’ll eat this one time. It’s just a dish. If I don’t eat it, someone else will have to eat it anyway. It’s too expensive to go to waste.” 

I got started, and told our dad that it tasted superb! Dad insisted that he wouldn’t eat any. Brother asked why. Dad said he didn’t want to see my brother accumulate karma for killing, and he told my brother not to buy any live seafood for his sake. Brother said, “Okay. Eat it one last time. I won’t do it any more.” Dad didn’t waver. I was the one who finished them all. 

After my brother left, Dad reminded me that it was time to send forth righteous thoughts. I said I needed to use the bathroom. While I was rushing to the bathroom, I felt like I was pushed by something. I lost my balance and had to walk a couple of steps sideways. My big toe and second toe smacked into the door frame and were split by the strong force. I cried out loudly in pain. It was so excruciating that my eyes teared up. I hopped to my room on one foot without using the bathroom. I tried to cross my legs, but the sharp pain made me cry. I had to lean back in tears. Dad said that I should reflect upon myself. I thought it was because I waited until the last minute to go use the bathroom. 

When I took off my socks the next day, I was shocked to see that my big toe, my second toe and the surrounding area were terribly bruised and swollen. How come it was so bad?! A voice suddenly came to my mind, “It’s because of eating river crabs! They sought revenge.”

Thinking back, I indeed recalled having been pushed by some force to the side. Don’t crabs walk sideways? Aren’t their big toe and second toe split? I must have gained karma from eating river crabs that were cooked alive. I had known the principle of no killing, but still ate the crabs killed for me. I was even worse than someone who doesn’t know. 

I learned my lesson about no killing. Karma still builds up in the situation mentioned above. As a cultivator, I should have treated it seriously. I hope fellow practitioners will learn from my lesson and never make the same mistake.