The Structure and Logic of Killing Narratives in the Japanese Section of Konjaku Monogatari-shū

This article analyzes narratives of killing in the Japanese section of Konjaku Monogatari-shū, focusing on how the Buddhist precept against killing is interpreted and negotiated within narrative structures. Through a typological analysis, this study demonstrates that killing is never treated as a morally neutral act, yet its meaning and consequences vary according to the narrative context. First, tales of immediate retribution present killing as an act that directly leads to punishment, emphasizing the absolute severity of the precept. Second, atonement narratives show that killing does not always result in irreversible ruin; practices such as temple construction, sutra recitation, and religious devotion function to reorganize life after killing without erasing responsibility. Finally, exceptional cases such as killing for the protection of Buddhist Law, preservation of practitioners’ lives, livelihood-based necessity, or punishment of evildoers reveal a conditional tolerance of violence. However, even in such cases, killing remains karmically effective and requires compensatory religious practices. Rather than abandoning the ideal of non-killing, Konjaku Monogatari-shūarticulates a narrative space in which Buddhist ethics confront social reality. These tales foreground the tension between absolute moral norms and lived experiences, inviting readers to reflect on the application of Buddhist ethics in an imperfect world.