Saving the stink bug Real question (this happened today). Imagine you're meditating by the fireplace. Outside is cold winter with snow. You have achieved a nice level of concentration, and suddenly you see a stink bug awoken by the heat, crawling into the fireplace. Your choices:


Let it keep crawling into fire, noting "crawling, crawling".
Pray for it to achieve a speedy human rebirth.
"Save" it by taking outside and letting die from the cold.
Put it in a safe place inside the house and let it die from hunger and dehydration.
Put it in a safe place inside the house and provide care and feeding.
Hop on an airplane and take it to China, its natural habitat.
Focus on achieving Enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.
Simply switch attention away from the issue.
There is no stink bug.
Mu.
Your own option.


You have about five minutes left on the timer, so you can either finish your meditation properly and then act, or choose to interrupt the session.

What teachings are relevant in this case? What should I do, according to Dharma, and why?
The moment your awareness was drawn to the reality of a living being about to experience dukkha dukkhata, the most karma neutral action you could do is to take it away from its apparent predicament and go about finishing your meditation without allowing any after thoughts about this past event.