Upāsaka

When most people see a wasp inside their house, their first thought is to kill it.

In Buddhism, the first precept is to refrain from intentionally taking life, so when a wasp flew inside my house, it was the perfect challenge.

Instead of killing the wasp with a fly swatter, I waited until it landed on a window (most flying insects will do this eventually). When it did, I carefully opened the window, giving the wasp a large gap to fly out. Sure enough, it flew right out.

There have been two other occasions recently where I have done this with a fly and a moth.

Although it is not the fastest way to get rid of an unwanted guest, it certainly is the most compassionate way. After all, the insects don't want to be trapped inside a house, and they are not there to harm you. Why harm them?