Let´s not fool ourselves; The Great Middle Way

The Buddha gives this instruction in the Griha Vinaya (Rules for Householders, Dharmika Sutra, Kshudraka Agama):

Let him not destroy, or cause to be destroyed,
any life at all, or sanction the acts of those who do so.
Let him refrain even from hurting any creature,
both those that are strong and those that tremble in the world.

If we fail to understand the universality of this injunction, the Buddha clarifies (Kshudraka Agama):

Whether they be creatures of the land or air,
whoever harms here any living being,
who has no compassion for all that live,
let such a one be known as depraved.

And in the Anguttara Agama:

I am a friend of the footless,
I am a friend of all bipeds,
I am a friend of those with four feet,
I am a friend of the many-footed.
…
May all creatures, all breathing things,
all beings one and all, without exception,
experience good fortune only.
May they not fall into any harm.

Should we intend to skirt the First Precept by claiming innocence of the deed if others do the killing for us, He adds (Kshudraka Agama):

One should not kill any living being,
nor cause it to be killed,
nor should one incite any other to kill.
Do never injure any being,
whether strong or weak, in this entire universe!

Source: Let´s not fool ourselves

Root of All Virtue / Compassion ; The Great Middle Way

Those who cultivate compassion can give what is difficult to give;

can tolerate patiently what is difficult to tolerate;

and can do what is difficult to do.

Compassion is the root of all virtue.

—Buddha Shakyamuni, Sutra of Lay Morality

Source: Root of All Virtue

Sublime Abiding ; Sutra via GreatMiddleWay

Let me be able and upright,

straightforward and gentle in speech,

humble and not conceited,

contented and easily satisfied,

unburdened with duties and frugal in my ways.

Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,

not proud or demanding in nature,

let me not do the slightest thing

that the wise would later reprove.

In gladness and in safety,

may all beings be at ease.

Whatever living beings there may be

—whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,

the great or the mighty, medium, short or small,

the seen and the unseen,

those living near and far away,

those born and to-be-born—

may all beings be at ease!

Let me not deceive another,

or despise any being in any state.

Let me not through anger or ill-will

wish harm upon another.

Even as a mother protects with her life

her child, her only child,

so with a boundless heart

will I cherish all living beings.

I will radiate kindness over the entire world

—spreading upwards to the skies,

and downwards to the depths,

outwards and unbounded—

freed from hatred and ill-will.

Whether standing or walking,

seated or lying down,

free from weariness,

I will sustain this recollection.

This is the sublime abiding.

—Buddha Shakyamuni, Maitri Sutra

Source: Sublime Abiding