Taiwan's Buddhist rites "killing millions" of animals

last SG · 2012-05-15T14:20:28+00:00

All living things are supposed to die naturally. Buddha's teachings is mainly about law of nature (karma) and not to go against law of nature.I am interested...

Dawnfirstlight SG

Hi, thanks for trying to help me to understand. Why buddists still want to strive to improve their karma when food chain is karma and natural death is not considered suffering? Does the apex shape of the organisation from demi-gods to the lowest animal forms keep out disorderly improvement of karma advancement. How does nature ensure justice in rewarding karma?

I don't quite understand your questions. Buddhists did not interrupt the animals' food chain. Humans should not be in the animals' food chain. We can survive by being a vegetarian. Natural death is considered suffering in Buddhism 生老病死苦. Killing them is more suffering than natural death but natural death is also suffering.

Karma is not 1 + 1=2, it is not so straight forward and only the enlighten ones or Buddhas are able to discern karma.

Doing good deeds is only part of Buddhism, Buddhism emphasize more on wisdom. Thus, do good deeds with wisdom. Don't do things which you think are good deeds but have bad outcomes. If animals liberation will cause imbalance to the nature, that means we are doing it without wisdom but I think that is only minority. Majority of the Buddhists release fishes into the deep sea which is their habitat.

Weychin SG

Good point! However,remember there are different degrees to being a Buddhist, as there are many approaches to Buddhism. There main intention is to end our craving, intentionally depriving a live to satisfy our craving is creating negative karma for ourselves and create intense suffering for the living being. If you regard whatever food is offered to you as sustenance then it is what it is, sustenance for the body. As this is being said, we should also remind ourselves, are we really free from craving (meat)?!

I know that as long as the monk did not see, hear or suspect the animal killed for his purpose, the person can eat the meat. That means you CAN eat meat. But if you don't, and you had the choice to eat the meat but you didnt, can it then be said that you are not participating in this natural order of things by choosing not to eat it? Or does eating meat suddenly become an indulgence.

Cause I got a few Buddhist friends who don't eat beef.. but eat everything else.

Weychin SG

Main aim of Buddhism is to be released from cycle of samsara, subject of endless rebirth of suffering. However, it is not unusual for some devotees wanting to be reborn to higher realms for a more pleasurable next life and less suffering!

Weychin SG

The world has changed but the practice of ritual of releasing live animals have not! However, the aspiration of kindness remains, what is important is that we overcome our ignorance! That is the difficult part!However, the more we are freed from our ignorance and cravings, the less shitty the world is!

Also, as you have said man is an intelligient being, he will choose the easiest way to earn karma. Hence buying animals to release but with so many doing that nature imbalance is caused. Is upsetting of nature consider anti-karma?

Intentions cannot be the only deciding factor whether karma or not also because good intentions could lead to bad outcome and bad intentions could lead to good outcome. Many of today's sufferings are caused by people who wilfully or ignorantly refuse to know what they do not know and keep dishing out their solutions and opinions which are either wrong or partailly wrong. Is this also karma?

Weychin SG

The arousal of compassion, when one is devoid of compassion, one will be unable to empathize another's suffering. By imbibing with mantras, one is invoking goodwill, however, efficacy of one dedication of merits depends on karmic affinity. For example, I may show kindness to you, but karmic affinity depending, you may or may not be able to arouse a feeling of relief and gladness. With the planting the seeds of gratitude, affinity to good will and loving kindness is created!

I think it is very important to offer mantras and dharma to sentient beings to plant the seed of liberation. We can also do that by sprinkling blessed water into lakes, rivers, going to market and reciting mantras in the hearing of or spraying blessed water on the captive animals etc. Feeding animals with blessed food etc.What blessed food? non-animal food because man is intelligient to choose what food to feed the animals under their care?

Metta with Mindfulness SG

I enjoy participating in life liberation (if it is done in a way that does not cause endangerment in the eco system) as the activity help to nuture compassion and plants a seed of goodness. I think you will want to save someone’s life if you know that they waiting to be killed. Neither do you want to eat your parents or friends??

Anyway rearing animals are also not good for the eco system.

It will be good to become a vegetarian. Because when one release an animal, still another animal will be slaughtered in its place. The greatest compassion is to be able to help all sentient beings be liberated from the six realms.

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