Freeing animals is an act of charity. There is a story about freeing animals in ancient times. Let us learn about it together.
There is an ancient saying: "Do good and accumulate virtue." This sentence is to persuade people to do more good deeds and do more good deeds. During times of famine, some well-off people donated rice to save the hungry and cold victims from starving to death, which was an act of kindness. During the Taiping years, fish and turtles were released into rivers and ponds, and birds were released into nature, which was called "releasing life." These were all acts of accumulating good deeds. Later, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, someone released the captured birds and called them "loving creatures".
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Jin established its capital in Handan. There was a powerful minister in the Jin State, Zhao Jianzi, who liked to ask people to catch turtledoves for him during the Chinese New Year and send them to his mansion for him to release.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the people in Handan made an exception and flocked to Zhao Jianzi's mansion. They all came to offer turtle doves to Zhao Jianzi so that Zhao Jianzi could be released. of. Zhao Jianzi was very happy and gave generous rewards to each of them. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, there is an endless stream of people offering turtle doves from morning to night.
Zhao Jianzi’s retainer stood aside for a long time and asked him why he did this. Zhao Jianzi replied: “Releasing animals on the first day of the new year shows my love for living creatures and my kindness!” The retainer continued. He said: "It is rare for you to have such a kind heart for living beings. I wonder, my lord, have you ever thought about it: If the people all over the country knew that you were going to release the turtle doves, and they would rush to hunt the turtle doves, the result would be There must be a lot of turtle doves that were killed and injured! If you really want to release the turtle doves and save their lives, you might as well issue an order to ban the capture of turtle doves like now. You reward the people for catching so many turtle doves and give them to you. If you release them again, then your kindness to the turtle doves, my lord, is indeed not enough to compensate for the disaster you have caused to them!"
Zhao Jianzi listened to what the guest said and walked back and forth in the door of the mansion with his hands behind his back. , thought carefully for a while, nodded silently and said: "Yes."
This fable exposes the hypocritical behavior of some people who only focus on form but not on effect, seeking fame and reputation, and hypocrisy.
The origin of the custom of releasing animals
In the pre-Qin period, Confucius used Shun as a good example and emphasized environmental protection; Mencius emphasized compassion and inspired King Hui of Liang with his thoughts of benevolence and righteousness. Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals "Different Uses" and "Liezi Shuo Fu" have created the trend of abstaining from killing and releasing dust. After Buddhism was introduced to the Han Dynasty, Tan Wujue translated "The Sutra of the Most Victorious King of the Golden Light: Zipin of the Elder Liu Shui" to provide a theoretical basis for Buddhist release.
The reason why Shang Tang succeeded in conquering the country was that in addition to making good use of all things, he also knew how to cherish living creatures and prevent all life from being driven out. A spot. "Lü's Spring and Autumn Period·Different Uses" records:
When Tang saw a net wisher, he placed it on all four sides, and the blessing said: "Those who fall from the sky, those who come out of the earth, and those who come from all directions, all leave my net. "Tang said: "Hey! It's all over. Who else is doing this but Jie?" Tang collected three sides and put one side aside, and then taught Zhu: "In the past, spiders made nets, but today people want to learn from Yu. Those who want to go to the left are left, those who want to be right are right, those who want to be high are high, and those who want to be low are low, I will take the one who is violating his destiny." The country of Hannan heard it and said: "The virtue of Tang is as good as that of beasts." Forty countries returned. If you put it on four sides, you may not catch birds; if you use soup to remove three sides, put one side on it, and use it to net forty countries, you will not just net birds. '
Chengtang Renmin loved things and emphasized that letting go of dust is in line with Heaven's heart and people's will. The benevolent emperor couldn't bear to see hunters spreading nets on all sides, which was contrary to God's virtue of good health, so he removed three sides and left only one side: and changed it The prayer turns the violent atmosphere of killing into the atmosphere of peace, showing that if the ruler frees lives, it will be easier to win the hearts of the people than killing people.
"Chengtang Jiewang" had a great influence on later generations, and its story was still quoted in Lianchi's "A Treatise on Quitting Killing and Letting Dust" in the Ming Dynasty. "Liezi Shuofu Pian" records the story of "Zhou Jianzi released the animals on Zhengdan":
The people of Handan offered doves to Jianzi on the New Year's Day of the first lunar month. Jianzi was very pleased and rewarded him generously. The guest asked why. Jianzi said: "Releasing the animals at the right time shows kindness." The guest said: "The people know that the king wants to release the animals, and he catches them in competition, and many people die. If the king wants to live, he would not restrain the people from arresting them. If he catches them, he will kill them." "If you release them, your kindness and demerits will not make up for each other." Jianzi said, "Of course." It can be seen that in the Spring and Autumn Period, Handan had a custom of fishing birds for release, but releasing them among the people was mainly to show their kindness to living creatures. , if you catch creatures first and then release them, the merits and demerits will be difficult to offset. At that time, Zhou Jianzi listened to the advice of his disciples and changed the practice of "catch and release" to "forbidden people to catch". This was an early record of China's ban on fishing.
Animals grow in spring, and the ancients have already taken measures to protect them. "Book of Rites: Monthly Order No. 6" says: "The Moon of Mengchun... orders sacrifices in mountains, forests, rivers and swamps without using peons. It is forbidden to cut down trees and not to overwhelm them." Do not kill children, insects, fetuses, or flying birds in the nest. Do not kill squirrels or eggs. "In the spring, when eternal treasures are being renewed, do not cut down trees to make a living, cover the nest to play, harm the seedlings, etc., otherwise you will lose the way for the survival of all living things on the earth.
"Chengtang Jiewang" and "Zhengdan Release Life" illustrate that the custom of releasing lives has a profound ideological background in Chinese culture.
Tan Wujue's translation of "The Sutra of the Most Victorious King of the Golden Light: The Master Liushui" provides its own resources for Buddhist release. The content is briefly summarized as follows:
The Master Liushui cannot bear to be exposed to the sun. , but asked the king to take twenty elephants to the water temporarily to save the life of the fish, and the king agreed to his request. The elder's son then asked his second son to go to the elephant stable and take twenty elephants at will. They borrowed skin bags from the restaurant and went to the water source. They filled the bags with water. The elephants were carried to the pond and poured into the pond. Full, return to the same state. The son of the elder Liu Shui rescued the dying fish, gave it water and food, and explained the Mahayana sutra to it. After hearing the sutra, all the fish were born in the treacherous and beneficial heaven. ’
"Liushui Elder Zipin" has an important influence on the Buddhism's life-release customs, such as the twelve causes and conditions, the holy names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, life-release merit verses, life-release procedures, life-release rituals, etc. The plot of the elder son of Liu Shui saving the fish and releasing the dust has enhanced the people in the Central Plains' understanding of the Buddhist thought of releasing the dust, making it easier to accept and spread.
The Confucian thought of releasing animals originates from the heart of compassion, such as "children give birth to livestock and fish" and other influential ideas. Therefore, Buddhism’s release of dust combined with the appeal of Confucianism can be successfully implemented among the people.