Vegetarian Buddhists Sought For Release Of Non-Native Species
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 08.16.07
Somehow the idea of a New York sect of Amitabha Buddhists releasing imported eels frogs and turtles into New Jersey's Passaic River, a body of water already beset with a host of problems, doesn't match up with a 'do no harm' stereotype we westerners may have of Buddhist beliefs, nor with the words of wisdom on their home page. As a result, we'll put this one in the file labeled Outcome Of Good intentions With Lack Of Knowledge.
"Members from a New York sect of Amitabha Buddhists -- devout vegetarians who believe in the sanctity of all living creatures -- said Sunday they had purchased the creatures in New York's Chinatown for the purpose of setting them free. Ann Chin, a member of the group, said on Sunday they chose the Passaic River because it was the nearest body of freshwater to New York City, where the eels, frogs and turtles they let go had the best chance of surviving and realizing their full karmic potential."
"Amitabha, also known as the Pure Land Study of Buddhism, is heavily focused on cause and effect, and the cycle of transmigration."
We're sure that the sea lamprey (pictured above, as it would be in nature, sucking blood), a freshwater ecosystem-destroying marine eel that was introduced to the Great Lakes some time ago, has already reached its full Karmic potential, nearly extirpating the native Lake Trout and putting several other native species at risk. Who knows what other China Town market goodies might be one day accidentally unleashed to find their "karmic potential."
A similar risk of unintended damage accrues from those who, tired of their aquatic pets, release them into the wild, or from fishermen who dump unused live bait in a lake.
Importing live, non-native and invasive species from overseas has negative karma: a huge carbon emissions footprint per kg., plus added risk of destroying an ecosystem. That's a potential we don't need expressed by anyone. It is the consequence of unawareness. No different than denying the science of climate change.
UPDATE: Please see important comment below from Venerable Wuling, Advisor, Amitabha Pureland, where we are advised that the home page for Amitabha is based in Australia and not associated with the subject of this post.
Via:: North Jersey Herald News Image credit:: Sea Lamprey parasitizing Lake Trout, Maricopa University.
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I wonder how the cultists would like it if someone released cockroaches and mice in their houses...
Animal nuts are a scourge.
Ugh. A blow to both smart vegetarians and Buddhists alike. How can you like animals and not know about injurious species?!
This is an interesting story, but maybe in a different way than you have it portrayed. This is an ethnic Chinese form of Buddhism, and I think what you are seeing here is a story about cultural differences and immigration. The ritual of freeing fish is pretty common in Asia, and it's meaning isn't the same as animal rights activists releasing animals. In someways it's not done for the animals benefit at all - they probably wanted the same fish they use for the same ritual where the ritual started.
I'm not saying it's an excuse, I'm just saying this isn't a story about silly soft hearted animal lovers. It's interesting that this ritual was developed in a place where it works well. Some environmentally aware Buddhist needs to think of a better way to get local fish for the ritual, rather than having activists say "your religious customs are bad and you must stop.'
I don't understand the modern idea that any change in the natural world is bad and to be avoided. It's almost like people think that now that we have modern recordkeeping and the ability to study the natural world, everything should just *freeze* and stay exactly the way it is. Temperatures shouldn't change, species shouldn't move to new habitats, if a species dies out, it is a very bad thing, etc. Species have been coming into conflict with environment and with each other for aeons, and sometimes they die out! Although we definitely have the ability to seriously damage the world we live in, it is also hubris for us to say everything should stay just the way it is right now. Maybe Chinese fish transplanted to New Jersey and just the thing to shake up a stagnated ecosystem and propel the creatures there to a fitter evolutionary level? How do we know unless we try!
How do we know unless we try!
That whole comment was great! I think we should start pouring as many chemical we can into the air, water, and soil. Let's see what happens! Change is exciting! It's hubris to be conservative.
The origin of the Buddhism is not to harm a living thing. They do not encourage to free or release a captured animal. Because it will just encourage hunters to capture more animals and sell to those "nice people"
There is an old story. An Buddhist saw a pigeon was pursued by an eagle. So the Buddhist hided the pigeon under his cloth. Then the eagle complained to the Buddhist that his act will save the pigeon and kill the eagle ( due to hungriness). Thought a while, the Buddhist cut a piece of his body to feed the eagle and saved the pigeon. That's the spirit of a Buddhist.
All it is just a bunch selfish people want to save their own souls. They don't really care about the animals or environment. They just don't want to sacrifice themselves.
I would like to leave the following comment on behalf of our site Teacher, Venerable Wuling.
Best wishes!
Bee, webmaster amtbweb.org
I thank Treehugger and John Laumer for saying that Amitabha Pureland has “words of wisdom.” http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/vegetarian_reli.php#commen
But Amitabha Pureland had nothing to do with this animal release and is incorrectly linked to it at:
1. "on their home page"
2. "Amitabha"
The website www.amtbweb.org is a website based in Australia, not in the USA. It has no members in New York City. We do not know the individual named.
Mr. Laumer is a prolific writer and mistakes can happen when one is very busy. But given our positions on doing no harm and being wise stewards of the environment, it is truly regrettable that this error was made.
Thank you in advance for doing everything you can to correct this situation.
Sincerely,
Venerable Wuling
Advisor, Amitabha Pureland
Thanks John for the correction. Also, I would like to share the following writing on this topic which is from Venerable Wuling's blog page.
http://www.abuddhistperspective.org/journal/2007/9/4/releasing-animals.html
Releasing Animals
In the past in Asia, Buddhists often bought and released captured animals they found in local markets. This was obviously good because the animal would otherwise have been killed. Since the animal—often a fish or bird—was captured in the wild, it would be able to survive since it had gone back to its natural environment.
Today, many Buddhists still follow this tradition. But as with everything we do, we need to use wisdom in releasing animals.
1. Buying animals, like fish, encourages those who caught the fish to catch even more. Thus, more animals are at risk of capture. Also, when the animals are released on a special date, those who catch them will catch even more in anticipation of increased demand.
2. Those who release the animals must know they will be able to live in the wild. Domestically raised animals do not have the survival skills that wild animals do. Releasing domestic animals can endanger their lives.
3. The animals need to be released in their natural environment. Introducing them into an environment that is unsuitable for them will endanger them as well as upset the natural balance of that environment.
Times change. A kind act wisely performed in one situation may turn out to be neither kind nor wise in another.
As Ven. Master Chin Kung has said on releasing animals, “We need to understand thoroughly the situation so in our attempts to be kind, we do not unintentionally cause harm instead.”