Buddhism -- Customs & Practices; Buddhism; History; Chinese Religion; Animals -- Religious Aspects; Economics -- Religious Aspects; Public Health -- Social Aspects
摘要
Animal release has long been a component of Buddhist practice, although it is little studied contemporarily. This paper examines the historical roots of these rituals, arguing that they may ultimately have been adopted into Chinese Buddhist practices. A short survey of contemporary Buddhist practice in various traditions is given, including references to important scriptural authority. Practices involving large-scale, ritualized animal release is then argued to have a number of unintended negative environmental repercussions, resulting in potential new, non-native invasive species. These practices are also considered from contemporary economic and public health perspectives, culminating in the argument that their compassionate intentions are often lost in the act.
目次
Introduction 181 The history of animal release 182 The history of animal release in China 185 A brief description of the traditional practice 186 Modern-day animal release practices 187 Ethical problems 188 The question of introducing invasive species 190 Conclusion 193 Acknowledgement 194 Notes 194 References 195
