Buddhist body urges followers not to release lifeless items into the natural environment

The Buddhist society is deeply shocked and worried about the acts of "releasing" lifeless items into the natural environment in the name of practicing Buddhism, as they contradict Buddhist doctrines and harm the environment, the Buddhist Association of China said.

The association made the remakes on social media on Friday, following recent media reports on people in Liaoning province pouring rice into the sea in the name of life release. Similarly, there have been reports of people "releasing" bottled water.

In Buddhism, the practice of life release traditionally involves rescuing animals at risk of slaughter or in danger, and setting them free in environments where they can thrive, thus preserving their lives. The practice is rooted in the spirit of "unconditional compassion" and the precept of "not killing" in Buddhist teachings. As rice is a plant seed without consciousness, and bottled water is lifeless, they are considered inanimate and do not fall under the category of sentient beings. Therefore, the notion of "releasing" rice or bottled water contradicts Buddhist doctrines, it said.

Furthermore, such actions not only violate the traditional Chinese virtues of frugality but also waste food and resources, potentially harming the environment, it said. The Buddhist community firmly opposes such practices and urges the public not to misinterpret or misuse the concept of life release in Buddhism, it added.

"Improper methods of life release can contradict the original intent, potentially causing harm to more lives, disrupting ecosystems, and damaging Buddhism's reputation," it said.

For example, releasing terrestrial animals into water or domesticated animals into the wild can lead to their inability to adapt and survive. Introducing non-native species or pathogen-carrying animals poses ecological threats, the statement said.

Also, conducting life releases in protected areas, urban water bodies, or near residential zones can disrupt local environments and violate laws, impacting residents' lives. Very often, large-scale life release activities can foster a market for capturing and selling animals for release, leading to more wildlife being hunted and contributing to the commercialization of Buddhism, which harms social ethics.

Meanwhile, efforts are being made to promote rational life release, as some people's actions have disrupted people's lives and caused irreversible harm to the natural environment in recent years.

The association passed a directive on June 30 to guide the Buddhist community toward civilized and rational practices. It states that life release activities must comply with national laws and regulations and be subject to guidance and supervision by environmental, agricultural, forestry, marine, and quarantine authorities.

According to the directive, organizing release activities in groups outside Buddhist venues requires approval as large religious events and must be reviewed by relevant departments regarding species, quantity, specifications, timing and location. Also, life release activities should not disrupt residents' lives or harm the environment, nor should they be conducted for profit or be commercialized. More importantly, such activities are prohibited in protected areas, urban water bodies, transportation routes, residential zones, and water source protection areas.

By incorporating civilized and rational life release into teachings, the community can guide followers to understand the true meaning and correct practices of Buddhist life release, the association said.