Zhengdan releases lives to accumulate merit

 

Zhengdan releases lives to accumulate merit

 

"Release life" is a Chinese term in Buddhism; but the real life release is to release oneself. The Spring Festival of the Year of the Tiger is here, and I sincerely wish that Chinese people all over the world can let themselves fly every day in the years to come. To know how to let yourself go, you can start by understanding the principle of "letting go".

"Freeing animals" is originally a Chinese term in Buddhism, but the custom of releasing animals in Han China did not originate from Buddhism.

"Liezi Shuofu Pian" records: "Releasing animals on the right day is a sign of kindness." It can be seen that releasing animals on festivals has been a practice since ancient times. The important thing is to "release animals on Zhengdan", which is the first day of the first lunar month.

"Shuofu Pian" said: "The guest said: 'The people know that the king wants to let him go, but he catches him in competition, and many people die. If the king wants to live, it is better to forbid the people not to catch him, but to catch him and release him, it is a kindness. They don't complement each other.' Jianzi said: 'Good!'" It can be seen that there were already people who specialized in catching birds for release at that time. After Buddhism was introduced to China, it also vigorously advocated the release of animals, and integrated it with China's original life-release customs, evolving into a unique ritual: the life-release meeting. The so-called release of animals means to redeem captured fish, birds and other animals and then release them in ponds and mountains. Buddhism calls the ritual of this ceremony the life-release ceremony (referred to as the life-release meeting).

Buddhism advocates releasing lives, which originates from the 20th "precept not to release lives" among the forty-eight light precepts listed in the Brahma Net Sutra; "If a disciple of the Buddha practices life release out of compassion," "Therefore, if you always practice release, you will receive life after life." The law of abiding.” That is to say, the sons of the Buddha should perform the act of releasing lives with compassion, because all men are my father, all women are my mother, and I have been born from them in all my life, so all living beings in the six paths are my parents. If you see people killing animals in the world, you should take advantage of them. Rescue and alleviate their suffering. Regarding the method of releasing and rescuing animals, there are many records in various sutras. For example, the "Golden Guangming Sutra? Master Liu Shui's Son" states that Master Liu Shui rescued a dying fish, gave it water and food, and explained the Mahayana classics to it. After the fish heard the sutra, they all gave birth to the wrathful heaven. Volume 5 of "The Sutra of Miscellaneous Treasures" says that a novice monk was rewarded with a long life by rescuing ants drifting in the water. This view that releasing animals can prolong life is still very influential today.

The release of life in Chinese Buddhism is closely connected with the ritual of abstaining from killing and chanting the name of Buddha. The abstention from killing is the first of the five precepts and the ten precepts, and has always been strictly observed by Buddhists. During the Qi and Liang Dynasties in the Southern Dynasties, Buddhists cut off meat based on the words "one should not eat meat" in Volume 4 of the Lankavatara Abhadra Sutra.

Emperor Wu of Liang issued an edict prohibiting killing and abolishing the system of offering sacrifices in ancestral temples. The large-scale release of animals in my country began with Master Zhizhe from Tiantai. When the wise man lived in Tiantai Mountain, in order to prevent the residents near the sea from fishing and killing as a profession, he sacrificed his body and clothes, and persuaded everyone to buy a life-release pond. He also taught the people in the pond the "Three Refuge Precepts" and preached the "Golden Light Sutra" to them. ", "Lotus Sutra", etc., in order to establish a relationship with the Dharma, thus establishing the origin of the Tiantai Life Release Meeting.

Later, Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty issued an edict in the second year of Qianyuan (759) to set up 81 life-release ponds in Shannan Road, Jiannan Road, Jingnan Road, Zhejiang Road and other places.

In the first year of Tianxi (1017) of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, he ordered the whole country to rebuild the Free Life Pond. In the third year of Tianxi's reign, the Tiantai Sect requested to use West Lake in Hangzhou as a life-releasing pond to create the "Life-releasing Tzu Chi Method" and hold a life-releasing party on the Buddha's birthday on April 8 every year to consecrate the Emperor. In the third year of Tiansheng's reign (1025), Si Ming Zhili also petitioned to permanently establish the Buddha's birthday release party in the Nanhu Life Release Pond, and wrote the "Release Essay" to stipulate its rituals. Since then, the custom of releasing animals has been completely Buddhistized and has endured for a long time. The current "Release Rituals" are compiled based on the general outline of the "Golden Guangming Sutra? Liushui Elder Zipin".

Generally speaking, according to the current "Rituals of Release of Life", the whole process of releasing lives can be divided into three procedures: sprinkling pure verses, saying the three refuges, and making vows to release lives:

(1) Before the ceremony of releasing animals with sprinkling and chanting verses begins, set up an incense table at the place where animals are released, prepare water and poplar branches, and place a statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the center. At the beginning of the release ceremony, everyone looked at all living beings with loving eyes, thought about their perdition, felt deep compassion, and recalled that the Three Jewels have great power and can save them. The master holds the water bowl in his hand and thinks silently: I wholeheartedly ask the loving father of all directions, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, the great inspiration, to come to the ashram and bless this water, which will bring great merit. Sprinkle with other kinds of things, think of them, your body and mind will be pure, and you can listen to the wonderful Dharma. While sprinkling the pure water, the Master recited the "Incense Praise": "Sprinkle three thousand pure water from poplar branches. The empty nature and eight virtues will benefit humans and heaven. The blessings and longevity will be extended. Sins will be eliminated and guilt will be eliminated. The flame will turn into a red lotus. Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva, Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva, Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva." Then three times he calls "Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva." After the chanting, the Master recited the Great Compassion Mantra several times with the crowd, and sprinkled purified water on all living beings while going around. Then, recite the Heart Sutra once, the Rebirth Mantra three times, and call "Namo Nectar King Bodhisattva" three times.

(2) Speaking of the Three Refuges, the Dharma Master holds the incense and invites the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha to reside throughout the void and throughout the ten directions of the Dharma Realm. Then, the Master repented on behalf of all the sentient beings who flew by land and water, were caught in his net, and were about to enter the gate of death, and recited the mantra after repenting. Next, the Dharma Master taught refuge to all living beings. The Dharma Master began by saying: "Dear Buddhas, you have not heard of the Three Jewels and have not understood the refuge. Therefore, there are three existences in samsara, and now you have fallen into the realm of animals. I now teach you the Three Refuge Dharma, and you will listen carefully now. "Then the master said it once, and everyone answered it once, and so on three times. The core content of the "Three Refuges" is: taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Dharma, and taking refuge in the Sangha. After the Master teaches the "Three Refuges", he then talks about the "Twelve Causes and Conditions" so that all living beings can "understand the law of birth and death, and realize the law of non-birth and death"; he then calls the "Four Great Vows" to all living beings, hoping that they will "make vows in accordance with the Buddha" , practice according to your wishes.” The words of the vow are: first recite "I vow to save all sentient beings, I vow to end endless troubles, I vow to learn the infinite Dharma, I vow to achieve the supreme path of Buddhism" three times, and then recite "I vow to save all sentient beings of my own nature, I vow to end the troubles of my own nature, and I vow to accomplish the Dharma door of my own nature" I vow to learn, and I vow to achieve the Buddha's true nature." Then, the Master praised the Tathagata's auspicious name for all sentient beings, asking them to "eternally escape the suffering of the three paths and eight difficulties, and always be the true and pure son of the Tathagata."

(3) Before releasing the living beings, the Master of the Vow for Release exhorted all sentient beings: "I only hope that after you are released, you will never be devoured by demons, caught in nets, or spend your remaining years. After your death, you can inherit the power of the Three Treasures and be reborn as you wish. , observe the precepts and practice." He also said: "I am more willing to release lives and make Bodhicitta vows. Thoughts will increase my enlightenment and save all living beings. ... I hope that all the people who have been caught will turn their hearts towards kindness, gain liberation together, and realize the truth and eternity together." Finally, The master held incense and chanted Buddha's name, then gently released all living beings. The crowd all thought in unison and dedicated the stanza: "I hope that with this merit, I will adorn the Buddha's Pure Land, repay the fourfold kindness above, and relieve the hardships on the three paths. If anyone sees and hears it, they will all arouse bodhicitta, fulfill this Sambhogakaya, and be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss."

Since freeing animals originates from ancient Chinese folk customs and is based on Buddhist scriptures, it has had a profound influence on both the Chinese folk and Buddhist circles, leaving behind many popular poems and essays about freeing animals.

 

Lu You's poem from the Song Dynasty says:

 

The flesh and blood are dripping with flavor, but the pain and resentment are generally hard to express.

Put yourself in their shoes and think about it, who is willing to cut himself with a knife?

 

A poem by Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty:

 

We are destined to live together in this life, and go through vicissitudes of life together in a dream.

The past cannot be discussed in retrospect, let us recall our past mistakes by the pond.

 

These poems are profound and thought-provoking.

Generally speaking, life release has profound Buddhist connotations and is therefore very solemn. However, in the process of its spread, there have also been some abuses that are inconsistent with the original intention of life release. For example, in releasing animals, emphasis is placed on fictitious text rather than substance; another example is that some people specialize in capturing animals, birds, and fish for release. Based on this, some precautions have been put forward in the past when releasing animals, which are roughly as follows:

 

First, release unspecified objects, that is, no matter whether they are land or birds, they should be released according to one's ability;

 

Second, there is no fixed day for releasing animals. Although some regulations stipulate that it should be held once a month or on the birthday of the Buddha, the time must not be limited to prevent someone from catching a large number of living creatures specifically before this day;

 

Third, there is no fixed place for releasing animals, that is, you should not be bound by rituals. In special circumstances, you can release animals anywhere. You only need to chant the name of the Buddha to guide them, and it is not necessary to hold a complete ceremony.