No Unreasonable Demands

Yutang Lin

Releasing of lives had attracted those with nets and traps;
Hence, isn't this contributing to bad karmas in the world?
Billions and millions had been killed; who could stop that?
Doing good could hardly be perfect; why harsh demands?

Comment:

Some raised the question that, as a result of some Buddhists' frequent and regular releasing of lives, others might be attracted to follow with nets and traps so as to catch those lives for profits, or the merchants might stock up more lives in anticipation, hence, were the Buddhists not creating causes for bad karmas? All kinds of sentient beings in the worldly realms are creating all sorts of karmas. Nevertheless, causes and consequences would match exactly, and hence each would receive retributions according to individual karma. Those who performed good deeds had no intention to commit evil, so how could they be held responsible for others' wrongdoings? In worldly realms karmas of killing are heavy and deep, and who could stop or prevent that? Similarly, how could those who released lives to freedom prevent or stop others from catching lives with nets or traps or stocking up lives? Only very few people are actually engaging in the releasing of lives activities, and the number of lives released is negligible in comparison with the number of lives slaughtered; under such circumstances we could only try our best to participate in or give approval to the good deeds, how could we add unreasonable demands for impossible perfection?

Written in Chinese on September 4, 2004
Translated on September 10, 2004
El Cerrito, California

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