During Tet (Vietnamese New Year), releasing animals fosters compassion: But what is the right way to do it?

During Tet (Vietnamese New Year) and other Buddhist festivals and holidays, many people buy fish and birds to release. For birds, people buy caged in iron cages, often sold in front of temples, then open the cages to let the birds fly away. For fish, most people choose temples near rivers to release them. Some even perform rituals and offerings at the temple before releasing them.

What does "releasing animals" mean?

Releasing animals into the wild is about freeing them from bondage, freeing them so that birds and fish can be free. A bird confined in a cage or a fish in a basin of water loses its freedom, becomes bound, and suffers greatly. Therefore, releasing birds and fish back into their natural habitat brings them happiness.

Venerable Thich Tri Chon guides the practice of releasing animals into the wild.

However, there is currently a situation where, when people release animals into the wild, groups of people specialize in catching birds to sell in front of the temple gates, or catching or raising fish to sell to those who release animals. Even when people release fish into the river, there are people guarding the area with nets or using electric shocks; similarly, the released birds are not strong enough to fly far, remain perched around the temple, and are then caught again.

According to Venerable Thich Tri Chon, abbot of Khanh An Monastery (District 12, Ho Chi Minh City), the meaning of releasing animals is humane, but if it happens in a situation like the one above, the value of releasing animals is diminished. Therefore, everyone needs to understand the true meaning of releasing animals.

During major Buddhist festivals, vendors selling fish and birds for release become very busy.

PHOTO: VU PHUONG

That is, when we happen to pass by the market and see a fish gasping for breath in a basin, or a bird listlessly lying in a cage, if we feel compassion and want to release the bird or fish back into its natural habitat, we should buy them and quickly go to a place where animals can be released.

"There's no need to go to the temple for rituals or offerings, because adding time for ceremonies and transportation might cause the animal to die before you can release it. Therefore, when you want to release an animal, release it back into its natural habitat while it's still alive and struggling; that's what makes it meaningful. Ordering 100-200 kg or dozens of birds for release forces people to go catch them. It's a vicious cycle of catching and releasing… inadvertently turning these creatures into commodities, sometimes causing them to die before they can be released," the Venerable shared.

Open your heart to love.

In Ho Chi Minh City, even with signs prohibiting the sale of animals or birds for release in front of some temples, Buddhists and temple-goers can easily spot vendors sitting close together. Especially during major full moon days like the first, fourth, and seventh lunar months, the scene of selling birds and fish for release in front of temples becomes even more bustling.

Venerable Thich Tri Chon suggested that the vendors might believe that people who go to the temple are kind-hearted and enjoy releasing animals, so they catch the animals and leave them in front of the temple. In this way, temple-goers are inspired to be compassionate, buy the animals, and then release them.

Monks and nuns greatly appreciate the meritorious act of releasing animals by the people, but they need to know how to open their hearts to love in the right way.

PHOTO: VU PHUONG

"Those who release animals do so out of compassion and a sense of mercy when something becomes difficult or painful. But if it's done under duress, forcing people to buy animals, then the meaning of releasing them loses its high value. The bird then becomes a commodity, no different from catching birds or fish to eat in restaurants; sometimes it even withers and dies before being released," the abbot said.

Therefore, ordained monks and nuns greatly appreciate the merits of Buddhists and benevolent people who buy fish and birds for release; but without a thorough understanding of the practice of releasing animals, we may be "abetting" those who constantly catch and then fish for commercial purposes, creating a vicious cycle of catching, selling, and releasing, causing suffering to the animals.

Finally, Venerable Thich Tri Chon reminded us that we need a new understanding of how to release animals meaningfully, protect the environment, ensure compassion for people and animals, and open our hearts to build a better society, always showing love for all our fellow human beings. Protecting the environment well will be more beneficial than releasing animals subjectively and emotionally, which leaves many negative consequences for the inherent beauty of the animal kingdom.

Open your heart to love.

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