Tuesday, January 16, 2007

My New Outline!!

Since my last topic for RP is an impossible topic, I have changed it into a new one: Releasing the captured animals out of pity leads to liberation or death? Based on this topic, I will argue about that whether the religious groups should keep releasing the captured animals abundantly.

Actually, this topic is related to my personal experience.
I am a Buddhist because I was influenced by my family, especially my uncle. I had taken part in several activities of releasing the captured animals during my childhood.
I remember that when I went to those activities, I actually didn't know much about the significance of such activity, and I just followed my family as well as other people. As a result, when I grow up, I still believe in Buddhism, but I started to reflect on the activity of releasing the captured animals, and that's why I came up with this topic. The following is my new outline:

Thesis: Buddhist groups have pity on the captured animals, and they expect to get good karma and eliminate burden of sin by setting them free. However, this good-intended practice turns out to be too commercialized in Taiwan and is varied from its original significance as shown on the Buddhism scriptures since this activity now is apt to cause the death of those captured animals as well as other animals that are inhabiting the releasing spots, to destroy the ecological balance, and to bring health risk to human beings. As a result, to release the captured animals abundantly and without measuring the results should be stopped.
I. The motif of releasing the captured animals:
A. Use some quotes from the Buddhism scriptures (e.g. The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom and <<華嚴經>>).
B. People feel compassionate toward the captured animals.
C. People expect to get good karma by releasing the captured animals.
D. People also wish to eliminate burden of sin by setting the captured animals free.
II. The practice of releasing the captured animals in Taiwan turning out to be different from its original significance as shown on the Buddhism scriptures:
A. The practice has become too commercialized (even to be a cruel business).
B. It is apt to cause the death of those captured animals as well as other animals that are inhabiting the releasing spots.
C. It is apt to destroy the ecological balance.
D. It is apt to bring health risk to human beings (e.g. bird flu).
III. The true meaning of releasing the captured animals:
A. The heart of caring for the animals is prior to the ceremony of releasing the captured animals (護生VS. 放生).
B. The inside attitude is more important than the outside form.
C. Since the activities of releasing the captured animals nowadays are mostly varying from its true meaning, we should keep the spirit of releasing the captured animals but stop the practices which are done abundantly and without any measuring.

Finally, something I'd like to clarify here is that I'm not saying that we should not release the captured animals at all. However, when such practice without any measuring and bring harm to the animals as well as the environment, should we still do it?
To have sympathy for the animals is good, but only having sympathy is not enough. We also need wisdom to judge that if our sympathy could really lead these captured animals to liberation or we are actually leading them to death?