RP self-improvement and reflection

In fact, during the winter vacation, I had changed my main direction of the RP (even though the same topic remained). Originally, my argument was about stopping releasing the captured animals improperly, while I felt very uncomfortable with such direction. Therefore, I consulted some teachers and friends before determining my final direction. Eventually, I have found a way that could erase my angst but also state my stand at the same time, which is to change my direction from being negative (not to do it improperly) to being positive (to do it properly).
By witing this RP, I begin to have confidence in the practice of releasing the captured animals since there are certain methods for me to follow to do it properly (I used to have some negative feelings toward such activity because of being influenced by the public opinion). After the research, I start to remind myself to avoid killing any life in my daily life frequently. I hope that by the experience of writing this RP, I could learn how to respect and cherish life more and more. In this way, the RP will be more than just an assignment in my junior year!!

RP Argumentation!!

Buddhism encourages people to have kindness toward animals (for saving not only our family and friends in the previous lives but also the “Buddhas” in the future), and therefore Buddhists carry out the practice of releasing the captured animals out of pity. However, many people starts to oppose such practice because it might do harm to the animals, the ecological environment, and even human beings if we do it in an improper way. Thus, we need to know the proper way of performing such practice. We should bear the following suggestions in mind: 1. no beforehand order, 2. no fixed patterns, 3. the appropriate locations and environment, 4. time control. By releasing the animals properly, we could save even more lives. Finally, the intention is even more important for such practice. As long as one has a good intention, the trivial practice in daily lives such as to save a tiny insect or not to kill a mosquito will be infinitely significant.

RP works cited list!!!

Works Cited

1.Chen, Yu-min. 陳玉敏. “Fang-sheng-niao bu-zhua, mai mai zhen-xiang” <放生鳥捕 抓、買賣真相> [The Truth behind the Practice of Releasing the Captured
Birds] Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST). 2 Nov. 2004.
http://www.east.org.tw/01/link3-32.htm.

2.Chiu, Yu-Tzu. “Freeing Captured Birds Criticized.” The Buddhist Channel. 3 Nov.
2004. http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=1,101,0,0,1,0.

3.Dhammananda, K. Sri. “Buddhist Morality and Practice.” What Buddhists Believe.
Taipei: The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, 2000.

4.Harvey, Peter. Buddhism. New York: Printer Publishers, 2001.

5.The Association of Buddhism and Beneficence. Q&A for the practice of releasing the
captured animals. <<放生問答>>. Taiwan: 和裕出版社, 1998.

6.Woodbury, Angus M. “Introduction.” Principles of General Ecology. New York:
McGraw-Hill Book Company, 2000.

RP First hand data collection!!

About the 1st hand data collection for my RP, I plan to take part in the practice of releasing the captured animals, which is held by 蓮子放生團. I will take down the merits as well as the flaws in the activity. I will mainly focus on how do they treat the captured animals during the process, and I will also take notice of their time control and location choosing. I hope that by this experience I could find a even better way to release the captured animals. ^^ Besides, I have some Buddhist friends, who have a lot of experience of such practice, and I can turn to them as well if necessary.

RP Thesis and Outline (NEW)!!

Thesis: Buddhism encourages people to have kindness toward animals (for saving not only our family and friends in the previous lives but also the “Buddhas” in the future), and therefore Buddhists carry out the practice of releasing the captured animals out of pity. However, many people starts to oppose such practice because it might do harm to the animals, the ecological environment, and even human beings if we do it in an improper way. Thus, we need to know the proper way of performing such practice. We should bear the following suggestions in mind: 1. no beforehand order, 2. no fixed patterns, 3. the appropriate locations and environment, 4. time control. By releasing the animals properly, we could save even more lives. Finally, the intention is even more important for such practice. As long as one has a good intention, the trivial practice in daily lives such as to save a tiny insect or not to kill a mosquito will be infinitely significant.
I. The motif of releasing the captured animals:
A. All the living beings we can see now might our relatives or close friends in our
countless past lives.
B. People feel compassionate toward the captured animals.
C. If we save a being, we might save a Buddha in the future since every being has the
potential to become a Buddha.
II. Why do some people oppose such good-intended practice?
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 methods of releasing the captured animals properly:
A. No beforehand order.
B. No fixed patterns.
C. The appropriate locations and environment.
D. Time control.
Ⅳ. The importance of one’s attitude and intention:
A. “Karma is volition.”
B. To avoid killing in daily lives could be another good choice for one to cultivate
as well as carry out compassion.
C. The power of volition could turn a trivial practice into being infinitely significant.

RP Introduction!!

According to the Buddhist doctrine, every being will have a rebirth after death, and the next rebirth is decided by the karmas and actions one had done in the previous life. Before attaining (at least) arahatship (the lowest level in Buddhism, having no further possibility of rebirth), one will have endless rebirth as well as death. “Rebirth can be as a human, but also as an animal: land animal, fish, bird or insect.” Based on this concept, all the living beings we can see now might our relatives or close friends in our countless past lives; a mosquito might be your mother a long time ago, or you might be a cattle, which is going to be butchered and sold to a meat vendor. Besides, since all beings (both humans and animals) “are just like oneself in disliking pain and liking happiness,” the Buddhist ethical precept, “to abstain from injury to living beings,” “applies to the treatment of both humans and animals.” “Human beings may be superior to animals because of their spiritual potential, but they should show their superiority in good treatment of fellow sentient beings, not by exploiting them.” What is more, every being has the potential to become a Buddha, and based on this aspect, if we save a being, we might save a Buddha in the future (Harvey). As a result, Buddhism encourages people to have kindness toward animals (for saving not only our family and friends in the previous lives but also the “Buddhas” in the future), and therefore Buddhists carry out the practice of releasing the captured animals out of pity.

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?

RP Ideas!!! (NEW)

Hello, every one,
since my original ideas about my junior research paper are vampires, which topic I can not find a controversial issue in it, I decide to change my topic into another area, "The Existence of Human Souls and Afterlife," which is also a topic that I have been interested in and curious about since I was just a child. And the following is the outline.

OUTLINE
The Topic of My Junior Research Paper: The Existence of Human Souls and Afterlife

I. The Existence of Soul:
A. State the history of researching on human souls by authorities.
B. Cite some previous cases around human world to support the existence of soul.

II. The Place Where Souls Lead into:
A. Explain the logic of karma (cause and effect).
B. Prove the existence of afterlife.

III. The Importance and Significance of the Existence of Soul and Afterlife:
A. People will discipline themselves in order to have a better afterlife.
B. To commit sin will be punished and to own virtue will be rewarded.
C. The justice will be proved by afterlife.

RP Ideas...

I want to get something that I am really interested in for the topic of my RP this time since I suffered from choosing the Research Report topic carelessly last semester.
I have been interested in and curious about the mysterious vampires since I was just a child. Therefore, I want to do some researches on vampires. ^_^''

Hello!

Haha!! I got my own blog AT LAST!!
Just want to say "hi" to you!