廬山蓮宗寶鑑 6.14

6.14

If one wishes to approach bodhi, a mind of compassion is the foundation; whenever cultivating pure karma, succouring living creatures comes first. Consider the flying birds, running beasts, and swimming fish with their scales: some are trapped in nets and snares, or confined in coops and cages; their cheeks pierced, their wings bound back, their feet tied and hanging upside down; about to face the boiling cauldron and fire, on the verge of meeting the knife and chopping block. Grieving, fearful, terrified, and panicking, they look to the clouds and their spirits vanish; remembering the woods and springs, their courage is shattered. Though knowing death is ten-thousand-fold, they still hope for a single chance at life, looking about and crying out mournfully to seek rescue. Therefore, disciples, feeling pity, spend their wealth to ransom their lives, opening cages and releasing pens, severing bonds and untying the suspended. Bestowing water, burning incense, joining palms, and chanting vows, when the deed of Dharma-giving is complete, they release them peacefully, whether letting them loose into ponds or taking them out to forests and wilds—all unfolding the mind of compassion through the Buddha's way. Extending upward to humankind and downward to ants, wherever they can save from death, there is none whose life they do not liberate. Since they liberate life, long life naturally follows; dedicating this superior benefit toward the West, they universally vow that all living beings will together achieve the Buddha way. Thus the Elder revived the fish, the novice monk saved the ants, Zheng Changtu burned fishing nets, Dhyāna Master Yi established release ponds, Yang Bao treated the sick sparrow, and Minzhong cast back the shrimp and clams. Patriarch Yuan had a verse on refraining from killing, and Dhyāna Master Man spoke on precepts and releasing life. It may truly be said: attentively undoing the clove-blossom knots, one lets loose the unhindered spring upon the branches.