Protect and Release Lives Ceremony Sermon
放生救贖生命法會開示
Date: June 19th, 2022
日期：2022年6月19日
Place: Fu Hui Temple (Vancouver, BC)
地點： 溫哥華福慧寺
Event: Ceremony to Protect and Release Lives
活動： 放生救贖生命法會
Sermon：
On June 19, 2022, the President of The Buddhist Association of Canada, Abbot of Cham Shan & Fu Hui Temples led sangha and laities to gather at Plaza of Nations Dock in Vancouver, in protecting and releasing of livestock.
Venerable Dayi Shi advised us that one can eradicate the unintentionally karma of killing from the past through the action of releasing of lives.
He taught by giving an analogy. Cutting a tree in Canada without a permit is a violation of the Tree Preservation By-law and is subject to a penalty of planting six trees in order to make up for the offense.
This analogy also applies to our live releasing activity today, where we are making up for the karma of killing from our past. Furthermore, we should also vow not to engage into further killing from now onwards.
In order to embrace the true meaning of releasing lives, Venerable Dayi emphasizes that one should
engaged in three states of mind, namely “tranquility”, “mindfulness” and “blissfulness”.
Through the activity of releasing lives, hosted by Cham Shan and Fu Hui Temple, we advocate the concept of protection of lives, especially during the critical moments when they are about to be
slaughtered. Releasing of lives, through one’s monetary donation and physical efforts, is a format to eradicate the numerous karmic offenses we have once committed.
Way of Practice:
Through the Buddhist ceremony of protecting and releasing of lives, the teaching of compassion and loving kindness is realized. By upholding this practice, to eradicate our past karmic offenses, we repent with guilt and vowed not to commit such evil actions in the future.
Merits:
This is also an indirect remedy to combat our stubborn illness, often caused by our past killing actions.
One can gain blessing and longevity through the virtuous act of releasing lives, according to the Law of Causation, as taught by the Buddha. Although physically exhausted, everyone felt the joy and peace in their mind as the “Releasing of Lives” activity wraps up.
開示内容:
放生救贖生2022年6月19日加拿大佛教會會長達義大和尚帶領湛山精舍和福慧寺兩序大眾在溫哥華萬國廣場碼頭登船，解救生命。
達義大和尚告訴大家：大家在日常生活中會經常無意造成的殺業，放生是可以來有所彌補的。就像在加拿大不能隨便砍樹一樣，如果你不向政府申請砍一棵樹，政府會要你罰種六顆，這就是政府要對你所造成的錯誤的彌補。所以我們今天的放生活動是彌補大家往昔歲月所造成的殺業。大家通過今次活動以後不再造殺業！
大和尚告訴大家在放生法會期間要有三顆心。一要“靜心”；二是“定心”；三是“歡喜心”。這樣才能真正體會到放生的意義。
湛山精舍和福慧寺通過這次的放生活動，實際上就是要讓更多的人明白，放生就是救命。救贖命在垂危的眾生和即將被宰殺的生命。
放生也是還債，就是出錢出力來救贖被放眾生的性命，以償還我們所積欠的無數殺債。解救那些危在旦夕、隨時將被宰殺的生命，是千鈞一發、刻不容緩的行動。
修行方法:
佛教的放生也是慈悲的體現，升起慈悲心解除眾生的苦難。學佛最重要的就是實踐。在放生真實的行動中，真正去培養慈悲，真實去解救生命。每個人未來的命運完全是掌握在我們自己的手中，透過積福行善，誠心懺悔，我們的命運可以完全改變過來。放生正是可以解冤釋結，化敵為友，避免彼此的冤冤相報！
放生功德:
真正的放生既可以消災也可以治病。疾病絕症之所以發生，就是因為以前我們殺生所感召的殺業而來。既造殺因必結殺果，既造殺業必受殺報，解決之道就是放生，償還殺債，消除了疾病根本的殺因，病苦自然好轉。
每個人都希望健康長壽，放生救贖生命，延長了無數眾生的生命，也必然同時延長了自己的壽命，這是因果必然不變的真理！
參與今次放生活動的大眾都歡喜不已，大家雖然覺得累一些，但是內心的那份喜悅卻是充盈著全身！