Buying alive fishes to leave them in the river.

[JC938]

Hello,

I use to buy alive fishes and leave them in a river near a temple where catching fish is not allowed.

But I heard and thought about it, they say if you buy 10 fishes, 10 extra which wouldn't have been eaten would die, because no matter how much I buy, the consumption remain the same, and the supply is always more than demand.

So, does this mean, I should not be helping fishes lives in this way?

Thanks.

[Sam Vara]

It is always really difficult to work out how much "good" we are doing, in terms of the results and consequences of our actions. (For example, you might release ten fish into the river, and they might immediately get eaten by a bigger fish!) In these cases, it might be better to think about the merit that it makes, especially in terms of our intentions. If it makes you feel good, and increases your reverence for life and respect for the Buddha's teachings, then I would carry on doing it.

[JC938]

It is always really difficult to work out how much "good" we are doing, in terms of the results and consequences of our actions. (For example, you might release ten fish into the river, and they might immediately get eaten by a bigger fish!) In these cases, it might be better to think about the merit that it makes, especially in terms of our intentions. If it makes you feel good, and increases your reverence for life and respect for the Buddha's teachings, then I would carry on doing it.

Thanks.

[SarathW]

I use to buy alive fishes and leave them in a river near a temple where catching fish is not allowed.

This will make another demand channel to the fishing industry and will increase the profit hence more fish will be caught.
Releasing captured animal is not solve the problem unless selling live anima make illegal.

[Alīno]

Good and bad actions comes from delusion. In absolute statement.
In relative statement, if you want to save animals the best way os to be vegan : no meat, no leather, no whool, no honney, no milk. Doing like this you will save a lot of leaving beings.

[JC938]

Good and bad actions comes from delusion. In absolute statement.
In relative statement, if you want to save animals the best way os to be vegan : no meat, no leather, no whool, no honney, no milk. Doing like this you will save a lot of leaving beings.

Thank you.

[bodom]

For the Buddha, love and compassion were incomplete if they were not extended to all sentient beings. He said that if a monk found an animal in a trap and out of compassion set it free, he would not be guilty of theft, even if conventional opinion considered the animal to be the property of the hunter who had set the trap

(Vin.III,62)

Whether what your doing has any major impact on supply and demand doesn't matter. What its doing for your mind has an even greater impact.

[denise]

it's the thought that counts

[D1W1]

Hello,

I use to buy alive fishes and leave them in a river near a temple where catching fish is not allowed.

But I heard and thought about it, they say if you buy 10 fishes, 10 extra which wouldn't have been eaten would die, because no matter how much I buy, the consumption remain the same, and the supply is always more than demand.

So, does this mean, I should not be helping fishes lives in this way?

Thanks.

Don't buy it on a regular basis and don't make a request in advance how many fishes do you want to buy.

[asahi]

For the Buddha, love and compassion were incomplete if they were not extended to all sentient beings. He said that if a monk found an animal in a trap and out of compassion set it free, he would not be guilty of theft, even if conventional opinion considered the animal to be the property of the hunter who had set the trap

(Vin.III,62)

Whether what your doing has any major impact on supply and demand doesn't matter. What its doing for your mind has an even greater impact.

Hello,

I use to buy alive fishes and leave them in a river near a temple where catching fish is not allowed.

But I heard and thought about it, they say if you buy 10 fishes, 10 extra which wouldn't have been eaten would die, because no matter how much I buy, the consumption remain the same, and the supply is always more than demand.

So, does this mean, I should not be helping fishes lives in this way?

Thanks.

Don't buy it on a regular basis and don't make a request in advance how many fishes do you want to buy.

[SarathW]

For the Buddha, love and compassion were incomplete if they were not extended to all sentient beings. He said that if a monk found an animal in a trap and out of compassion set it free, he would not be guilty of theft, even if conventional opinion considered the animal to be the property of the hunter who had set the trap

(Vin.III,62)

Whether what your doing has any major impact on supply and demand doesn't matter. What its doing for your mind has an even greater impact.

Hello,

I use to buy alive fishes and leave them in a river near a temple where catching fish is not allowed.

But I heard and thought about it, they say if you buy 10 fishes, 10 extra which wouldn't have been eaten would die, because no matter how much I buy, the consumption remain the same, and the supply is always more than demand.

So, does this mean, I should not be helping fishes lives in this way?
Warning! you are reading my mind. Read my post done the same time!

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=40151

Thanks.

Don't buy it on a regular basis and don't make a request in advance how many fishes do you want to buy.

Warning! you are reading my mind.
See my post done at the same tiem.
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=40151

[Aloka]

Hello,

I use to buy alive fishes and leave them in a river near a temple where catching fish is not allowed.

But I heard and thought about it, they say if you buy 10 fishes, 10 extra which wouldn't have been eaten would die, because no matter how much I buy, the consumption remain the same, and the supply is always more than demand.

So, does this mean, I should not be helping fishes lives in this way?

Thanks.

This isn't a good idea. Releasing fish or animals into the wrong habitat/environment to the one in which they were born isn't "helping" them. It can cause them great suffering and death, especially if there are a lot of hungry predators where they're released.

If you care about the suffering of other creatures, then don't buy and eat their flesh after someone else has killed them for your dinner table. If there wasn't a huge demand for meat & fish, those innocent beings wouldn't have to suffer and die as the result of it.

[asahi]

Warning! you are reading my mind.

Actually , the market where i live usually there is one section that sell live fish and almost everyday they will chop up the live fish , sometimes i would buy some to release into the rivers . I would chant Three refuge three nussati before releasing .
For the rest that i am not able to buy or help i would chants in heart for them .
How many fish you can buy each time ? Not many actually because it is too expensive for peoples with average income .
I knew one Theravada tudong monk whom suffers a lot from skins disease for many years and he told that is because when he was in the army he killed one king cobra , if not mistaken he said in the jhana he knew now the cobra come for revenge . In meditation he knew by heart he needs to release cobra to dedicate the merits to that cobra he killed in order to be able free from that karma . Later on after he released many cobra into the forests , he got recovered totally . Btw , he went to many doctors but all medicines doesnt really helps . Anyway , cobra is too expensive , he rely on the lay peoples to donate and gather enough money to buy . At his place each cobra cost around 2k usd if not mistaken .

[justindesilva]

Hello,

I use to buy alive fishes and leave them in a river near a temple where catching fish is not allowed.

But I heard and thought about it, they say if you buy 10 fishes, 10 extra which wouldn't have been eaten would die, because no matter how much I buy, the consumption remain the same, and the supply is always more than demand.

So, does this mean, I should not be helping fishes lives in this way?

Thanks.

It is a good idea. But if your intention is abayadana. Freeing any creature out of death is a meritable action that will help one to live longer.

[dharmacorps]

This isn't a good idea. Releasing fish or animals into the wrong habitat/environment to the one in which they were born isn't "helping" them. It can cause them great suffering and death, especially if there are a lot of hungry predators where they're released.

Agreed. This is an example of some of the ways that people try to help in a good natured way but can actually hurt. Invasive species end up killing almost unfathomable numbers of beings. I believe some years ago there was some serious criticism of this primarily vajrayana practice when it occurred stateside.