ABSTRACT
Developed in fifth century C.E. China alongside the practice of vegetarianism as a nonviolent Buddhist alternative to sacrificial practices and carnivorous foodways, ritual life releases have long served to cultivate compassion and benevolence toward living beings and generate merit (karmic rewards) for the human sponsors and the animals. Nonetheless, the rituals have often faced criticism for being wasteful, disregarding animal welfare, and negatively impacting the environment. This chapter traces the history of this ritual from its scriptural foundations and emergence in China to the early modern and contemporary periods while also probing its inherent ethical dilemmas that test the practical limitations of compassion.
