The most precious thing in the world is life. Any type of life should be respected. Why liberate life? The Ten Grounds Chapter in the Avatamsaka Sutra says, “Towards all beings endowed with life, generate kind and beneficial thoughts.” This can increase one’s kind and compassionate intentions to free them. To refrain from killing is also to practice kindness and compassion.

Although the causes and conditions of each life are impermanent, every life is equal! Based on the basic teaching of the Buddhadharma, we learn to understand the nature of our mind. First, we learn to respect life, then we learn to contemplate life and care for life. By applying the mind of kindness and compassion to everything, we can help all living beings leave suffering and enjoy happiness. The Buddhadharma is not just a conversation topic, not just a theory, it is an action that we need to uphold and practice in our daily life. Regardless of whether it is a blade of grass, a flower, or a tree, we don’t want to break it. Whether it is a worm, an ant, a fl y, a fish, or a fish egg, we don’t want to harm or disturb it. This is the mind of kindness and compassion. This is to widely benefit all living beings.

Venerable Master Hua mentioned, “Liberating Life has a very important place in Buddhism. People do not understand the meaning so we think that is very common. If you want to liberate yourself, first you need to practice liberating life. If you don’t practice liberating life, then you cannot be liberated. This is the theory of limitless birth and limitless transformation. Don’t take this lightly. If you work more on this, then you will grow more in this area. Cultivating the Way means to cultivate yourself. Take care not to slander this dharma door just because you do not understand the meaning of it!