The General Department of Environment under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in collaboration with the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha held on May 22 a conference on natural conservation and biodiversity.
The event mentioned that the Buddhist practice of life-release may raise environmental concerns.
According to Deputy Director of Department of Natural Conservation and Biodiversity Nguyễn Thanh Vĩnh foreign creatures may eat native fish and destroy local biological balance, so Buddhists should be aware of the issue before releasing live creatures.
Deputy Director Vĩnh expressed hope that Buddhist pagodas would guide Buddhist followers and people to practice the life-release properly.
Deputy Chief of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Central Office Venerable Thích Minh Quang said that the Buddhist sangha would take practical actions in order to propagate the proper practice of life-release, including the issuance of guidelines on life-release activities, organization of training courses on environmental protection, and invitation of environmental experts to speak at Buddhist summer retreat courses, etc.
Venerable Thích Minh Quang speaks at the conference
Deputy General Director of the General Department of Environment Nguyễn Hưng Thịnh also pledged to closely work with the Buddhist sangha for ensuring the proper practice of life-release in the coming time.
NL (phatgiao.org.vn)
