Environmental Communication of Animal Release Practice in Buddhism View

Abstract

The impact of environmental degradation is a complex issue that requires the contribution and role of all levels of society to overcome this problem. Nature preservation is each responsibility to protect. The ritual of releasing animals is still viewed by many practitioners as a means of disposing bad luck and having prosperity, so impacts other than loving practices such as health and environmental damage that should have been prioritized are not being considered. This study provides a basic understanding that must be possessed by practitioners who conducted the animal release ritual so as not to create an environmental problem. It is accomplished through understanding the history of animal release ritual origin, and a brief survey of animal release. The research is qualitative which is expected to provide reliable data for more in-depth results for the research needs. The research was approached through case studies related to environmental communication of animal release ritual. The result of the study shows the right strategy of environmental communication can resolve a narrow understanding of animal release practitioners so that they can be more open-minded to a logical understanding of animal release rituals. Also, large-scale animal release practice tends to have an unwanted negative impact on the environment such as excessive animal invasion. This raises the notion that the practice obscures its important aspect of compassion, the basis of Buddhist views in conducting animal release ritual. The understanding must be embedded in the minds of the practitioners of animal release.