凡入会者，各宜戒杀茹素，以身作则。
[Of] all who enter [this life liberation] association, each should abstain [from] killing [and] eat [as] veg[etari]ans, with themselves being [good] examples.
而人之好善，孰(shú)不如我，相观而善，其效甚大。
And of those [who are] willing [to do] good, who [are] not equal [to] you, [with] sight [of your efforts] contemplated [upon], and so [doing] good, the effects [are] extremely great.
如不能顿断，亦当渐减，减至于极，则杀业永息。
If not able [to] at once sever [meat-eating, you] also should gradually reduce [it]. Reducing [this] as far as to [the] utmost, thus [will] karma [of] killing [be] forever ceased.
若一人一生不杀，则所活生命无算，
If one person [for] one’s [whole] life [does] not kill, thus [are the] lives [that] live [on] uncountable.
况由一人以至十百千万人，则成不放之普放常放乎。
Furthermore, due [to] one person[‘s efforts influencing] up to tens [of] hundreds [of] thousands [of] ten thousands [of] people, thus accomplished [is the] universal liberation [and] constant liberation of ‘non-liberation’, [by liberating sentient beings from the dining table].
净土宗十三祖印光大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
(灵岩山寺下院放生池附设放生会缘起碑记)
(Língyánshān Monastery’s lower house’s tablet record [of its] life liberation association’s origin, [as] attached [to the] life liberation pond)
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
Note:
Active life liberation
frees animals from being killed,
thus cutting off supply
of killed animals.
Passive life liberation
frees animals from being eaten,
thus cutting off demand
for killed animals.
Both kinds of life liberation are important
for cutting off supply and demand,
as even if one has no demand for killing,
others might still do.
