Miyuki sighed. She picked up a hard branch, dug a small hole in the ground, and buried the bird in it. Then, she covered the hole gently with dirt before building an exquisite tomb for it.
After doing all that, she put her hands together and chanted a prayer for the deceased in silence. After a while, she opened her eyes and stood up.
"Were you praying for the release of its soul from purgatory?" Jacob asked.
"Yes, I'm praying for its soul... In the past, I thought letting it go was the most merciful thing one could do, but ever since I ran into the turtle, I discovered that I was wrong. That's because, for some animals, you will cause bigger pain if you save it."
"Thus, now, I will not let go. Just like that friend of yours, she's a Buddhist cultivator. You don't have to release an animal on purpose for it to regain freedom. All you need to do is to have compassion for all things in the world."