During Vesak Day, Buddhists all around the world celebrate the birth of Buddhist religion that teaches compassion and wisdom.
Releasing of animals into the wild by setting them free is one of the good ways to do good deeds as well as to show loving kindness. Being kind to animals enable us to achieve good karma (merits). We can release and liberate animals on any occasion and whenever we want.
Within our communities, we can 'liberate' animals by being kind to stray cats and dogs, by teaching our children to be kind to them, by speaking out against abuse, by advocating the humane method of animal population control with sterilization instead of culling, by adopting rescued pets in shelters.
For Buddhists, before we set any animals free, we believe that all animals love to practice the teachings of Buddha such as in the loving kindness and abstaining from killing. Therefore, we usually help these animals a greater favor by praying for them with a ritual rite that will enable these animals to be reborn as Buddhists or humans in their after life. According to Buddhism, these animals or creatures might become your or friends or helpful people or even your descendants in their future lives! International Feng Shui Master Stanley Tham has received many requests in assisting his clients to chant for them before releasing the animals as well as enquiries from his clients on methods of freeing the animals. It is very simple and everyone could do it on their own.
The rite is as follows :-
1) Place the animals in front of the Buddha Statue(s). If there are no Buddha Statues, the rite can still be perfectly performed.
2) Prepare a glass of water with pamelo leaves.
3) Tell these animals with compassion slowly that today is a wonderful day for them to be set free and you are performing a ceremony for them to be blessed as Buddhist disciples, wish these animals good luck and to be reborn as human beings filled with loving kindness, be good citizens, and useful to the society by contributing and helping their country as well as their fellowmen.
4) Sprinkle the water on them while chant the following prayers :
Buddham saranam gacchami
I go to the Buddha for refuge.
I go to the Dhamma for refuge.
Sangham saranam gacchami
I go to the Sangha for refuge.
For a second time, I go to the Buddha for refuge.
For a second time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge.
Dutiyampi Sangham saranam gacchami
For a second time, I go to the Sangha for refuge.
For a third time, I go to the Buddha for refuge.
For a third time, I go to the Dhamma for refuge.
Tatiyampi Sangham saranam gacchami
For a third time, I go to the Sangha for refuge.
The largest size of the tortoise is at least 2 feet by 14 inches
These nine tortoise were timely safe by Master Stanley Tham at the market when others were already killed by the dealers as required by some buyers for herbal soups!
Most people write onto the back of tortoises with the Chinese wordings '生' which means LIVE in red pain to advise as well as to warned others that these animals are being set free by others and should not to be caught or killed. However, our Master Tham advised that with Green paint also help tortoises to camouflage in forests and rivers.
International Feng Shui Master Tham said that whether one is a Buddhist or not, his/her loving kindness in freeing the animals without any Buddhist prayers will also achieve great merits! For your information, mouse that are trapped inside a cage should be set free and snakes that had been caught should also be set free in the jungle. Abstain from killing animals. Some people planted fruit trees and others even bought fruits which are purposely kept outside to feed the birds and squirrels!
Advises:
1) When setting birds free, make sure you are doing it far away from road as they might be weak upon being released and thus, unable to fly high and could easily killed by the impact of vehicle's front windscreen or crushed to death by wheels.
2) If it involves setting free ot tortoises, make sure the area is inside the jungle ( not advisable in a caged temple pond ), or surrounding areas that are vast enough for them to survive. Do not left them at the fringe side of the highway which were fenced that will prevent them from entering into the forest. They might be killed when they are forced to look for a greener pasture when trying to cross over of the other side of the highway.
Thanking you so much for reading this article. May you all be well and happy always!
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