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Animal Liberation

Message from Hungkar Rinpoche

Give up, as much as we can, causing harm to other beings!

All beings live in this world in dependence on each other with a natural interconnection between the environment and its inhabitants. There is a variety of naturally existing beings that must be able to live in this naturally existing world. From amongst all these beings humans have the greatest desire and are the most violent. If we do not have kindness and love in our minds there is the danger that we there will be no one left alive in this world. Therefore, it is important that we meditate on love and compassion and protect beings. Meditation on love and compassion means to give up, as much as we can, causing harm to other beings. Therefore, it's important that everyone should give up eating meat or reduce how much they eat. Also, it is important to engage in the ransoming and release of animals. That is why with each year we are performing more and more animal releases.

I express my thanks to whoever performs this great good action of aiding and making donations so that this activity can be carried out.

Hungkar Dorje

21 November 2011.

What is TSETHAR?

ཚེ་ཐར། - TSETHAR - LIFE RELEASE - PHÓNG SANH is a Buddhist practice of saving lives of animals that are destined to be killed.

Although every life is precious, process of living inevitably causes us to take the lives of other living beings. We cannot completely prevent this situation because as long as we walk, breathe, eat, and so forth, we cause the deaths of many creatures. However we can cultivate mindfulness, and try to reduce taking lives to the best of our ability.

Compassion is unconditional and beyond boundary and conceptualization. As Human Beings we have all the condition to offer a gift of life and protection of those unfortunate beings through the practice of Tsethar - Life Release - Phóng Sanh.
Regardless of what our lifestyle, our religion is, we can all involve in this practice. Although the beings we release are limited by our ability in number, the motivation of our compassionate act encompasses all sentient beings.

Why Do We Practice Tsethar - Life Release?

• The Buddha taught that saving the lives of all beings is the most beneficial action of all relative good actions.
• The great Buddhist Master Nagarjuna said that Saving Life is the highest of all virtuous activity. It is said that, when this conduct is performed with the right motivation for the benefit of all sentient beings, it has the power to remove obstacles, repay karmic debts, overcome sickness, promote good health, nurture longevity, create auspicious conditions, increase prosperity, and generating merits for the deceased. The ultimate goal of Tsethar is to enable one to attain the two-fold fulfillment of lasting benefit for oneself and others.
• In Buddhism the practice has two aspects:
  1. First, the act of saving lives,
  2. Second, the blessing of the prayers that accompany life release.
  When we do life release we are not only saving the lives of animals that are in danger, but we are also praying for their ultimate enlightment as well as for that of all sentient beings.
• The tantric formula of four refuges affirms our reliance on the guidance of our gurus, all Buddhas, the Dharma and the Sangha. The being that we release usually have no change to be connected with the Buddhist teachings; by taking refuge on their behalf, we are placing them under the protection of the three jewels.

Compassion in Action

Rinpoche released fishes in the Puget Sound

Each year Rinpoche conducted from 12 to 15 tsethar on auspicious days; the biggest one is on the Saga Dawa day. The merit of life release will be dedicated to the welfare of all sentient beings. As a donor you can dedicate the merit of the life release of the fish or animals bought from your donation to benefit of your specific person or to any specific good intentions.

Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche, Inc. was established as a non-profit charitable 501(c)3 organization to engage every one to turn our commpasion into action. All contributions are tax deductible. A receipt of your donation will be generated electronically for you to download and print.

A complete list of the donors will be given to Rinpoche for blessing for each event

Please check our Calendar for the schedule of the next tsethar.