Many animals cannot hear mantras, but all they have to do to liberate themselves is circumambulate a holy object, even without the motivation—that is all. Stupas and, specifically, the four Dharmakaya Relic mantras, have so many benefits.
If you have cockroaches, you can do Sur offering for them. There is a reason why they have come to the center. It’s because you have a karmic debt with them.
If you have many ants in your house, and you’re careless, you will kill them. With a soft tissue paper, soft piece of cotton, broom, or feather, pick them up and put them in a plastic bag with some food in it.
Having ants in your house gives you your only opportunity to let them create the causes for enlightenment.
If you become part of an organization where humans can be killed, then that is more extreme than killing the animals, which is already so bad. Maybe it’s better not to be on the board.
Rinpoche gave the following advice to center directors and students regarding animal sacrifice for a Hindu festival in Nepal.
If you liberate animals, it helps you to have a long life, or you can dedicate the merit from their liberation to those who have life obstacles. In this life we are human beings, which is due to our past good karma ripening.
Animal Liberation Practice
I, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Spiritual Director of 161 centers in 31 countries and the Buddhist Sangha from Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, California, seek permission to bless the ocean off the Seacliff State Park wharf.
While I was staying in Raleigh on the way to the Light of the Path retreat, I went to the lake to give food to ducks, and to chant the Five Powerful Mantras, the Medicine Budddha mantra, OM MANI PADME HUM and the Maitreya mantra.
