Mysore, 4th June 2006: Sera Jhe Healthcare Committee of Sera Jey Monastic University for Advanced Buddhist Studies in Bylakuppe, South India, organized (at Mysore Pinjarapole Society) a religious ceremony marking the liberation of 203 cows which were purchased from a slaughter house and put under the care of Mysore Pinjarapole Society (Animal Sanctuary) situated at the foot of Chamundi Hill, Mysore. The liberation of the cows was made possible by the funds provided by Most Venerable Hai Tao & His ‘Life T.V’ Organization in Taiwan.
The Committee presented One Lakh rupees donation to the Pinjarapole Society to meet the cost of fodder and maintenance of the freed cows.
The event was graced by the presence of many high Tibetan Buddhist masters from the Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement. Sera Jey Abbot Khen Rinpoche Acharya Geshe Lobsang Palden presided over the religious ceremony and the Pujas.
Also present were Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Tsering, Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Jampa Tegchog, Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Dhonyo, Gyumed Khen Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Delek, Chief Chant Master and Chief Disciplinarian of Sera Jey, the administrators of Sera Jey, Directors of Sera Je School & Sera Je Library, Former Tibetan Parliamentarian, Venerable Lobsang Nyendrak la, Tibetan Local Justice, Nuppa Tsering Norbu. A large number of Sangha members from Sera Monastery also took part in the Pujas.
The event was organised as a part of religious ceremonies being organized to celebrate the 2550th Buddha Jayanti and Buddha Poornima. The holy congregation of the Abbots and the Sangha members performed Pujas to bless the lives of the liberated cows and prayed for their future good rebirth.
During the Puja, the merits accrued from this spiritual event were dedicated for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and all the religious leaders of different faiths in the world who are working for religious harmony and world peace. It was also meant to prevent disease, famine, conflict, violence and war from the World, and to create positive conditions for global peace, prosperity and harmony, to be experienced by all living beings including animals and birds.
In his speech, Venerable Tenzin Gyaltsen, one of the Directors of Sera Jhe Health Care Committee, extensively quoted from His Holiness’s public teaching at Amaravati in which His Holiness elucidated the close link between the ecological balance, environment and the protection of the wild life. His Holiness had urged his devotees to promote Vegetarianism to protect the lives of innocent animals and strongly condemned the cruel and heartless attitude of the people towards these helpless creatures.
The event followed the series of social service programs initiated by the Committee in response to His Holiness’ call for the monastic organisations to take greater initiative in providing socially relevant services to the people. Earlier the Committee had organised Free Medical Consultation and Health Clinic for the devotees during the recent Kalachakra teachings at Amaravathi.
