Dharamsala, November 25: True to his practice of Buddhist faith, a Tibetan monk bought a huge number of goats and sheep from going to slaughterhouses in Lddhakh and donated the animals to poor families in remote Nubra Valley, 150 Kms from Ladakh’s capital Leh.
Ven Geshe Thupten Phelgye, an MP in the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, who went to Nubra valley, Ladakh to save the animals from being slaughtered by butchers and handed the rescued animals in the care of local nomadic Tibetan refugees in the area.
The animals were rescued on November 17 to coincide with the day of Wednesday which is considered to be an auspicious day for Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist leader and to contribute in part to his call for global responsibility of compassionate attitude to all beings.
Animals were rescued and donated to poor nomads under the act of universal compassion movement.
“Through this, I hope and pray for the long and healthy life of Dalai Lama and all the peace making leaders of the world and for the spread of Buddha’s message of universal compassion to all corners of the world,” said Geshe Phelgye who became a strict vegetarian after coming across animals being killed at a slaughterhouse in 1984.
Inspired by Geshe Phelgye’s appeal, then abbot Geshe Lobsang Tsering of Sera-Jey Monastery banned none-vegetarian (meat food) within its premises in 1989, which was his first success in his campaign for universal compassion and vegetarianism.
Geshe Phelgye went on to further the mission when he was elected the first President of the International Gelug Society Congregation 1999. He brought up a resolution on vegetarianism for all Gelug monasteries and nunneries, which was successfully passed and declared implementation of the conduct around its sect.
In the year 2000 at the annual national Religious conference in Norbulingka, Dharamsala, Geshe La sponsored another resolution to encourage vegetarian diet in all the Tibetan monasteries and Nunneries, which was unanimously appreciated by representatives of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and appealed to stop the practice of non-vegetarian foods being served in the monasteries and nunneries of Tibetan Buddhism.
In 2003, Geshe Phelgye successfully tabled a motion in the parliament calling for observing the year for “vegetarianism-drive” for the long life of HH the Dalai Lama exclusion of meat-related foods either permanently or in reduced amount in the Tibetan society.
Asked about the cost of the rescued animals, Geshe Phelgye said “I paid Rs. 1900 each for the animal while a few were bought for 1500 after the sellers voluntarily reduced their price, that includes a donation of $ 500 from my American student Debra and Rs 15000 from my colleague Mrs Ngawang Lhamo” Some nomads voluntarily joined the “animal life saving” and released 26 goats free of cost from slaughtering. The event saved the lives of a total of 101 animals from being slaughtered.
“I have distributed the animals among the Tibetan refugee nomads in Nubra Valley who lead an impoverished life,” said Geshe Phelgye while expressing joy for being able to save so many lives and simultaneously help ‘breathe lives’ into a needy community.
“I have sought their (the refugee nomads) commitment to look after welfare of the animals till their natural death,” Geshe Phelgye added in good measure.