Published On:Sunday 5 October 2014

Posted by Celebrate Life Style information Blog

World Animal Day – October 04, 2014 - Buddhism affirms the oneness of all sentient beings. According to Buddhist teachings the world is not a creation specifically for the benefit and pleasure of human beings. Among the sentient, there are no second-class humans or second class animals. All deserve the same respect. In Buddhism reverence for life is ingrained and the most fundamental guideline for conduct is avihimsa - non-violence or absence of any form of cruelty to any living being. Why should one refrain from killing? It is because to all whether human or otherwise life is dear and no one has a desire to die.

We should develop compassionate thought. Since we wish to live, we should not kill any other living being. Furthermore, the karma of killing is treated as a root of all suffering and the fundamental cause of sickness and war, and the forces of killing are explicitly identified with the demonic. The highest and most noble ideal of Buddhism is to work incessantly towards ending the suffering of all living beings, not just human beings.

Buddhism rejects killing of animals and animal sacrifice for whatever the reason.  In a Jataka tale it is related that the Bodhisattva (the Buddha to be) sacrificed his own life to feed a starving tiger and her two cubs, who were trapped in the snow. He reasoned that it would be better to save three lives than to merely preserve his own. It is better to lose one’s own life than to kill another sentient being. This is the Buddhist concept of sacrifice, i.e. give up your life to save others’ lives rather than destroy other lives merely to please your deity (or God) and strengthen your claims to go to heaven. Every life is valuable to the possessor of that life.  This is the teaching of Buddhism.

Buddhism therefore can be considered as an animal rights religion par excellence. It has long held that all life forms are sacred and considers kindness and compassion the highest virtues.  Buddhism unreservedly includes all sentient beings in its moral universe.

Mr. Senaka Weeraratna, Attorney at Law, and Hony. Secretary, German Dharmaduta Society, will deliver a public talk on the topic ‘The Contribution of Buddhism to the cause of Animal Rights’ at the Dharmavijaya Foundation, 380/7, Sarana Road, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07 on Saturday October 4, 2014 at 4.30 p.m. as part of the commemoration of World Animal Day.  It will be followed by a screening of a film entitled ‘Animals and the Buddha’ produced by Dharma Voice for Animals (DVA). 

The Most Ven. Tirikunamale Ananda Thero, Mahanayaka of the Amarapura Sri Dharmarakshitha Nikaya, will preside. Deshabandhu  Olcott Gunasekera, President of Dharmavijaya Foundation will also speak. The event is being organized by the Dharmavijaya Foundation in association with the German Dharmaduta Society. [ SriExpress ]