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Oregon, United States
loves: you win if you guessed "pets" and "museums". Also books, art history, travel, British punk, Korean kimchi, bindis, martinis, and other things TBD. I will always make it very clear if a post is sponsored in any way. Drop me a line at thepetmuseum AT gmail.com !

Friday, February 08, 2008

"may no animal be afraid"

Today I offer you a Buddhist "Prayer for Liberation for Our Brother & Sister Animals." The text has been set to a chant and a YouTube video created.

It is sad, but deeply thoughtful and lovely. This gives a glimpse of the Buddhist belief system as it interplays with animals of all sorts. Though animals that are turned into food products are prominently featured, there is also careful mention of any animal needing a home and care and nourishment. This brings to my mind the lost pet, the pet displaced by disaster, the poorly cared-for or abandoned pet. I find it interesting that most major religions do not feature mention of nonhuman life and the care due thereof. It's part of my job as a good curator to bring as many different views to you as I may.
May no animal be afraid or depressed.
May their bodies be free of injuries, disease and illness.
May those who need homes, or who have been driven from them find shelter, plentiful food & water.
May there be liberation for those tortured for fur, entertainment or who are hunted.

3 comments:

parlance said...

Thanks for that, Curator. I belong to a traditional Christian religious group and it's only of late that I've really begun to see how we don't have an ethos that guides our treatment of animals. Or, at least, if it's there, I haven't really considered it.

curator said...

Hi Parlance. I know what you mean, as I was raised Catholic, but we did have St. Francis of Assisi. My grandmother had a statue of him in her front yard, as many folks do, and often bird food is left in the bowl he carries. But that's about as far as it went.

Anonymous said...

Love this Buddhist prayer...very special. Thanks for the positive comments on ma' site too!

www.wannasmile.com