Animal Liberation Fund

	Where there is a mind, there are feelings such as pain, pleasure, and joy. No sentient being wants pain; instead all want happiness. Since we all share these feelings at some basic level, we as rational human beings have an obligation to contribute in whatever way we can to the happiness of other species and try our best to relieve their fears and sufferings.
–His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama

Animal liberation is one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s heart practices. Animals that are slated to be killed such as lobsters and other sea creatures destined for consumption in restaurants or worms and crickets used as fishing bait are rescued and circumambulated around holy objects and texts in order to plant the seeds of enlightenment in their minds. They receive blessings from blessed water, prayers are said for their good rebirths and the benefit of all beings and then these creatures are released into safe environments to live out their natural lives.

Watch a brief video of
Rinpoche blessing animals.

Play

Lama Zopa Rinpoche says: “By doing prayers and chanting powerful mantras for them, they receive a higher rebirth and liberation. This practice purifies immediately the oceans of samsaric suffering. Especially for beings born in the animal realm, it definitely helps.”

The benefits of animal liberation practice are vast. Not only do the creatures being liberated receive benefit, animal liberation practice is also recommended for those with illnesses or heavy life obstacles, as saving the lives of others creates the karmic cause to live longer oneself. Rinpoche says: “For the person who liberates animals, or whoever wants to dedicate the merit to those with life obstacles, this practice helps them to obtain long life. Even if you don’t expect it, the karma will cause you to have a long life.”

At Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s home, extensive animal liberations are done three times a month. In the past three years, over 115,000 worms, crickets, and lady bugs have been liberated by Sangha and students in the area. Dedications are made for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus, as well as for all beings who are sick or face untimely death. Until now, the cost of benefiting these beings has been covered primarily by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and some private sponsors. Now we are inviting everyone to join us in saving the lives of these sentient beings, as well as accumulating the vast amount of merit that arises from doing so. Any excess money raised by this fund will be donated to other extensive animal liberations as well as to save lives of animals and for the Animal Liberation Sanctuary in Nepal.

Extensive dedications are made for all sponsors to this fund, as well as any other specific dedication requested.

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Latest News

Please rejoice Animal Liberation Fund just donated US$20,000 to liberate 2 million lives, dedicated especially for the health and long life of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. This animal liberation was organized by Amitabha Buddhist Center in Singapore.

The Fund was also able to offer US$7715 to save the life of 60 yaks that were going to be killed in Rowaling, Nepal. The yaks were being sold very cheaply to butchers. Some of the villagers at Rowaling came up with an idea to save the 120 yaks (the other 60 yaks were sponsored by students in Singapore and Malaysia), and then these saved yaks would be taken care of by families in the area.

Recently in Kopan Rinpoche blessed 120 giant blessing "strings" (large pieces of cloth) that the yaks will wear.

Contribution towards prayers for the hundreds and thousands of animals sacrificed in October in Nepal and India

When Rinpoche heard how hundreds of thousands of animals would be sacrificed during Dashain Rinpoche immediately started to check what prayers and pujas should be done to help all the animals have a good rebirth as well as those who do the sacrificing.

Rinpoche then requested all the Sangha of Sera, Drepung, Ganden, Gyuto, Gyurme, Jangchub Nunnery, Kopan Monastery and Nunnery, Tulshik Rinpoche's monastery, Thuptop Rinpoche's monastery, Tamo Ani's nunnery, Chenrezig Nuns Community and Nalanda Monastery to do extensive Medicine Buddha puja and for some places to do Nyung Neys.

More than 10,000 monks and nuns made strong prayers specifically for all sentient beings, and in particularly all the animals that are killed, particularly for the animals that are being sacrificed in Nepal and India for Dashain: for them to be reborn in a pure land realm or to have perfect human rebirth, meet a Mahayana Guru and achieve enlightenment as quickly as possible, and for those who do the killing to pray strongly that their negative karma is purified quickly and that they may be reborn in pure land or perfect human rebirth, meet a Mahayana Guru and achieve enlightenment as quickly as possible.

Please contribute to the Animal Liberation Fund

For more information and to send names for dedications please contact: Holly Ansett

The Foundation Store offers a booklet of teachings and practices from Lama Zopa Rinpoche to benefit animals, including the animal liberation practice.

The Animal Liberation Fund is a project of FPMT Inc. All donations made to the fund are tax-deductible within the United States in accordance with IRS Code article 501(C)(3) to the extent allowed by law.

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