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Liberated yaks just after their arrival in Rolwaling Valley, Nepal, September 2011
In 2011, more than 108 yaks’ lives were saved in Nepal through the efforts of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Geshe Thubten Jinpa and with the support from FPMT’s Animal Liberation Fund and Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore. In order to document the liberation, Geshe Jinpa brought along a camera crew and has just released an exciting new video called 108 Yaks: A Journey of Love and Freedom.
108 Yaks tells the story of the 19-day journey made by the rescued yaks from Dhudkunda, Nepal, where they were sold to Geshe Jinpa, to their new home in the lush pastures of the sacred Rolwaling Valley in northeastern Nepal, where the foot prints of Guru Rinpoche are said to be. The video takes us along on the stunning trek as a team of 22 herders and porters guides the gentle and peaceful yaks over rugged and treacherous mountain terrain.
“Rinpoche first spoke about his wish to rescue yaks in January 2011. He had heard rumours about the trading of yaks for meat up in the Himalayas of Nepal and expressed his concern,” Amitabha Buddhist Centre’s newsletter Tashi Delek reports. Rinpoche sent Geshe Jinpa to investigate. Eventually, Rinpoche arranged for the liberation of 115 yaks and for their care by the villagers living in Rolwaling.
As Lama Zope Rinpoche has advised, animal liberation is not just about saving animals from slaughter, but making sure the animals receive positive Dharma imprints for the rest of their lives through circling holy objects, hearing mantras and so forth.
Geshe Jinpa explained to Tashi Delek the reasons for rescuing the yaks and making the film 108 Yaks :
My whole point of doing this animal liberation is to dedicate for Rinpoche and the gurus’ long lives. But also it is to promote animal liberation, to tell people what animal liberation is and how it should be done. And also [share] what Rinpoche does to benefit sentient beings, with his words, his teachings and actions. Through that we contribute to the welfare of the animals. I mentioned to Rinpoche, by doing so, maybe this [video] can get some support for Rinpoche’s animal liberation projects – building sanctuaries everywhere to accommodate these animals.
You can order 108 Yaks from The Foundation Store.
Liberated yaks in Rolwaling, Nepal, wearing cords blessed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, September 2011
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