Why Does A Lama Chant To A Dog?
All Sentient Life Has The Potential To Become Enlightened!
I’m sure a lot of people are waiting for a punch line regarding why does a lama chant to a dog? or perhaps why this is relevant to a dog nutrition website? I was so intrigued by this subject that I wanted to share it with you so you can form your own opinions, as I’m sure you will agree at least that animals require more than simply food to flourish!
Dogs have the same five senses as humans. However, some are more highly developed, compared with those of humans.
From a Buddhist point of view, dogs, cats, companion animals — in fact all animals and sentient life — are equally precious. According to Buddha Dharma, all sentient beings also have Buddha Nature — the potential to eventually become enlightened.
Buddhists believe that all living creatures deserve respect, and the taking of a life is avoided when possible. For this reason, Buddhists will often chant for nearly anything in their area including pets, wild animals, insects, or even trees
Buddhist chanting is often practiced in temples. However, it can be done anywhere with the right intention.
It is a great way to help animals that are suffering from illness, injury, or mental stress. Buddhist chanting has been shown to provide relief for many types of bodily and emotional pain experienced by humans as well as animals.
It can also help in the healing process. Some animals like dogs,cats, horses, cows and dolphins are very receptive to this type of meditation.
The chanting helps them feel more safe and secure which helps promote healing. It is said that the vibrations created by these chants help repair damage done in their bodies from injury or illness.
It is also said that ”chanting brings a feeling of connectedness with all living beings, human and non-human alike. This helps bring an end to suffering for everyone involved by opening us up to a larger perspective”.
”It is as if you are giving a wish-granting jewel to the dogs. Just by chanting you help them so much”
Lama Zopa Rinpoche had these general suggestions for ways students could care for pets in everyday life.
”Chanting purifies their negative karma collected since beginningless time and allows them to collect merit.
It purifies their mental continuum and brings them to enlightenment in the future: by meeting the Dharma they receive a higher rebirth, develop understanding through practicing Dharma and eventually achieve enlightenment.
Buddhist Chanting for Dogs: How it Works
All this has power; it helps those not get reborn in the lower realms, blesses their mind and purifies their negative karma.
So when you take your dogs out you should recite mostly OM MANI PADME HUM and the Maitreya Buddha mantras so that the dogs can hear them. That purifies their negative karma collected since beginningless time and allows them to collect merit.”
You can also recite the Medicine Buddha mantra, which helps them to not be reborn in the lower realms ever again, and the short Namgyälma mantra, which makes it impossible for them to be reborn in lower realms; this will be their last rebirth as an animal.
Another mantra you can recite is OM PÄDMO USHNISHA VIMALE HUM PHAT. When you take the dogs out, chant so that they can hear it.
The Calmest Dog in the Neighborhood!
At the beginning, generate bodhichitta by thinking, “The purpose of my life is not simply to achieve the happiness of this life; nor is it to achieve either temporary or ultimate happiness for myself alone.
The purpose of my life is to achieve enlightenment in order to free all sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric suffering and bring them to enlightenment.
Therefore I must achieve the state of omniscience. Therefore I am going to recite these mantras for the dogs and even others who are passing by.”
Om Mani Padme Hum!
You can recite the mantras by chanting them like a song. Others might then just see you as happy person walking along with your dogs. If people ask what you’re singing you can say that you’re chanting mantras. It depends on who asks.
It’s also extremely good before you give them their food, to bless it. If you can’t do it at every meal, then you can bless it all at once. Recite the five powerful mantras if you know them; otherwise recite OM MANI PADME HUM, Medicine Buddha and Milarepa mantras.
All this has power; it helps those who eat it not get reborn in the lower realms, blesses their mind and purifies their negative karma. If you can, do it every time you feed them — recite the mantras and blow on the food.
”This is the biggest present you can give them: good rebirth, finish samsara, liberation, and the positive imprint of the Mahayana teachings and mantras also to lead to enlightenment!”
Include an Animal Companion in Your Daily Meditation
Many Buddhists encourage their pets to settle down in a room where they meditate or perform daily sadhanas. Cats, in particular, seem drawn to practice, often snuggling right in the lap of the meditator.
Of course, highly precise, advanced tantric practices might not be the best for pets, but for simpler practices — quiet breathing practice, mantra practice or sutra reading — the company is very beneficial.
The teachings say that his mantra, when chanted to animals, sets them on the path to higher birth.
“recite mantra and pray for animals”
Lobsang Dhargey, resident teacher at the Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Redding advises “recite mantras and pray for the animals.” Not when they are dying, but throughout their lives.
At the Centre in Redding, they perform animal blessing ceremonies. “We believe animals are like humans with emotions. Animals can be sad, afraid, worried, wish to be happy…” At the event in 2014, nearly 100 residents brought dogs, cats, horses, turtles, sheep and goats to be blessed.
The concept of the blessing is to “make this potential [to be happy] better by blessing the animals… visualize their lives being better.” As they chant mantras and prayers, they plant “a kind of seed that grows in the minds of animals to give them good health and a better life.
Why does a lama chant to a dog? - to sum up!
In the age of technology, it has become easier for us to forget about our connection with nature and each other. Buddhist chanting is a way to connect back into this world through mantras that have been practiced in temples throughout Asia for centuries.
Unlike many forms of prayer or meditation, Buddhist chanting can be done anywhere at any time with just your voice and intention and according to Buddhists helps promote healing to animals due to vibrations created by these chants that help repair damage done in their bodies from injury or illness.
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