Laura Lugo, Othniel Bautista, other people, and dogs circumambulating while Geshe Lobsang Dawa guides the activity, Aguascalientes, Mexico, May 2019. Photo by Maria Dolores Santillan Perez.

Bengungyal Center, an FPMT center in Aguascalientes City, Mexico, organized animal blessing and liberation practices on February 11 and May 25, 2019. Laura Lugo Vàzquez, center director shares the story.

Following the Mahayana Buddhist teachings, Bengungyal Center carried out an animal blessing and liberation practice on February 11, 2019. The practice of animal blessing and liberation means a lot to us because it frees obstacles and generates compassion, and it’s an opportunity to help animals get a better life.

Animals possess the seeds of spiritual awakening and as their protectors we have the opportunity to benefit them by putting them in contact with the sacred sphere. This will help the animals obtain good rebirths in their next lives and eventually escape the cycle of suffering.

We have done this practice on approximately five different occasions. We decided to do this practice again because an ordained Sangha member—Ven. Tenzin Yampel, a Mexican monk ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has offered services at FPMT centers in the United States, France, Nepal, and Mexico—was going to be with us at the center. 

Laura Lugo, Andrea, Ven. Tenzin Yampel, Thomas, a friend of Thomas, Paty Mendez, Cristina Reynoso, Raquel Santillán, and dogs, Aguascalientes, Mexico, February 2019. Photo by Maria Dolores Santillan Perez.

In the practice we did in February, worms and birds were freed, while dogs were blessed. The people who participated were regular attendees of the center and fellow members of the local Buddhist community. They brought their animals to the center for the blessing. They were blessed with two relics that the center has. The human participants prayed and recited mantras all around the sacred objects.

All the positive energy was dedicated to the benefit and happiness of all living beings, as well to the long lives of our spiritual teachers.

Also, thank you to everyone who participated in the animal blessing and liberation activities held in May 2019 with Geshe Lobsang Dawa, a Mexican FPMT registered geshe. Together we are learning to spiritually benefit these beings that we love so much. Thank you to those who came with their pets to the blessing. There were a lot of new people who are not members of our center.

Animal blessing practice can be done by students on their own, in other words, a teacher or ordained Sangha member is not needed to lead the practice. For more on practices to benefit animals, see:
https://fpmt.org/education/benefiting-animals-practices-and-advice/

For more information about Bengungyal Center, visit their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/MeditacionCentroBengungyal/

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