Jangsa

The Greatest Compassionate One - TheBuddha - taught that saving the lives of all beings is the mostbeneficial action of all relative good actions. According to MahayanaBuddhism, all sentient beings were at one time our parents. This beliefis based on and linked to the cycle of births and rebirths in thisSamsaric world. Therein lies the basis to treat all beings withcompassion and sympathy. This is the basis of “Tsethar” which is theBuddhist act of saving and preserving animal lives.TheJangsa Animal Saving Trust was established as a non-profit charitabletrust to cover the expenses relating to the establishment andmaintenance of the Buddhist practice of Tsethar. This trust wasestablished after a personal experience where Lama Kunzang Dorjee cameinto contact with five bulls who had come to seek refuge in themonastery where he lived. After escaping the slaughterhouse, thesebulls came directly to Lama Kunzang Dorjee's monastery to seek refugeand refused to leave. HisHoliness Trulku Jigme Choeda, the Je Khenpo of Bhutan and H.H. KyabjeChatral Rinpoche have kindly supported these endeavors. We hope thatall people will be inspired to join and support the noble cause ofTsethar- to save the lives of innocent animals.Presently,the trust maintains about 600 bulls, 40 yaks, 137 pigs, 23 sheep, 2goats and 9 ducks in the eastern and northern regions of the Kingdom ofBhutan. There are also 10 goats, 2 buffaloes and 2 pigs cared for in avillage near Kalimpong in the hills of West Bengal, India. A further 58bulls have found a home in Siliguri, India. Finally, at the monasteryin Kalimpong, 4 bulls and a cow have also found refuge from beingslaughtered.