On Tuesday, November 24th the Gadimai animal sacrifice festival will take place in southern Nepal. It is said that 500,000 animals including buffaloes, chickens, goats, pigs, rats, and birds will be tortured and slaughtered during this Hindu festival.
This horrible event is being protested by numerous animal rights groups in Nepal and around the world. Buddhists are also practicing for the benefit of these animals, and their auspicious rebirth. Please pray for these animals. As the Buddha instructs, these beings once were our own kind mothers
How to Offer Prayers for the benefit of beings:
Set your intention – Begin your prayers or mantra recitation with the sincere intention to benefit these beings.
Recite prayers and mantras with focus and concentration. Try not to let your mind wander. If it does, bring it back. You can recite the Mani mantra: Om Mani Pedme Hung. You can also recite the Du Sum Sangye prayer.
Dedicate the merit – Finish your efforts by dedicating the merit of having said prayers and mantra to the benefit of these beings.
Here is a dedication prayer by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
By this effort, may all sentient beings be free of suffering. May their minds be filled with the nectar of virtue. In this way may all causes resulting in suffering be extinguished. And only the light of compassion shine throughout all realms.