Amazing and sad
Dear friends,
If I was there or knew about it, I would have done something for sure. This is a strange tale that is touching and yet very sad. He must of sensed something. See what I mean.
Tsem Rinpoche
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That’ll do, pig: Bizarre footage emerges of 150kg fugitive pig ‘praying’ before a Buddhist temple… and he only moved on after a group of monks chanted to him
- The 150kg pig had reportedly escaped from a local farm in search of food
- The pig was found kneeling on its forelimbs at a temple in eastern China
- It left the temple after a group of monks chanted a Buddhist scripture to it
- The images have sparked heated dialogues on Chinese social media sites
- Sadly, the pigs owner had it slaughtered before learning of its stardom
By NELSON GROOM FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
PUBLISHED: 04:03 GMT, 26 February 2015 | UPDATED: 13:55 GMT, 27 February 2015
A large pig was found this week kneeling on its forelimbs at a temple in Tantou village, eastern China
It seems that humans aren’t the only ones who need forgiveness.
Bizarre footage has surfaced of a fugitive pig grovelling in front of a temple in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province on Tuesday.
Pictures and video of the bowing boar, which had escaped from a nearby farm, have spread like wildfire on Chinese social media, sparking a flurry of debates over what the animal was doing, reports Sina.
Footage shows the animal kneeling on its forelimbs encircled by worshippers, as a Buddhist ceremony takes place inside the temple.
The saintly swine reportedly stayed put for hours, and only left the scene after a group of monks emerged from inside and chanted a Buddhist scripture towards it.
Images of the bowing boar have spread like wildfire on social media, sparking a flurry heated debates on exactly what the animal was doing
Discussions on the social media site WeiBo have seen some users propose the animal was seeking a pilgrimage for a Chinese New Year’s blessing.
Others deduced the holy hog was merely seeking food or resting after an act of physical exertion.
Another web user offered a more scientific explanation: the pig was suffering from a disease concerning a deficiency in vitamin E, which can lead to an inability to stand up on all fours and kneel on one’s front legs.
Meanwhile, the owner of the pig later revealed it had escaped his hog pen on the morning on February 22, apparently in search of food.
It was later revealed the 150kg pig has escaped from a nearby farm with two other cohorts in search of food
Sadly, Mr Huang-who had raised the animal up to over 150 kilograms-ordered for the animal to be slaughtered upon being recaptured.
In a cruel twist of fate, Mr Huang Wenzhou Metropolis Daily he only learned of its internet stardom after the pig had been butchered, and he would not have done so otherwise.
‘How bizarre! I’ve been raising pigs for so many years but I’ve never seen anything like this. I really shouldn’t have killed it!’ he said.
Huang was astonished by the viral images, and vowed that none of his pigs have been diagnosed with any diseases.
Sadly, the owner of the pig ordered it to be butchered when it was recaptured, only learning of its internet stardom when it was too late. He told local media: ‘I really shouldn’t have killed it!’
‘This is really awkward. If the pigs were scared, they should have ran away instead of making that strange posture and let everyone watch.’
Over three thousand people reportedly attended the temple for the final day of confessions on Buddha repentance day.
It would seem this pitiful pig’s prayers were left unanswered.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2969735/Saintly-swine-viral-hit-escaping-farm-pray-Buddhist-temple.html
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This is an amazing story of a pig that kneeled in front of a temple as if it is paying homage. The pig did not kneeled for a few minutes but it kneeled for hours until the monk chanted a Buddhits scripture to it. Unfortunately, the pig was slaughtered after that.
The pig must have been a Dharma practitioner in its previous lives, and the Dharma imprint was very strong in it. Otherwise, how to explain when it kneeled in front of the temple for hours? It must know that it will die soon, the Buddhist chanting would help it to calm down before its death and helped it to go to a better place.
Now that we are in the human form, we should practice the Dharma, purify our karma so we don’t go to a bad place. When we take rebirth as an animal, we will not be able to purify our karma and it will take us a very long time before we take rebirth in human form again.
This pig is really special. And is truly amazing. This is proven that animals do have conscious mind. I find the actions of this pig interestingly strange. I think the pig could recall its previous life’s negative deeds and now regretted its past actions. It could be it went to prostrate at the temple hoping to seek purification there. Thank you Rinpoche and blog team for sharing this very touching story ?
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. I have read this article on the internet many times. But every time I read, it give me a different feeling. It is really the mixture feeling of lovely and sad. Animals have feelings too. All the sentient beings in the world was once human before. It is bless for the pig at least before he was slaughter, he sought for refuge of Buddha, and got some blessing from the monks. Maybe it was his karma that he had to go through the slaughter, but it seems the Dharma imprint stayed in his mind before he was slaughtered. I think Mr. Huang in fact should stop killing after seeing this. Maybe he should think of changing his career. Even a pig would take in Buddha, Dharma, what about us as human? I hope that pig had swift and good rebirth and not rebirth again in the three lower realm. _/\_
Oh….dear i haven seen any thing like that before. A large pig was found kneeling on its forelimbs at a temple in Tantou village, eastern China .The pig had escaped from a nearby farm, to the temple knelling ,looks like the pig knew his days are short and asking for forgiveness. Humans aren’t the only ones who need forgiveness.the poor pig only left after a group of monks chanting Buddhist scripture towards it.Later the poor pig was was recaptured and slaughtered.May the pig have a good human rebirth. Animal have feelings too and never harm them.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing .it is advice and teachings for us.
I feel sorry for the pig . The pig was slaughtered . I haven’ t seen a pig keel in front of a temple the pig is respecting the monks who were chanting in the temple . I like animals, but why kill it its just looking for food just let it go . And lastly I hope that the pig wil gain a good ribirth .
Thank you for these very helpful images-i just studied the holy Dharma when my teacher mentioned this story-then i found it on your page-i believe trough the strong force of intention and powerful blessings of its spiritual guide it had to find these monks and through their prayers it had to die swiftly, only to be reborn human again, so it can attain enlightenment in this very life!
Such is the compession and power of Buddha -thank you for sharing!
Much love, demo xxx
The pig has dharma imprints from previous life. The pig may have sensed that life is coming to an end soon thus escaped and found its way to the temple to seek forgiveness and blessings.
I hope that by hearing the chanting by the monks and doing prostrations before being slaughtered will enable the pig to have a better rebirth.
We cannot know what really happened to the ‘pig’ or if it is even a pig in the first place. What this reminds me is that I am one breath away from my next rebirth. So ready or not, our karma will bring us here or there, and thats why we should practice our dharma well.
Wow! I have really never seen anything like this. I did not even know animals can behave in this way! That is if it is even an animal controlling the pig.
For me, the part which stood out the most in the whole article was when the pig got recaptured and slaughtered. To me, that doesn’t even make any sense. I mean, why would you even think of killing an animal who has just done something no animal has done before? No other animal has done what this pig has done and i am surprised the the owner wasn’t eve curious about knowing why the pig did with it did. It was a stupid decision to kill the pig. I hope the owner knows that.
This post really opened by mind about life and afterlife. The pig could have been a reincarnation of someone who was close to the Dharma, which explains the bowing down at the temple. I really wonder why the pig did that. So many questions that need answering hmm..
It is sad that the boar was eventually slaughtered in the end but what it actually fascinated me is that even a boar out of so many beings in the world would even break out of the farm and bowed down in front of the temple for such a long time. The owner said he shouldn’t have killed the boar but what would he do to the boar if he actually knew about it? Ins’t that curious? I am not judging him, I am just simply curious about it. I sure wished that the boar is able to take a better rebirth in the human realm so it will be able to have a better chance to learn the Dharma.
That is incredible, the pig was praying! This is one example that animals are like us because people believe that humans are so much better and smarter than animals because animals are not as smart or because they have different behaviors. But this shows that they are intelligent and they can act just like us because we are all aliv and can think. That is amazing we are the same.
I cannot believe that the poor pig was slaughtered and that makes me angry because it just shows how humans really don’t care about anything because this pig obviously shows something different that other pigs don’t show and the people just killed it like any other pig that is brutally slaughtered. Why do we do this? If we actually learned from the pig it could have shown the world that they are not that different but just because it is an animal does that mean it has less rights and it is just killed? I doesn’t make sense, we could all have learned something but instead we are reminded of the cruelty done to these animals. Maybe we still can learn from this. Maybe we can see how humans are and how they kill even though we could learn and discover. It has a message saying that humans don’t care, isn’t that sad?
I believe that it is the Dharma seed inside of this animal that made it did this. That is why Rinpoche always advised us to chant mantra and blow it on animals. It may plant a Dharma seed or even triggered a Dharma seed inside of these sentient being in less fortunate form. I wish that it gets a better life on its next rebirth.
This is truly amazing. This is proven that animals do have conscious mind. The piggy even knew that the particular day was the final day of confessions on Buddha repentance day. The piggy made her way to the temple and make confession for whatever wrong she had done for the past that made her took rebirth as a piggy. I do wish the piggy would have a swift and good rebirth. At least this life as a piggy she does not have the karma to harm anyone an that purified her karma. May this prostration and confession she made in front of the Buddha collect merits for her to cut down her sufferings and gain a better rebirth in her next life.
Do not harm animals. Practice Dharma whenever we have even a very slim chance. Human rebirth came not easy. So that we will not regret like the Piggy when it is too late.
The cause been born as the pig having such karma has creating from the past life is very sad. Although this pig knees in front of of temple like his doing confession before it get slaughtered, i wish the pig conciousness might know what it has done from the pass life, It karma can be purify and have change to born as the human and born near to the dharma at it next life.
I find the actions of this pig interestingly strange. I think the pig could recall its previous life’s negative deeds and now regretted its past actions. Maybe in its previous life/lives it would have some dharma knowledge and practices but things took a bad turn due to its attachments to desires and other non virtuous actions. It could be it went to prostrate at the temple hoping to seek purification there.
I remember on one our trips with Rinpoche to Nepal we chanced upon a mother dog with four puppies in Swayambunath temple. The dog’s jaw was broken and infection had set in and it couldn’t open its mouth to drink water or eat food. It was clearly starving yet the puppies were trying to suckle milk. Rinpoche asked Chia (now pastor Chia) and another student to buy food for it and packets of milk for the puppies. When the food came it couldn’t eat but the puppies were eagerly lapping the packet milk. Rinpoche said that when we see animals or people suffering with disease and without food we feel pity for them. But if only that animal or person in its or his/her previous life had realised then that whatever negative deeds that were being done in their previous life then they would not have taken such a bad rebirth. The present birth is a result of the cause of one’s previous actions – Karma. Hence Rinpoche always reminds us to practice dharma with correct motivations.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank You for this interesting story. To see this pig prostrating at the temple and listening to the prayers is really amazing. Karma is a fact no matter who we put it, in the end our attachments will bring us to the lower realms.
This is a good teaching.
And for the farmer, he should want to stop selling his animals and promote being vegetarian. I imagine that raising and selling animals for the food market for a living does not create good karma.
May all beings be safe and meet the Dharma.
Thank you, Rinpoche for sharing this story. It’s both touching and inspiring. This particular pig has transcended the norm of animal behavior. There must be very strong karmic imprints and connection with the Dharma and the Three Jewels from previous lives. It actually came to prostrate for many hours and received the monks’ blessings before leaving!
May it have gone to a good human rebirth, with the purification it has done and with the blessing from the monks.
How sad! I do believe that the pig knew it is almost time therefore he/she paid last respect to the Buddhas. And to have the monks chant scriptures onto him/her brought much blessings for future rebirths. Or maybe, he/she was an emanation of a higher being.
Instead of killing more pigs, the farmer should repent and stop killing more. How sad that he did not.
Animals definitely have feelings, we should not harm animals for the sake of our own attachments.
I do believe this pig was prostrating due to a previous life connection to the Dharma. Let’s hope his prayers were answered with a human rebirth.
Dear Rinpoche,
This post was really astonishing. The pig was really astonishing! Perhaps he was praying for forgiveness on his bad actions and have realised that he deserves the life he/she had as a pig. The fact that he/she died right after this (I believe) must mean that Buddha has seen the genuine feelings the pig had and sent it into a better next life. This is my speculation. 🙂
Your humble student,
Keng Hwa.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing on such an incredible sight of an pig paying its respect to a holy site.
I would think that the pig had a purpose to be there .If it were to be looking for food.For sure it would not have stayed there for hours in such a place filled with human presence.Pigs are shy creatures,they would normally run away if approach by strangers.
The poor piggy probably had some recollection of its past lives .Most likely was a human who could not escape the cause and effect for his past negative karma .But retained some memories of his dharma practice.
We certainly hope that after his passing in this latest form that he would be able to reincarnate again as a human with a chance to learn dharma again…..
This is really amazing. It is proof that this pig wanted to pay homage to a Buddhist temple and prostrate to the Three Jewels. But sad ending. Om Mani Padme Hung.
This poor piggy’s fate would have been changed if Rinpoche knew about it or were there to witness the incident. May the pig take swift and good rebirth and be born in the human realm and have the opportunity to hear and practice the dharma in its next life. Om Mani Padme Hum!
testing
Accordingly to the write-up, the owner of the pig seemed very regrettable for not learning of the pig’s “internet stardom act” before he butchered it, otherwise he would never have it killed. Co-incidentally, it seemed three thousand people reportedly attended and witnessed the astounded act at the temple, as it was the final day of confessions on Buddha’s Repentance day! What a great dharma that was. Om Mani Padme Hung.
I don’t mean any offense but did the farmer really meant what he said? Because if he really felt guilty about killing it, what about killing other pigs/boars. We are supposed to think about every sentient being’s feeling, not just one because they are special or something. All lives is the same consciousness, the only difference is the body that they possess in. But in any cases, this pig is really special. I have no idea what the pig had in mind when it ran out of the farm and kneel down facing the temple. But I know that it must have been someone who loves the Dharma a lot. I would love to dedicate some of my merits to the pig so that may it take a good rebirth and be reborn as a human so that it is able to learn and practice the Dharma purely.
I feel like the pig is coming to do confession, and it seems like knowing that day is it’s doom day. If the pig is really suffering from a disease concerning a deficiency in vitamin E and having problem to stand up on all fours and kneel on one’s front legs..then why it wants to come to a temple to kneel down not in any spot of the village?
It is really amazing the kind of Dharma imprints that is instilled in this pig. Through that it truly shows that animals do have emotions as well and they know what is going on, unlike what some people would be saying that animals do not have feelings and would not know what is happening.
Through the actions I believe that this pig was not trying to escape its fate of being butchered by the end of the day, instead was to collect whatever merits that it could collect before it is being slaughtered. It is just really amazing to see even animals would be doing things like that.
It makes me wonder why some people do not believe in past lives. Through this example, it is very obvious that reincarnation exist and that we should always be doing our best to collect merits so that we would not be born in the three lower realms when we pass away.
Hopefully, the last prayers and blessing that this pig has collected through the body suffering (being in such unnatural position for 4 hours), being able to listen to the prayers that was made, and having the mantras being blown on it would help it to have a better rebirth in its next life.
To add on to what you wrote: it truly shows that animals do have emotions as well and they know what is going on, unlike what some people would be saying that animals do not have feelings and would not know what is happening, I want to share something that I witnessed in Sarnath. This is where Lord Buddha went to after attaining enlightenment at Bodhgaya and it was there that he preached his first discourse in the deer park.
Rinpoche was giving a teaching to a group of us at the deer park one evening on the nature of suffering and its causes and that we need to abandon the kinds of actions that cause the accumulation of suffering. There was a stray dog (in the audience)that sat quietly with us and appeared to be listening attentively to what Rinpoche was saying. When it came to the part when Rinpoche spoke about karma and what causes sentient being to be reborn as an animal, the dog got up and walked away. It was much later that he came back to join in the audience again.
Everyone in our group saw that, including Rinpoche. We deduced that the dog understood what Rinpoche was saying, felt embarrassed of his present condition hence he walked away.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this story.
I think this pig may have some past life imprint for going to do prostration to Buddha. I’m sad that it was slaughtered but am glad at least it has done prostration and gotten the blessings from the monks before it passed away. May he have planted more seeds and imprint and have good rebirth in the next life that can be closed to Dharma. Om Mani padme hung
Even being an animal but this piggy would still have the karma to make his last respect to the Buddha. It’s bizarre to see this pic but personally for me it’s shows that regardless any realms karma does exist and if we realise it we should do what’s right before it’s too late. I’m happy for this piggy, able to pay respect to the buddha but i feel sad for it to be slaughtered.
I hope the piggy will take a good rebirth and meet the buddha’s teaching in his next life.
Another theory could be that imprints from its previous human life caused the pig to prostrate upon seeing a temple. There have been stories of pigs kneeling, apparently begging for mercy from the butcher just before being slaughtered. Amazing and sad indeed.
I feel this piggy knew his death was coming soon. Hence, he escaped to pay homage to the Buddhas because perhaps he had some past life connection with Buddhism. He seems satisfied after receiving blessings from the monks before moving on. This shows animals are without feelings and brainless moving objects which are god given as food which many people perceive. I pray he had a good rebirth.
aw poor piggy. Bless him, i am sure he was paying respects to the buddha.
Very sad no one helped the poor piggy and in the end he got slaughtered! Hope his visit to the temple gave him the merits to be reborn as a human in his next life and be connected to the Dharma. He seems like a highly intelligent one, who perhaps knew his life was about to end any time so he went to seek refuge or repentance at the temple? Whatever the case may be, this clearly shows that animals are not ignorant and if anything, some of them are even smarter than humans. Just cause they cannot speak our language does not mean they a dumb. I really really hope him being slaughtered got him a new better life! Om Mani Pedme Hum.
This is unbelievable Rinpoche, i can only tell that he/she might had a more positive karma to be able to have even a little bit of sense to be humane. this incredible.
Incredible. But how can we know what/who that pig really was and where it might have gone? Maybe its prayers *were* answered, and maybe s/he finds him/herself in Vajravarahi’s paradise; who knows? In my view, that “pig” was none other than Her. Feel more sorry for those left behind still deceived by appearances, and continuing to harm others. Glad the butcher regretted it at least. May all beings be safe and unharmed.
Very good take on this. So absolutely “outside the box”.