Saving the Lives of Animals

Buddhists of all nations and traditions practice life liberation, or, the saving of animals from imminent slaughter. In Tibet, this practice is embedded in the culture so strongly that animals can be seen everywhere with colorful yarn hanging from their ears, marking them as “saved” for life. Life release not only saves the lives of the animals, it helps save the Tibetan nomad way of life in Dzachuka. The animals are cared for throughout their lives by families, maintaining a profound connection essential to the nomad culture.

The milk goes to students at the Kilung Shedra, and is especially important for the children at the Kilung Children’s School. Saving the life of an animal is also saving a culture in danger.

You can contribute to a specific animal on your own, or join with friends and family, or make a donation that will contribute to saving a life. Any donations contributed will go towards saving the life of an animal and be of enormous benefit.

Buddhism teaches that taking the compassionate action of saving beings from death creates such positivity as to clear obstacles, heal, and purify karma for the one who is requesting the liberation, as well as for others to whom this practice is dedicated, in this life or after death. This practice was written about in the New York Times, with some of the information provided by Kilung Rinpoche.

From across the world, anyone can request that a life is saved through Kilung Monastery’s efforts. Yaks, sheep, or goats are purchased from slaughter, or less dramatically, through an arrangement with a family who promises not to kill the animal for life. Family arrangements are less costly than intervening at the time of slaughter. Whatever the choices, saving an animal from imminent death has the most powerful effect.

Costs of saving an animal (2023 prices):

To save an animal from imminent slaughter

Yak – $1700
Sheep – $450
Goat – No goats available at this time.

Life-saving arranged with a Kilung family

Yak – $750
Sheep – $300
Goat – No goats available at this time.

Instructions for requesting animal release….

• • Calculate the amount
  • Please email the following information to tibet@kilung.org
    • Your e-mail address or phone number
    • Which animal you wish to release
    • Whether you request saving from imminent slaughter, or life-saving with a Kilung Family
    • Dedication of the life-saving
  • Make your DONATION HERE (select General Donation, and specify Animal Release)

After the animals are identified and saved, the monks and lamas gather with the animals for a blessing ceremony that dedicates this meritorious action for the benefit and happiness of all involved, and extending it outward, to all the beings of the universe.

Kilung Monastery and community created a life release farm just for the animals in 2008. This has been enormously inspirational for Kilung community and monastery, as it supports this very common practice in the area. Animals that have been liberated are given to Kilung Monastery, who in turn give the animals to nomad families for caretaking.

Life release not only saves the lives of the animals, it helps save the Tibetan nomad way of life in Dzachuka. The animals are cared for throughout their lives by families, maintaining a profound connection essential to the nomad culture. The milk goes to students at the Kilung Shedra, and is especially important for the children at the Kilung Children’s School. Saving the life of an animal is also saving a culture in danger.

This yak was saved from slaughter by an American Buddhist friend of the Kilung Foundation. The yak even got a name: Todkar.