Buddhist mantras for animals
“Today, together with a growing appreciation of the importance of human rights, there is a greater awareness worldwide of the need for the protection not only of the environment but also of animals and their rights.
Where there is a mind, there are feelings such as pain, pleasure, and joy.
No sentient being wants pain, instead all want happiness.
Since we all share these feelings at some basic level, we as rational human beings have an obligation to contribute in whatever way we can to the happiness of other species and try our best to relieve their fears and sufferings.”
The H.H. Dalai Lama
We should always remember, that we are very fortunate to have a human rebirth because we can practice Dharma and liberate ourselves from Samsara. Animals cannot do the same, so we have to help them. When any of the sentient being‘s, body dies, the consciousness will be reborn in another body, or in another realm. We can help an animal to be reborn in a more fortunate realm.
Whenever we see an animal dying it is beneficial for the animal’s future rebirth to recite mantras.
“In constant dread of being killed and eaten by one another,
Exploited and worked until exhaustion, bewildered as to what to do or not to do,
Animals are oppressed by limitless suffering,
The seed of which is stubborn stupidity”
— Illuminating the Excellent Path to Omniscience: Notes on the Longchen Nyingtik Ngöndro
When the animal is dying:
It is very important for a better rebirth is that the animal has a calm mind at the time of death.
You can also put sacred objects such as images, mantras, malas next to the dying animals that will help to purify negative karma and gathers positive merits for the animal, which helps to gain the goal of a higher rebirth.
What mantras can you recite?
Om Mani Padme Hum
Heruka mantra
om vajra heruka samaya manupalaya
vajra heruka tenopa tishtha dridho me bhava
sutokhayo me bhava supokhayo me bhava
anurakto me bhava sarva siddhi me prayaccha
sarva karma suca me tsittam shreyang kuru hung
ha ha ha ha hoh bhagavan sarva tathagata heruka
ma me munca heruko bhava maha samayasattva ah
Milarepa mantra
om ah gu ru ha sa va jra sa rva si ddhi hum
Namgyalma mantra
Om Bhrum Svaha/ Om Amrita Ayur Dade Svaha
Amitabha Mantra
Om Ami Dewa Hri
Medicine Buddha
Recite the mantras next to the dying animals.
How many times should you recite the mantras?
You can recite the long mantras 21 times or more and the short mantras one mala (108) or more.
You can also recite the mantras on the water bowl, visualizing the deities are absorbed into water. Then pour the water on the dying animal. It will help to purify all negative karmas.
The Animal Liberation Sanctuary
The Animal Liberation Sanctuary is a project being created by Lama Zopa Rinpoche near the Kopan monastery in Nepal. The Animal Liberation Sanctuary is the first animal sanctuaries around the world.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche himself gives many blessings and recites mantras continuously to benefit animals and it is planned that the rescued animals will regularly hear mantras and be led around the stupas to create merit.
On the territory of the sanctuary, the recordings of mantras are played continuously. There are also Buddhist stupas located at the sanctuary.
Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
‘If you love your animal very much then this is what you must do for them for their good rebirth and quick liberation from samsara.”