Linked with Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno Forest Monastery (Tiger Temple).
Deep in the heart of the Kanchanaburi province in Western Thailand there lies a Buddhist temple with a difference. For not only is this temple home to monks who spend their time in prayer and meditation, over the last 7 years it has become a sanctuary for tigers. When villagers found an orphaned tiger cub, they went from place to place seeking help. Upon arrival at the monastery, the cub was welcomed out of compassion and saved from certain death. Since then many more orphaned tigers have found refuge under the abbots loving care. (text)
He says: « Why can’t we live together … afterall we all have the same blood … and it’s red », on the documentary filmed at Tiger Temple, in Dec.2003.
Read his poem ‘Compassion nurtures the world‘.
Abbot-Pra Acharn Phusit (Chan) Khantitharo – Thailand
He says also: “Buddhism belongs to the Lord Buddha. The Principal Buddha Image: we see is Phra Buddha Kanchanaphisek (Golden Jubilee Buddha Image). This is the Buddha Image built by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, our gracious king. The merits made by you all or any contributions to this monastery belong to those who make it. No one can take that away from you even when you die. The heart still enjoys the fruits of the action incessantly until attaining nirvana. So, as we were born, don’t waste the time. Make merit for yourself and others, as well as the beings. Don’t let defilement lead the heart to trouble”.
Beside teachings, Monks do not speak about themselves, but much about their work. So it is normal that the presentation of Abbot Pra Acharn Phusit tells mainly about his beloved tigers.
The animals that have made the Temple famous however are the indochinese tigers, some 16 of them are at the sanctuary. A seriously endangered species. Current estimates are that there are only 1050-1750 of these animals left in the wild. They are illegally poached, with most of the stock going to chinese doctors for traditional medicines. (full text).
Jesse, the author and creator of pet-grub.com, is proud to support the Tiger Temple at Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yanasampanno Forest Monastery, in Saiyok District of Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. (full text).
Photos on some websites:
- on Tiger Temple: the Tigers, also ‘Tiger talks‘, the old monastery, some more tigers, (and on many other pages of this website), add your own personal photo on this page of the tiger temple, and see what others did;
- webshot travel, on another webshot page;
- Hand feeding the temple tigers;
- russian look;
- trek earth;
- on Kanchanaburi pictures;
- in the transit cafe;
- on fotokritik.dk;
- Stripe fright in Thailand.
Há quem tenha gatinhos ou cães. Estes monges budistas na Tailândia têm um pouco de tudo, mas a atracção principal são os tigres com quem convivem como se fossem pets! « Why can’t we live together…afterall we all have the same blood …and it’s red. » Abbot Pra Acharn Phusit (Chan). Ao todo são 17 moradores, dos quais 10 já nasceram lá. Todos têm nome e são tratados como membros desta grande família budista: são bem alimentados, acompanhados regularmente por um veterinário e fartam-se de brincar entre eles e com os seus anfitriões. A essência e o porte destes animais selvagens, embora muito « humanizados », não parecem de todo intimidar os pequenos monges, cujo único instrumento que consideram indispensável para garantir a sua segurança é uma pequena vara de madeira. Se não viram o surpreendente documentário que passou a semana passada na televisão, podem sempre consultar o site do Templo, que contém muita informação, várias fotografias e até uma área reservada para envio de donativos. (text & photo, scroll down).