Tse-Tar Journey To Free Life, in tribute to Lama Thubten Phuntsok (2nd half)

"You could have been a cricket before and you might be again," says one of the students, in a conversation about rebirth and karma, while stuck in NYC midtown traffic... Structured around the Four Noble Truths of Buddhist philosophy, this unconventional road story takes you for a ride with NY students of Tibetan Buddhism as they perform a ritual ceremony of purchasing imprisoned creatures, who are otherwise killed for food, and releasing them back to nature... The Tse-Tar ceremony is led by Lama Thubten Phuntsok Rinpoche, and was recorded spontaneously on the anniversary of Buddha's birthday (Saga Dawa) in 2005. Lama Thubten Phuntsok Rinpoche is himself a disciple of Chadral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche, who leads a large Tse-Tar in Kolkata annually.

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the intention of this ceremony, as quoted in _Sacred Voices of the Nyingma Masters_ by Sandra Scales:

"To The Spiritual Master, Buddha of Infinite Life, Amitayus,
And to his bodhisattva disciples, I bow.
I will now briefly explain the benefits
Of ransoming and releasing animals.

To ransom and release animals
Constitutes a flawless practice
To be done with pure motivation and applied
By all of Shakyamuni's followers.

The benefits of this practice have been described extensively
In many sutras, tantras and treatises.
Oceanlike gatherings of learned and accomplished masters of India and Tibet
Have considered this an important way to aid beings.

For those of the Hinayana,
This practice represents the abandoning of harming others;
For those who have entered the mind of awakening of the Mahayana,
It represents the training itself;
And for pracitioners of the Secret Mantra,
It represents the principal tantric commitment of the Jewel buddha family.

The reason for this is that in the world,
Nothing is more precious than life itself
And no negative act more serious than taking life.
Therefore, among composite forms of the roots of virtue,
None has greater benefit
Than the ransom and release of animals.
If you wish for happiness and good fortune,
Be diligent on this supreme path..."
- Chadral Rinpoche

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featuring: Lama Thubten Phuntsok, Susanna Green, Gyatso, Laura Lopez, Christina Moses, Dave Zwieback
video & narration by Sandi Higgins
tabla by Naren Budhakar
guitar & vocals by Deepak K Pareek
written & produced by Sandi Higgins and Susanna Green
excerpt of "The Four Measureless Wishes" from the Buddha Puja of Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche

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[19WhileMyGuitar43]

Excellent work. Keep it up.

[Francotalk]

This was amazing. I salute each of you. May all of us spread our wings like these birds and have a journey full of love peace and kindness..

Might I say it would be a good idea to care for these animals before you let them back in the wild. They are not use to flying, running around and getting their own food. Never the less bless you for what you do..

[dhaio]

I see your point, and that may be true. But it is better that they die as free animals in nature, instead of slowly dying in imprisonment.

[smoothgoomer]

Those mice don't have a chance lol, GO MICE GO!