Happy Vesak Day!!

ACRES wishes all a very Happy Vesak Day!!

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During Vesak Day, Buddhists celebrate the birth of a religion that teaches compassion and wisdom.

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Releasing or liberating animals has become a traditional practice in Vesak celebrations.

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However, the unskillful release of animals has resulted in more suffering to the released animals as well as to other animals in the environment as a result ofecological incompatibility. Most of these animals are caught from the wild inthe first place, and so buying them just so that we can release them encourages the trade even further.

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Some 2,600 years ago when the Buddha was traveling through the region of Kosala in India, he came across a group of people known as the Kalamas, to whom he gave a sermon that was recorded as the Kalama Sutra.

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This was what he taught: 'Rely not on the teacher/person, but on the teaching. Rely not on the words of the teaching, but on the spirit of the words. Rely not on theory, but on experience. Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe anything because it is spoken and rumoured by many.�

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At ACRES, we believe we should 'liberate' animals by teaching our children to be kind to them, by speaking out against abuse, by advocating a mutual respect for animals who also call this island home instead of culling them, by adopting rescued pets in shelters instead of buying them from pet shops and by supporting animal welfare organisations.

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We can also 'liberate' animals from our dining tables by becoming vegetarians or eating less meat. So make an impact this Vesak Day, and ensure that the true essence of this holiday is not lost on us.

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