(Translation)
Sermon by Venerable Luangta Maha Bua Yannasampanno
A part of the sermon to laymen at Suansaengtham, Bangkok
In the evening of 20th December 2004

…Today I went to visit tigers at Wat Pa Luangta Bua (Tiger Temple). Upon arrival, I saw Than Chan (Pra Acharn Chan-the abbot) waiting to welcome me with two tigers. When I stepped in, two tigers were there already. I don’t know who told him. Then, I played with the tigers, and went to tiger area. Today I played with them for a long time. There are four cubs now. One of them is quite large, seemed to be born in August. Two of them played with foreigner. There are foreigner volunteers taking care of tigers, both man and woman. They play with animals as they like animals, good at playing with animals.

The two tigers born in August are cute, with the size of a big cat. They played boisterously with volunteer. Volunteer is good at playing with tigers. Tigers are also good at playing with volunteer. It was enjoyable to watch them.

The other two were just born. Their mother was roaring inside. She felt protective towards her offspring. She was in the cage, roaring. There were four cubs, two born in August, another two just born a few days. I heard that they have been arranging a place for tigers, digging canal or something for them to stay. It was not finished yet, so I didn’t go to see.

It’s quite a heavy burden to Than Chan (Pra Acharn Chan). However, he has a lot of merit, and also those animals are fortunate. In the morning, hundreds of peacocks and boars come down to eat. On top of that, there are plenty of animals in the monastery, like bulls, buffaloes, goats, sheep, deer, all to be fed by the monastery. Everyone has different character. He is kind to animals, can get along well with them. This depends on the character. Otherwise one won’t feel like playing with animals. He sees animals as friends. His monastery is full of animals every where.

However it’s good that they don’t have problem with each other, the tigers and those animals. They are not afraid of each other. Those bulls, buffaloes, goat, sheep, when tigers are freed, all stay calm, no bully. So, tigers, which are fearful, become friends to these animals. This is the power of the keeper, who takes care of them equally. The main thing is the visit by those animals from the forest, two times a day. In the morning when monks are having meal, only rice from monks won’t be enough. There must be other preparing of food for them. These boars, peacocks, eat rice. The good thing is that when they finish eating, they won’t give any trouble, but go up the hill straightaway. They are up there, both peacocks and boars. In the evening about four or five o’ clock, they come down again. There must be meat prepared for them. I don’t know when is the feeding time for those in the monastery, as there are plenty of animals. I only know that peacocks and boars are fed in the morning and evening.
Boars are tamed easily, can be familiar with man easily. Others are not quite familiar, but also seek help from monks. When monks stay in forest for meditation, they know the habit of animals. Not long after a monk stays there, animals will come around to stay with the monk. So, that place becomes animals living place. Because where the monks stay there won’t be danger, they can stay comfortably. Mostly will be common barking deer and boars. Deer will be in distance.

Hereupon people are Buddhist, villagers won’t kill animals staying in the area where monks stay. Though they may used to kill these animals regularly. That’s why the place where a monk stays will be full of animals. This is the power of Dharma, compassion and pity, not doing harm to one another, staying together comfortably.

Wherever a meditation monk stays, animals will quietly stay there as well. Some animals used to be ordained as monks before. So, when seeing yellow robes, they feel comfortable instantly. They are interested because mind (citta) never die…when leaving this body, it goes to that body, and that body. Sometimes they were born as human beings and ordained as Buddhist monks. So, that’s familiar to each own mind. Thus they will stay where monks stay. It seems like they know it deep inside.
Boars are tamed easily. When we practice walking meditation, they will be looking for food around us. During daytime, they will dig soil to find something to eat. We practice walking meditation while they look for food. Common barking deer won’t be that tame, keeping a bit in distance. But boars are tamed very easily, regarding human as their friends. Not just a single boar, but a flock of them, hangs around with human beings. This is only with monks. For general people, it will be another way. They are easily familiar with yellow robes, but not normal clothing.

Yellow robe is a familiar sight since previous lives when they were ordained. Now, being animals, the familiarity of heart and mind is still there. It is said so in the Good Book. These are all in the Good Book, not that I say it myself. The word Buddhism means the religion of every Buddha. It’s the typical religion along with the total sphere of all the realms of existence; and definite capability of carrying all beings for being freed from the cycle of rebirth….