What to do?

[yawares]

These ppl shud at least have the heart to call the animal rescue team to help revive or alleviate the animals suffering if they find it bothersome and if they find themselves more superior without any heart of compassion. Buddha taught the four brahmaviharas : metta (unconditional love), karuna (unbiased compassion), mudita (joyful appreciation) & upekkha (tranquil equanimity). So? Did they put that into practice? That cat could have been their "parents" in those monks previous lives who "came" to see their "children" (who are now monks) perhaps.

If there is an animal rescue team in Thailand, I am sure they would not be able to respond to every dying cat or dog — there may be half a million of them on any given day.

When I was in Thailand, staying at Wat Bowoniwet, there were plenty of stray dogs, and starving puppies. Foreign monks would feed them, but that just increases the problem. More survive to have more puppies, and so it goes on.

The Thai monks have lived with it for years. They're not running an animal rescue centre. By not killing the animals, and letting them die of natural causes they are practising equanimity.

Maybe that particular cat had eaten some poison put down by someone to rid the temple of strays? Or maybe it just ate some poisonous frog or something to get sick. Whatever the cause is, the remedy is not simply a matter of calling the RSCPA or some other animal charity.

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Dear Members,

Bhikkhu Peasala really knows how things are in Thailand

It's sad to say that most Thai people are Buddhists...but just by birth..just because their parents were so called-Buddhists...so they think they are Buddhists....believe it or not ...most of them hardly observe 5 or 8 precepts!! Especially Thai politicians !!!

In Thailand those days...no animal shelters...so most poor people would bring their cats/dogs that sick or they didn't want TO A TEMPLE and left them there...same as children..some parents left their young-boys at a temple and left...they became WAT-BOYS !

In Thailand..they believe that it's sinful to neuter animals (and also expensive to pay a vet. to do so)...that's why so many stray cats/dogs...Now Thailand becomes richer...may be things will be better!!!

Thailand is a beautiful country with beautiful beaches/flowers/great foods/desserts etc. ....but just like every country in this world..there are beautiful sides and lots of dark sides. If you're born with good deeds ..you'll be born in a great family who loves you/take good care of you...marry a nice husband/wife....If you're born with bad deeds...OH ..TOUGH LUCK indeed !!

Many hells on this planet earth!!
yawares

[Sam Vara]

The Buddhist monk, Buddhadasa bhikku, who started the temple featured in the video, had a favorite saying... Thathata... suchness... as it is... just as it is... and there is nothing wrong or that needs fixing, it is just the reality of life here on this planet...

So any feelings of active and helpful compassion that we may have, and any ameliorative actions that we do, are part of that reality of life, and don't need fixing. Giving the cat shade and water - it's OK. Adopting the cat, curing it at great personal expense, and smuggling it out of the country into a life of western ease - it's all OK. Saving the cat, also known as "Thathata...suchness".

[binocular]

I saw the same thing in Myanmar. I have never seen so many stray dogs, cats and chickens. Perhaps it is unrealistic for such a poor country to embark on a cat and dog desexing program. I don't know what the answer is.

Don't take birth as a dog, cat or chicken ...