Those terminally ill should practice Great Compassion

I want to start 2013's first blog post by relating to you how animal liberation should be done especially by people who suffer from cancer. This is what I have learned from Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. While it is okay for people who only want to sponsor the animals for the event financially, and not get involved in the prayers, I feel that for people who are terminally sick or seeking longevity, they must actually participate and recite the prayers for the animals. The most important part is for them to look at the animals and feel compassionate towards them. The feeling should be natural and not contrived. If it is not natural, then they have to contemplate the sufferings of the animals as taught in Lam Rim and other Buddhist texts. And if these sick people have to consume meat, then before putting the meat into the mouth, again look at it and feel compassion for the animals that has sacrificed for your meal and then recite the mantra. Same when eating vegetarian meals. Think of the worms and catterpillars killed in the farm. I emphasise this because it is not enough for cancer patients, for example, to merely pay someone a certain amount of money to conduct animal liberation for him/her. Unless he/she cannot walk, or bed-ridden, then every animal he/she comes across (or hears), he/she should express immediate compassion for it.... even from a distance. For example, a bird flies across the sky or a lizard on a wall. Or even hearing a dog bark outside. He should express compassion for it and recite the mantra as if the animal can hear it. Even if it does not cure the illness, such compassion will not be without some positive long-term spiritual impact. This is not just my words. So don't trust me. Trust Great Compassion. It is the great saviour in life as well as in death! Great Compassion is the ultimate medicine when conventional medicine fails. Great Compassion never fails!