About Yak Liberation
Few cultures on earth rely as heavily on one animal species as do the Tibetan people on the yak. From their butter, milk, and cheese to tent fabric, rope, bags, and blankets, the yak provides the main source of traditional nourishment for the Tibetan nomad. More than a tangible food source, they occupy a special place in the Tibetan people’s hearts and identity.
Because yaks embody independence, grace, and the deep peace of the Himalayas, they are looked upon affectionately as an icon of the Tibetan land and culture.
The harmonious relationship between Tibetans and yaks is being compromised as modern cultures begin to encroach on the ancient ways of life in Tibet. Urbanization and nomadic resettlement policies are rapidly changing life across Tibet; yaks are frequently captured and butchered in slaughterhouses, after which the yak meat is sold throughout China and abroad.
As yaks become marketed as a mainstream food source, Tibetans are facing not only declining yak populations, but changes to the delicate ecological balance of the grasslands as well.
The Tibetan people stand to lose more than their highly developed compassionate regard for all forms of life. The survival of the cultural and spiritual identity of the Tibetan people, so focused on sustainability and harmony, is also in question. Just as bison were hunted to extinction in North America, we may see the disappearance of both the yak and the Tibetan nomad in our lifetime. This would be a loss for all of humanity.
The Buddha himself taught the practice of animal liberation, known as tshetar in Tibetan, as an important means of deepening one’s compassion and accumulating merit. By rescuing the yaks and releasing them back into the wild, the Prajna Light Foundation hopes to inspire Tibetans to uphold their traditional values of compassion and nonviolence.
We support the right of each yak to a life of freedom and natural harmony, based on the beliefs that life is precious and that freedom is the inherent right of all sentient beings.
The Vision of Lama Palzang and Pema Gellek
Our teacher, H.H. Chadral Rinpoche, taught us the importance of the Buddhist practice of animal liberation and a vegetarian diet. In recent years during our travels to Tibet we noticed an alarming increase in the number of yaks being slaughtered. All across eastern Tibet, we saw truckloads of yaks being taken to slaughterhouses. When we came to the town of Barkham, in eastern Tibet, we explored the possibility of yak liberation. We were able to do so without difficulty and were inspired to establish an animal liberation project.
Since then, for the past five years, through the generous support of friends and other animal lovers, we have performed annual yak liberations. We release the yaks between the months of August through October, as many yaks are sold during this time. Many yaks are sold during this time of summer-long grazing. We purchase the yaks directly from the slaughterhouse.
Once the yaks have been purchased, they are led out of the slaughterhouse and walk for about thirty minutes in procession. Their horns are painted red and yellow to signify their release and protected status. Several lamas perform an hour long blessing ceremony, after which the yaks are released into a nearby pasture that has become a sanctuary for our animal liberation efforts. Here, under the watch of our caretaker, they roam in hundreds of acres of open pastureland and live out their natural lives in freedom. Saving these noble and gentle creatures has brought us more joy and satisfaction than we could have ever imagined. Not only are yaks beloved icons of Tibetan culture, but they also play an integral role in the traditional Tibetan way of life and ecosystem of Tibet.
- Pema Gellek and Lama Palzang
