Temple Dogs

By the time I write this page. I have my number 17 and 18 dog in my life. I've raise a dog since I was a child and this page is about temple dogs. Man's best friend. To give explanation of why there are many temple dogs in many temples. Why many Thai's monk have them. This page is all about dog. So read it only when you think you have time to spare. And just for good times.

I have friends visit temples. And they wonder "Wow. why temple in Thailand raised so many dogs". Unlike Buddhist temple in their country. Here we go. :)

In Thailand. There are about 43,000 temple. This is a registered one. It's about double when it count temple that not register or complete yet, same with dharma practice places or hermitage type. About 2,400 registered temples in my town. But it's about 3 to 4 thousands overall.

From birth, ordain, to death. Temple is part of our culture. Have in every villages, district, towns etc. Temple dogs were there since the very beginning. The stories. The loyal canine. The robe's protectors. The monk's companions.

Once in a while we going to heard from those high degree Buddhist master, Tripitaka doctor come out and say that monk having a dog or raising a dog is wrong. Against the teaching precepts. Similar to monk wearing amulets. Noise faded pretty fast. Now let me explain why.

When you travel to city temple. Some temple is clean, no dogs at all. This is regards each temple's policy by temple's comittee or abbot. It may because they want to keep the area clean. Or for many visitors to come by and feel at ease etc. Or they just not a dog type.

But by majority, not only in the city area. Many countryside temples out there have temple dogs. Where are they from?, you wonder. Mostly are stray dogs. Have you been one of those wandering lost souls and found refuge in the bless of religion?, same thing. They have no where to go, no parents, most abandonned by their owners(friends/parent) when promotion period ended. And a big bad wolves hunting them down try to bite their head off. Temple took them in. Feed them. Taught them. Rid them of fear and learn socialize, returning sense of doggy(humour) kind of thing. Now you see why the noise faded pretty fast.

When you drown in a lake. You named it. How many being going to jump in without a second thought to save your life. When you were attacked, how many being outthere going to use it's life to protect you until death. This is why temple dogs exist.

Majority of temples are country side temple. Isolate. Rural area. Deep in the forest. Deep in the cave and mountain. Some temple don't even have a wall. Some has only 1 monk just to help villagers of that area to complete religion's activity/ceremony. Temple is public, shared, communal. Which mean anyone can come and go. And I mean anyone. God, evils, normal men, beasts. Anyone can come in and go.

Unlike us lay-man. Monk doesn't practice their whole life in earning income, efficiently uses in arms for self-protection. They practice Buddha's precept, the dharma. They don't keep guns in their cottage or pockets. They don't carry hunting knife or pepper spray.

Countryside look nice and serene but when the night time come it's all dark. Unlike the city flooded by people. This is why temple dogs is very very important. When you found yourself alone in the dark without a light. You have trusted companions right by your side. Protecting you. Walk with you. To bathroom, to toilet, to rould alm for foods early morning, or any activities. Why Thai monk have many dogs. They look after each other. "Look after who that look after you" kind of thing.

There are so many stories about these loyal canine from famous elder monks passed down but I'm not writing their tales here. Only to give reader some insight to see why temple have so many dogs and what with Thai monks having dog around them.

Talk about dog foods. One of reason I write up this page. In the past temple just shared what left over or given by villager. They used deep fries chicken bones, minced then mixed with rice. It take long times if there are many dogs. Hours. Better than just rice it gave better nutrients to them. At present there are much better with bags of dog foods available, pump into tablet. This save times for temple to look after them. Same with healthcare, medicine, much better than the past.

I first offer dog foods year back everytime I visit temple. Because I know, I've been through all these procedure myself. And then I start to see visitors follows, do the same. Now very time I went to temple I also see dog foods in stock offered by visitors. Which is wonderful. You don't just go in to make merits with only the high priest thinking to gain far better merits for yourself benefit and disregard other being. That's never a point. The point in giving is for you to see those important around too. Without these temples dogs, there're goin to be many crime scenes all over. They are the hidden guardians with gratitude toward religion.

Treat them well. These loyal companion. Their life is short. They having a blast with their most precious moment with us. Heroic warrior. They are the protector.

And that's about it :)

Genuine. 1st hand consecrated.

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