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bO Column: Frustrations of a “dog-eat-dog” world

26 April 2008

A Zen story goes: a doctor was deeply frustrated that every soldier he treated would go right back into battle and would subsequently be killed. Much disturbed, he presented his dilemma to a Zen master. At which the master advised that every time the doubt arose, he should instruct himself saying – “because I am a doctor”. Thereafter, the doctor was never frustrated again.

What does it mean to be a conscientious citizen in a Dharma kingdom grappling with a dog problem that refuses to go away? Over time, our heart of compassion has reduced to the size of a 1.15 acre pound in Memelhakha – the ‘concentration camp’ of the teeming transplanted strays. Though fed twice a day, the sheer numbers coupled with inadequate funds have conjured up some gruesome and tragic scenes; adult dogs feeding on mangled little puppies and other dead adults. These are harrowing scenes for our unaccustomed sights. Besides there is a real danger of a serious outbreak of disease wiping out all the dogs in their un-segregated confinement.

In these ever-changing times, we have structured our society in new ways. By putting human selfishness at the center of socialization sans a holistic approach towards urban planning, we are now facing the inevitable backlash of our neglect and abuse. In our aggressive rush to create our urban Utopia we may have invoked the Dark Ages for our dogs.

A famous nun was once asked – “when will all the wars in this world end?” She answered – “When people stop slaughtering animal for food”. Selfishness is the bane of human civilization. Selfishness creates war on a large scale and dog pounds in the societal level. Indirectly, we are all responsible for the gruesome scenes of Memelhakha.

“The times do not change, the people do” – goes a famous truism. How much have we changed to get to where we are right now at the human level? Have we smashed every cultivated karmic relationship with our environment and animals, with the aggressive mace of our desires? In the name of development, we have conveniently dumped the dogs in the reservation of collective neglect.

Do our authorities believe that getting rid of the dogs solves the problem? As a nation, we are famous for our holistic approach towards governance. GNH is lauded throughout the thinking world as a radical and creative philosophy of governance. Why are we lacking in bringing our famed wisdom, creative nature and compassionate traditions to bear on the sorry plight of the dogs. This is not an easy problem but certainly, materialistic conveniences should not dilute our holistic culture. Otherwise, our collective consciousness will be forever disfigured by time.

Why are man’s best friends now a social pariah? Outer manifestations are a reflection of the inner trend of society. As a holistic culture that expansively factors in all phenomenon contributing to human happiness, how can we be content with this gaping split in our intent and action. Without respecting the ‘other’ for what it is, one’s understanding
of life is blocked and one’s spiritual life is never enriched. It would be reduced to the hypocrisy of “love” when one slaves to the every whims of your lover but behaves like tyrant with his parents or one lavishes every joy on one’s child but is rude to someone else’s child.

Why should we even care? One should care because in simple terms – what you give is what you get. Living a fulfilling life is about not only openness, equanimity and compassion. It is also about unshakable convictions and creative initiatives. A powerful example that immediately blazes into mind is of the Thai monks living with the tigers. One can only fathom the depths of psychic recesses of the tigers the monks delve into to create such a harmonious living.

Another example in the USA involved hardened criminals being made to train, raise and maintain a pet dog in an experimental program. In the process, the dogs unwittingly triggered the basic human qualities of goodness, openness, care and responsibility in these convicts that profoundly changed their psychological make-up. Most shed tears while parting with the pets at the end of the program.

As a dharma kingdom, it should not be so much the abundant outer appearances of spinning wheels, prayer flags, imposing dzongs, prayers beads and muttered mantras which defines us but also the inner state of contentment reflected in the people living in harmony with each other, the environment, the flora and fauna and with a compassionate
and engaging relationship with our “best friends”.

Jangsa Animal Saving Trust (www.animalsavingtrust.org) is one of the most active, credible and creative organization in this regard. All you need is a compassionate and sane heart to help in their most noble, timely and enriching initiative.

Gandhi said – “be the change you want to see”. As individuals, we must not wait for the government or any agency to spoon-feed us our sanity. We should be the drops of water that flow into the river of change. The whole point is to leap into the eye of the storm and come out with a rainbow in your heart. One should not question the futility of the “why” and the “what is the use”. One should just do it. Simply coz – ‘we are human beings’.

By Phuntsok Rabten

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One Response to “bO Column: Frustrations of a “dog-eat-dog” world”

  1. 2008 - Bhutan Observer - Latest News and Archives from Bhutan on May 1st, 2008 1:43 am

    [...] bO Column: Frustrations of a “dog-eat-dog” worldA Zen story goes: a doctor was deeply frustrated that every soldier he treated would go right back into battle and would subsequently be killed. Much disturbed, he presented his dilemma to a Zen master. At which the master advised that every time the doubt arose, he should instruct himself saying – “because I am […] [...]

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