"The cutest thing in Buddhism": an animal blessing ritual was held for the first time in Tuva.

The ceremony at Thubten Shedrub Ling, Russia's largest Buddhist monastery, was conducted by monks from the Tibetan Gyudmed Monastery. Hundreds of residents participated in the ritual. Kyzyl and their pets. And also animals that don't yet have owners. For example, volunteers from the Hachiko shelter brought in adult stray dogs and a small puppy found in a trash bin.

"Among the ceremony's guests were not only faithful dogs and affectionate cats, but also a very leisurely tortoise, who seemed to bring with him a piece of eternity," the monastery's website states. "Each animal received its share of mantras, blessings, and, of course, love. After all, in Buddhism, there is no division into 'lesser' or 'more worthy' forms of life."

In Buddhism, it is believed that reciting the Ushnishavijaya mantra can help living beings avoid rebirth in the "lower realms." Or, more simply, it can help animals be healthy and happy!

"The cutest thing about Buddhism," "You can see that the faces of people with pets are shining, not a single trace of malice," "How cute," "Yeah, if you're a puppy from a trash can, your karma is probably so-so," - local residents react to the news in different ways.

Previously, similar animal blessing rituals took place in Moscow and Kalmykia.

Photo: VK group "TUBTEN SHEDRUB LING | Buddhist Monastery"