Agreed.Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:If the Buddhists make a peaceful protest, perhaps it might have some beneficial effect. However, whenever people are strongly attached to their views, emotions run high, and peaceful protests are almost certain to turn violent.
In that case, such a protest could lead to the killing or injuring of several or many human beings. Unless a peaceful protest can be guaranteed, it would be better for the Buddhists to stay away and to conduct some peaceful prayers at another site.
In the extremely unlikely event that the Hindus could abandon their attachment to this long-established ritual slaughter and abandon the festival in the face of overwhelming peaceful opposition, what would be the fate of the 500,000 animals? Would they then be left free to roam? No chance! The poor farmers who depend on raising livestock for their living will still have to slaughter the animals sooner or later or their families will go hungry.
The best possible outcome would be a brief stay of execution, and a more humane death for these animals.
The worst possible outcome would be the killing of many Hindus and Buddhists, and a long running feud over religious beliefs.
So consider carefully before stoking the fires of self-righteous indignation.
Perhaps those of us that are very far from Nepal can at the very least write letters to the Nepali embassies and contact organizations like PETA and media outlets. If enough of us do so, maybe it will help pressure the Nepali government to stop this.