My very dear, dear friends and students,
I think it important that I explain a little more what concerns me regarding this matter, then you can all give it some thought and decide.

It’s not an easy situation, not an easy thing, because in the bush there are so many insects, ants and other creatures as well. So many will be harmed and killed. This karma causes a shortage of life. Normally we don’t think or have concern about hurting insects. Also, it depends very much on the motivation. I notice different insects that are in different environments and associate with different flowers, so there is different karma there. Their enjoyment depends on certain flowers etc.

If one is building a holy object such as a temple or statue of Buddha then the creatures don’t get reborn in the lower realms. It actually purifies their negative karma due to the power of the holy object—mainly due to the power of the Buddha, the great power of the Buddha’s prayers and concentration.

Some time ago I was thinking that whenever we build meditation rooms we should have a statue of the Buddha in them so that they become a place where a holy object abides. Then that work becomes inconceivable good karma.

Please have a meeting and decide, choose what you think is best. If the government does this project, then it is important for the center to do certain practices for the sentient beings who are harmed and killed. During the time that it happens, do sur offering daily. This way after death they receive food from the smell, which is what the intermediate state beings need. This also helps with one’s own good rebirth.

You also need to build the eight stupas, not the tsa tsa type but the bigger type. And you need to make four big Thirty-five Buddhas tsa tsas.

Can you imagine if these insects were humans? Then you would never do anything to risk their lives. So please analyze the situation and the benefits to the center.

When the Tibetan monks came out of Tibet into India and had to start clearing land to build monasteries and rooms, they had to do it all themselves, without any experience and in such severe heat. One of the teachers of Geshe Rabten Rinpoche, who was a great teacher, he also had to do that, like all of them, first burning the jungle down, then digging holes for the foundation. He was always crying; he couldn’t bear the suffering but there was no choice. So many ants and other creatures and animals suffered. The monks had no choice, they had to do that for accommodation, for food, etc. As a result we have many of our teachers and geshes in the FPMT. We have received teachings from them and we get so much benefit. So difficult, so difficult! There is also so much benefit that came from the monasteries being built, but it is very difficult.

I’m just expressing these things, so please discuss and decide what is best.

Thank you very much from my heart. Billions and zillions of thanks from my heart. I thank all of you for opening your heart to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and for opening your heart to benefit the center and the six-realm sentient beings, to bring them peace and happiness up to enlightenment.

With love and prayer ...