Annual Animal Blessing
Sunday 5 October 2025
Quang Minh Temple, Braybrook
Celebrating Compassion: Buddhist Animal Blessing and World Animal Day
Every being deserves happiness, free from suffering, hunger, and fear. This fundamental principle of peace and compassion is at the heart of Buddhist teachings, inspiring us to extend our care to all living creatures. This year, we are thrilled to join a global celebration for a momentous occasion: the 100th anniversary of World Animal Day.
While the world marks a century of animal advocacy, we at the Nalandra Buddhist Institute are proud to be hosting our 14th annual celebration. ( 17th without covid) We invite everyone—pet owners and animal lovers alike—to join us in a heartfelt tribute to the unconditional love and trust our animal companions offer. This day is our chance to come together, regardless of our dietary choices or whether we own a pet, to dedicate our compassion to these treasured beings. We will honor those who have passed, pray for those seeking a loving home, and show gratitude to our current companions by welcoming them as special guests.
A Timeless Tradition for a Modern World
Inspired by ancient Buddhist practices, Nalandra honors the tradition of liberating animals—a practice that allows individuals to earn significant merit while promoting animal welfare. While the traditional release of captive animals is rare in the West due to environmental concerns, we uphold the spirit of this practice in alternative ways. We believe in supporting animal welfare through actions such as adopting a vegetarian lifestyle, donating to organizations that combat the illegal wildlife trade, and sending prayers to animals in need. These acts are powerful ways to exhaust negative karma and cultivate compassion for all.
Join Us for a Grand Celebration
This year, Nalandra is honored to partner with Quang Minh Temple, one of Australia's most significant Buddhist sites and the largest Vietnamese temple outside of Vietnam. Our recent Animal Blessing Day inspired The Abbot, Master Phuc Tan Thay, and Korean Bhikshuni Chi Quang from Kinglake Buddhist Temple, who were so moved by our dedication that they offered their venues for future events.
We are excited to host this year's blessing at the Braybrook temple, alongside our Vietnamese Buddhist community. This will be our biggest celebration yet, with the goal of encouraging World Animal Day in a Buddhist way on a grand scale. We will dedicate the day to animals in all situations—pets, sick or elderly animals, and those in slaughterhouses—by reciting the Medicine Buddha and Amitabha Buddha mantras and prayers to send them blessings.
This event is entirely non-profit. All funds raised will be channeled directly to selected animal charities across Australia, ensuring your support goes directly to where it is needed most (see below).
A Day of Joy and Compassion
Please invite your friends, family, children, and pets to receive Buddha's blessing. This will be a day filled with joy and community:
* Pet-friendly activities: Enjoy special pet food for your animals and a fun semi-circle zoo setup with goats and lambs.
* Delicious food: Savor free food for all attendees.
* Prayers and mantras: Join us in singing prayers and reciting mantras to cultivate peace and blessings.
Come celebrate compassion with us and make a difference in the lives of animals everywhere!
Bring your pet/s at 10:00am to register prior to the blessing ceremony and enjoy the beautiful surrounds of the Quang Minh Temple. You can also register (online) the names of pets who can’t attend or are deceased using the link below. Their names will be read out so that they can be included in the blessing ceremony, and you can bring a photo to display on our photo board.
ANIMAL BLESSING DETAILS (take a screenshot):
Date: Sunday 5th October 2025
Program:
10:00am Registration
11:00am Blessing ceremony
12:30pm Free vegetarian Lunch
Location:
Quang Minh Temple
18 Burke Street, Braybrook 3019
BLESSING MASTERS:
The blessing of individual animals will be conducted by the three Buddhist masters from three traditions:
His Eminence Zimo’g Rinpoche (Tibetan, Nalandra)
Venerable Phuoc Tan (Vietnamese, Quang Ming Temple) Venerable Chi Quang (Korean, Kinglake Temple)
BENEFICIARIES:
This year we proudly support three animal charities whose work for animal welfare is vast and tireless. Altogether they reach domestic animals, farm animals and wildlife, locally, nationally and worldwide. The sum of all donations received will be divided equally among the following charities:
Animal Aid offers a place of refuge for the lost, unwanted and abandoned animals in our community. They work diligently to reunite lost pets and give a first rate second chance to unwanted animals. They are dedicated to improving the welfare of all companion animals in our society and passionately advocate and facilitate their adoption. They provide services that help people and pets; enthusiastically sharing knowledge and expertise.
This initiative is devoted to rescuing animals affected by bushfires. It is run entirely by volunteers and relies on donations. With a tough bushfire season ahead, we’d like to give them a boost to ensure they have the necessary equipment to respond to animals in need.
WWF-Australia aims to restore and regenerate our planet for everything that calls it home. For 40 years they have been protecting wildlife, habitats and ecosystems, saving animals from extinction and giving all species a chance at life. By doing this, they are also protecting the essential things that make our lives possible and enrich us – from breathable air to clean water, food and energy, as well as recreational and spiritual value.
In appreciation for their incredible efforts for animal beings, we invite you to help us support these charities. What better way to show our love for animals on the 100th anniversary of World Animal Day! You can either donate using the link below or at the event.
100% of your donation will support these charities.