Saving a life

His Holiness Gyalwang Drupka who recently led a peace march from Kataragama to Jaffna, was in Sigiriya walking around with his fellow priests when he observed a monkey in distress.

The monkey was severely injured by a metal chain which was wrapped around its body.

The monk was insistent that the monkey be caught and its injuries treated.

Since the priest could not catch the monkey himself, he sought help from the villagers. But the injured animal ran hither and thither evading efforts by a few villagers to capture it.

In their quest to treat the injured animal the monks rushed to the President's Office and then to various wildlife units to find out how they could go about the rescue operation.

His Holiness was so insistent that the local police, villagers and even officials from the Wildlife Department joined in the quest to capture it.

The reverend monks said they were willing to pay as much as Rs. 100,000 to save the monkey.

The monkey was finally spotted by villagers and brought to His Holiness, but they refused to accept the reward.

The chain was removed by Wildlife officials and the animal is now recovering.

Saving a single life is equivalent to make offerings to one hundred Buddhas said His Holiness Gyalwang Drupka.