Ahimsa and the compassion of St. Francis

By Sagarica Rajakarunanayake
About five years ago on the 4th of October I had the good fortune of attending a service celebrating the feast of St. Francis of Assisi at the Anglican Church of St. Michael’s, Polwatte. This saint is celebrated for his immense love for the poor and compassion to animals. In Italy and other Catholic countries of Europe, people bring their pet animals to church on the day of the Feast to be blessed. It was the first time in Sri Lanka that the pastor of a church had invited his congregation, particularly the children, to bring their pet animals to a special blessing service.

What a turnout of animals and what a joyful sight to see them at the church! There were dogs and cats, rabbits and birds and even a raccoon; there were also several tortoises and a pony as well, all pets of children. The animals were all very well behaved despite the large crowd attending the service. The pastor conducted the special service out in the garden of the church, blessing each animal as they were carried or led up to him. It was extremely touching and one is happy to learn this service is conducted yearly at St Michael’s and some other churches too.

Considering his love for the poor and pity for helpless animals, it could be said St. Francis was perhaps the greatest humanist of the Catholic Church in Medieval Europe. The son of a wealthy businessman he was ordained a priest and leading a humble and frugal life, dedicated himself to the service of the poor. At the same time he showed a great sensitivity to the suffering inflicted on animals and always tried to save and protect them. It is related how he was greatly saddened to see mules and heavily-burdened animals beaten unmercifully and would beg and plead of the men driving them to treat them kindly; he was also saddened by the sight of animals being led to market to be sold for meat because he knew they would be killed in cruel ways and he would spend much of his frugal allowance to save and set free birds taken to market crushed in cages. St. Francis loved birds. When preaching, he would open wide the windows of the church so his voice could reach out to his beloved birds. It is said that many a time St. Francis asked forgiveness from animals for the cruelties mercilessly inflicted on them by fellow humans.

In Sri Lanka, as in India, we have the good fortune of being heir to our own traditions of tolerance and compassion – ahimsa - to all living beings which has withstood foreign invasions and finally more than four hundred years of foreign domination. After independence from the British, the last colonial power over us, rapid commercialisation in the name of economic development is fast threatening the core values of compassion and tolerance. However, Buddhist values are still found intact mainly among people in remote villages, yet unaffected by urbanisation.

It is astonishing how villagers in areas bordering forest cover often risk their lives to rescue elephants and other wild animals fallen into pits, abandoned wells or found stuck in mud in tanks. These people go to great lengths to catch and relocate killer crocodiles found moving about out of rivers and tanks posing a threat to people. There are those who trap and kill crocodiles that have taken away humans, but a larger number of people will not harm them. Where in the world would you hear of a huge rescue operation as the one carried out recently by some villagers to save a mighty wild boar sow and her young fallen in a deep pit, and finally when they were all brought up, were allowed to get back into the jungle? In any other land, the wild boar and her young would surely have made a great roast or barbecue to feed an entire village!

In cities and towns too, tolerance and compassion to other species prevails. Solutions for animal control contrary to our culture have been rejected by our people. For instance the system of seizing and killing of dogs, a legacy of colonial rule, was violently resisted by people until today it is replaced by humane solutions. There is also the ancient tradition of feeding the animals that live amongst us such as dogs, cats, birds, cattle and crows that officials still following colonial policies are trying hard to stamp out, but have failed. They are now coming round to joining animal welfare groups in promoting responsible feeding of animals, without littering the streets.
The other day a newspaper had a story of how at a contest held at an insect store at Deerfield Beach, Miami, about thirty contestants ate cockroaches and other insects. The grand prize was a python. One of the contestants was taken ill shortly after the contest and collapsed. He was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Smuggling insects, small animals and reptiles from Asian and African countries to Western countries is a fast growing international racket. In Western societies these insects and small animals are frivolously exploited for cruel entertainment and as exotic food. Taking away these species to western countries is a wanton and criminal act against the environment of the countries. Our tradition of ahimsa or non-violence embraces even the tiniest of living creatures, asserting their right to exist as much as man and other species. This view is in keeping with a scientific opinion that the preservation of habitat earth is dependent on its smallest of creatures.

We must always protect our tradition of compassion to all living beings and in the context of increased western influence we will be enriched if we combine our own traditions of ahimsa with the immense compassion of St. Francis of Assisi.