Min tibetanska barndom i Zorgay - Life and Culture on the Tibetan ...

Who knows what people have in their minds? They may be
wolves in sheep's clothing!" said Gr<strong>and</strong>mother. I dared say no
more or my cheeks would have been as swollen as if they had
beaten by mosquitoes.
Sometimes I brought Tashi inside our home secretly <strong>and</strong>
gave him food. I made tsampa for him with a big piece of butter
<strong>and</strong> let him lick milk from my bowl, which made him sleep
comfortably in his shabby doghouse without barking for food.
However, this created even more trouble. "Why are you so bold
as to feed Tashi secretly? How many times have I told you not
to do this? If you like Tashi so much, then go sleep with him,"
said Father angrily.
"Why can't I feed him? If I don't, then sooner or later,
you will. It doesn't make any difference if he's fed early or late,"
I said rudely', because I knew Father was reluctant to beat me.
"Do you ever wonder why people say, 'a sleeping dog is
a full one'? If it's full, it will sleep <strong>and</strong> won't guard our home,"
said Father.
"But it's so terrible to see a hungry dog wagging its tail,
begging us to fill its empty stomach. I can't bear it!" I said to
Father, leaning against his knee to ensure he would not beat me.
Father said nothing, <strong>and</strong> only stroked my head warmly.
Karma destines dogs to be leashed on a chain with a
half-empty stomach. Some people say that Tibetans are very
kind <strong>and</strong> do not easily accept the maltreatment of animals.
People, too, are members of the animal kingdom <strong>and</strong> maltreat
other animals. We often say dogs are unfaithful <strong>and</strong> betray us,
while refusing to acknowledge that we are worse than dogs, for
we are so egocentric.
Finally, Father gave my secret pet to one of our relatives
when I was not at home. I better understood the importance of
freedom in my childhood from Tashi.
Underst<strong>and</strong>ably, dogs are indispensable in Tibetan
society. Not until Tibetans underst<strong>and</strong> that they are also tied by
an invisible leash, <strong>and</strong> thus unable to do certain things freely,
will dogs no longer be chained.
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