KATHMANDU — Long ago, in the ancient kingdom of Kapilavastu, young prince Siddhartha Gautama, who would later become the Buddha, and his cousin Devadatta were honing their archery skills when Devdatta spotted a magnificent sarus crane (Antigone antigone). With a swift motion, he released his arrow and hit the bird. The crane fell to the ground, bleeding profusely.
Devdatta grabbed the crane, claiming it as his trophy. Siddhartha gently pulled out the arrow from its body. He said that he wanted to heal the bird and set it free. Devdatta protested and argued that the bird was rightfully his, as per the Kshatriya Dharma, the code of the warrior clan to which they belonged.
- Nepali conservationists say they believe there’s a possible link between the Buddha’s legacy and the conservation of sarus cranes in Lumbini, Nepal, where he was born.
- A wetland sanctuary for the cranes in Lumbini and local traditional farming practices may have helped the species survive, they say.
- But the cranes face a host of challenges and threats such as habitat loss, electrocution, hunting and large-scale infrastructure development.
The argument escalated and reached the ears of King Suddhodhana, Siddhartha’s father, who referred the matter to his court. The court, after much deliberation, decided Siddhartha was right. They decided that “life belongs to those who seek to preserve it, not to those who seek to destroy it.”
...
Trending Stories
- Sumi body condemns alleged rape of minor by father in Nagaland
- Nagaland ULB elections: NSF bats for indigenous representations
- Godzilla Minus One delivers an unforgettable cinematic experience
- Final event of LaunchPad takes place in Chumoukedima
- Manipur: Police personnel assaulted; tribal body declares shutdown
- Meghalaya: Local group opposes poor work on highway in South Garo Hills
