The first rule you learn when working on a farm is, “Don’t name the animals”. The reason for this is that naming an animal opens the door for you to develop an emotional attachment towards them, and then not being able to slaughter them when the time comes. I’ve chosen to obey this rule for all of the animals on the farm except one. He’s a Rhode Island Red rooster, and I’ve decided to name him Bodhisattva or Bodhi for short. In Buddhist tradition, a Bodhisattva is a being who has attained enlightenment and escaped the karmic cycle of suffering, but refuses to enter into nirvana until all sentient beings can go with them. This name fits Bodhi perfectly because he has proven to be the world’s greatest escape artist. Countless times, he’s been captured and put back inside of the electric fence at the end of the day only to be found running free the following day. It’s gotten to the point that we’ve just stopped putting him back inside the fence. Farming i
by Sensei Alex Kakuyo