The Heart of a Mother
From the moment we enter this world our mother is the first person who shows us kindness. Even before we enter the world, for 9 months, our mother keeps us safe within her womb… feeding, protecting and nurturing us.
As we grow older and go about our lives meeting hundreds of different people, most of us realize that no one else can compare to the love our mother has for us…
Recently, a student of mine sent me this email which I found inspiring… It shows us the extent a mother is willing to go through for her child. In Africa, a lion cub slipped down a vertical cliff… and when all others turn away due to the potential fatal consequences faced upon themselves, only his mother attempts. Without hesitation, she risks her life for her child.
Do take a look at the incredible photos below and leave comments on how you feel…
Tsem Rinpoche
A nice story from nature
The bar is set higher and higher for awesome African game shots that we are privilege to see.
Clinking on for dear life to the side of a vertical cliff, the tiny lion cub cries out pitifully for help.
His mother arrives at the edge of the precipice with three other lionesses and a male. The females start to clamber down together but turn back daunted by the sheer drop.
Eventually one single factor determines which of them will risk her life to save the youngster – motherly love.
The drama begins: The mother arrives at the edge of the cliff as her son cries out for rescue after being trapped when he slipped.
On the brink: Four lionesses look over the edge before aborting their rescue mission because of the sheer drop.
Slowly, agonisingly, the big cat edges her way down towards her terrified son, using her powerful claws to grip the crumbling cliff side.
One slip from her and both animals could end up dead at the bottom of the ravine.
Just as the exhausted cub seems about to fall, his mother circles beneath him and he is snatched up in her jaws.
She then begins the equally perilous journey back to the top. Minutes later, they arrive and she gives the frightened creature a consoling lick on the head.
The dramatic rescue, captured by wildlife photographer Jean-Francois Largot, was played out in Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve.
Despite the presence of wardens to deter poachers, day-to-day life for the lions is not without its dangers… as the cub learned the hard way.
Rescue mission: The mother inches her way down the cliff face to rescue the terrified cub before locking him in her jaws and making her way back up the cliff face.
Motherly love: The mother gives her son a lick to say that all is well in the pride following the drama.
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A mother’s love is unconditional, never-ending and eternal. A lifelong bond that unites two bodies and souls from the instant the child is born. It is always there to fill our hearts when we need it the most. As a mother now, I understand we mothers do not see these moments as sacrifices, but instead as a calling, because our children become our first priority and most important project of life. Mother love is indeed the deep supportive love that soothes the places inside our hearts. She will risks her life for her child at whatever cost. Reading this heart warming story from nature tells us all.
Thank you Rinpoche for this beautiful sharing.
A heart warming story of mother love. A lioness truly risks her life to save her cub from certain death . She took the brave step of going where other lionesses were not prepared to go, going down a steep side of the ravine where her son was trapped at the bottom, and holding him, clambered all the way up back up to the top again! A missed footing and both would have gone crashing down! A story such as this about mother love can be told again and again, and yet we will never tire of hearing it! Mother love transcends all barriers. It is a universal love of a mother for her child.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this most touching story..
Mothers were to be recognized as an important part of our culture and lives. The heart of a mother is like a rare jewel. They love their children during the worst and best of times. Nor matters if it is an animal or human it is the same. Mother’s love is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking , it never fails and floaters, even though the heart is breaking. A mother’s love is nothing else in this world. Therefore we needs to repay our love , kindness and care to our parents and remember them always.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing these story of a motherly’s love of a lion saving a lion cub ,she even risks her life for her baby cub.
Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so… love the people who treat you right.
Every mother regardless if they are human or animals , all love their children a lot and will sacrifice their life to protect them. This is the nature of a mother. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this story and to remind us to care, love and remember the kindness of our mother.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. All mothers from human species and animal species are the same. They would do anything to protect, love and care for their child. A mother’s love and care is beyond words. Therefore we have to repay our mother’s kindness towards us.
With folded palms,
Vivian
My Mu died today. I’m devastated
I believe that every single mother would risk their own lives to save their children (except for the mothers that do not love their own child). This story showed us that animals have feelings too. The worst thing in the world that could happen is to watch your love ones die in front of you and that is happening to animals. And do not say that animals have no feelings.
A mother will just do anything to save her child, even though she has to risk her life to do it, but mothers are mothers, they will always put their children before them. That is why obeying our mothers is very important, because they have gave in their hearts and souls to raise us, and by obeying them, its the least we could do for now.
What a wonderful set of pictures. Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me.. Whether we are human or animals,we all have the same natural instinct: love.
How appropriate for Mother’s Day! Hehe happy Mother’s Day, Rinpoche!
Thank you for sharing, Rinpoche! =)
Motherly love is a kind of love that others can rarely achieve. It moves me to see these pictures and how animals have to survive not just alone but as a family. This is another example of animals being more humane than humans. People should take these tiger as example and follow suit!
This is a very touching article. The mama lion risks her own life to save her baby. Even animals know what love is, who says that animals do not have feelings?! This article proves it otherwise.
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
Love, beatrix.
Amazing and inspiring story captured in pictures of a mother’s love! A be it human or not, mothers have always been a symbol of compassion, love and care. Despite having to provide a being in her body for 9 months and to go through all the physical and emotional pain and on top of that raise them, nurture them, sometimes fight for them.
I guess that is probably why in Tibetan Buddhism they view female deity or female energy as most supreme. But nothing can compare to a mother’s love that is in one’s Guru… who actually has both mother and father energies 🙂
It is incredible how this was actually captured by the brave photographer. Bravo to him!
I love that so many of the Dharma teachings teach us to focus on the figure of the mother. If you think about it, no matter how nasty and horrible a person is, most people will still treasure their mother. The mention, or thought of their mother would make them soften, grow humble, be generous, want to extend help… in a way that they wouldn’t for anyone else. The hardest gangster, the nastiest thief, the most chronic liar will still somehow have some level of love his mother. (And by mother, it doesn’t necessarily mean a bloody mother, but a person who has cared for you throughout your life – I think in this way it can also mean our teachers, carers, or even a sister / brother who may have stood in to look after us as we are growing up).
Rinpoche explained recently that it’s okay if you have only one focus in your life to whom you are completely devoted and love. Some people feel that isn’t right because it means you are being selective and even hypocritical – why express so much love, kindness etc with one person (which shows that you are capable or doing so) but not to anyone else? Well, I guess we have to consider how much harder, nastier that person would be if he didn’t even have that one person to express love towards. I like that the Dharma shows us that even if we have only one person to focus our gratitude, love and attention towards, then we begin with that one focal point, develop that positive qualities we have towards that one person – who we can begin to see as our “training ground” – and then let it extend outwards to more people around us, and then more, and then eventually to everyone.
Lion is one of the most fierce animals, but yet they show love and compassion towards their own children. Such is the powerful and unconditional love from a mother to her child.
Looking it from another angle: If we only show love and care for our family members, we are no different from animals. Therefore, as human, we should care more for others.
The story reminds me of my mother, and my Guru.
Recently I watched the tory of Mori, a Japanese movie on a dog and her owner Aya. I remember auntie Aya mentioned to her that Mori who was left behind after the earth quake will be okay, because Mori is a mother! Mori has 3 puppies…and Mori did show her strength, courage and patience as a mother to save her puppies.
We should always remember our father, mother and guru’s kindness.
Mothers have so much love. I love my mum, she amazing, although she can be a bit busy sometimes, but whenever i have the time to spend with her, i cherish it. I love my mama. She cares for me and my brothers a lot. And that’s why this story touched me so much, i loved reading how the mother of the lion cub risked her life to save her baby. Its truly amazing how much love a mother can have towards her children.
What courage, strength, boldness, intelligence, perseverance and great heart. Agh.
A mother’s love is destructable. The lion who is kills and hunt for its prey, in the end of the day they still take care of their own kids as shown in these pictures. The lion shown a great love to her cub who is in need of help. Very warm hearted to see that.
Unfortunately, in the city, babies were dumped into the dumpsite. It is so cruel. It is so clear that people is hunger for Dharma. Cannot be delayed no more.
The first thing we come to know of when we enter this world is our mother’s compassion. I do recall one of Rinpoche’s talks spoke about our real nature is compassion, I suppose I understood that our real nature is similar to the Buddha Nature. And when we are selfish and think we are the most important people in the universe it goes against our real nature and hence we suffer.
What a moving story of unconditional love of a mother. If this is so distinct in a human, we as human being with an even more developed mental capacity should have it too. This leads me to wonder, why do some mothers abandon their babies at birth? If a lioness can risk her life to save her cub, why do mothers of unwanted pregnancy dump or even flush their newborn down the toilets? Isn’t having to face the social stigma of an unwed mother or having to work extra hard to support the child outweighs the risk of losing one’s life? Human beings are a complex lot….
beautiful
This lovely rare story of a mother lioness’ love for her cub that prompts her to risk her life to save him, makes one realize why the seven steps cause-and-effect mind training to develop bodhicitta in the Lamrim has as its first three steps – understanding all sentient beings to be your mother, remembering their kindness and repaying their kindness.Mother love, no matter how many exceptions to the case anyone can point out , is still the purest and noblest form of love of one sentient being for another.
Thank you Rinpoche for a good teaching and touching story for me. I will always remind myself how hard my mother has brought me up until today.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. It is indeed inspiring to see the lengths a mother would go to in order to save her child. As a mother, i know that feeling of never giving up on my child, no matter what. And Rinpoche is that mother to all of us, always full of compassion and kindness to make sure that we are safe from harm.. because we are always ignorantly standing on that precipice. Thank you for Rinpoche’s protective care always and may we learn, by Rinpoche’s supreme example, to extend that same care to others.
A mother’s love for her child is something that cannot be measured, for it has no beginning or end. It also also has no depth, except it does have a truly, deep meaningful value. Beyond all means, as Rinpoche’s blog has shown, a mother is ever-ready to risk her own life unconditionally to save her own child’s life in the face of danger. That’s what motherly love really is – The greatest Love of All!!!
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing with us a most touching and heart warming story. How a mother would literally lay down her life to save her child. As i scrolled the picture down one by one , i was feeling more and more anxious , until the final picture that the cub and mother are both safe , i then could breeathe a huge sigh of relief .
As a mother, I celebrate motherhood. I can relate pretty well to the love and sense of responsibility this lioness has for her cub. It does not take a lot of effort. After all, they are our own flesh and blood. If we don’t protect and care for them, who will, and why have them in the first place? They are our responsibility, they depend on us. We always think of the kids first, whatever food we have on the table, the kids must have the best portions. Whatever pain the kids face, it breaks our hearts. Can we extend that love to all others for whom we have no vested interest? Even a devoted mother cannot comprehend the extent of a Bodhisattva’s unconditional love for all sentient beings who have been our mothers before.
A Mother’s love is so incredible,even animals can do that, they can sacrifice at the cost of their lives for their children anytime therefore we must repay their kindness to the fullest when we grow up. I feel so touched by looking at the photos.
This is so touching. Even animals have the motherly instinct and will go to all extend to protect their off springs.Hopefully we humans can learn something from the animals.
In this case, she even risk her life to save her child when others turned away. A mother’s love is the greatest.
Speechless… my heart feels so warm and touch!
Thank you for sharing, Rinpoche. Take good care _/\_
Dear Rinpoche,
In my life, I’ve met many kinds of mothers. To make it short, there are mothers who care and love their children deeply and unconditionally. Mothers who don’t care much and also, mothers who don’t care at all!
This lioness surely belongs to the first category, and here we are talking about an animal’s instinct.
Hopefully, all of us human beings can learn something for the animal.
Thank you Rinpoche, for these inspiring pictures.
Sorry for the error, the 2nd last line should read:
Hopefully, all of us human beings can learn something from the animal.
So beautiful a mother’s LOVE is! Never tired nor bored loving their children although they are taken advantages of. Thank you Rinpoche. Not only mother’s love is important but also people around us.
Is really very touching pictures, it shows how much others can given up on us but our mothers, how nice if we could just apply this equally to all others. thank you Rinpoche for alwats teach us so much and always remind us.
It tears me to see this picture, and all the hardship these beautiful lions have to go through to just survive in this world. And we human just kill them for fun! Guess who are the animals? Thank u for sharing Rinpoche!