The Compassionate Kitchen by Thubten Chodron

Author:Thubten Chodron
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala
Published: 2018-12-10T16:00:00+00:00

6

Eating without Harm

NUMEROUS BOOKS have been written on what to eat and how to have a balanced diet. Of the many ways to do this, each person, family, or group of people will choose a way that suits them when they are ready to do this.

It seems that more people worldwide are becoming vegetarian for a variety of reasons. As Buddhists, we avoid eating meat to reduce the killing of animals, which brings direct suffering to the animals and plants the seeds of the nonvirtuous action of killing on the mindstreams of those who killed them. Raising cattle harms the environment by leading to soil pollution and the generation of methane gas from their manure. In addition, cattle consume disproportionate quantities of grain to produce comparatively little meat. Meat animals are also fed many hormones, antibiotics, and other chemicals, and fish absorb harmful chemicals from polluted rivers, lakes, and streams. Human beings imbibe all these pollutants by consuming the animals’ flesh.

It has been said that by eating meat, some of the animal’s energy of ignorance, fear, anxiety, or anger that is stored in their body is transmitted to the human being who eats the flesh. We now know that different hormones and other substances are produced when various emotions are felt. Consuming these hormones when eating meat could adversely affect people.

His Holiness the Dalia Lama often says that if you can manage, being vegetarian is best. If you can’t be fully vegetarian, then try to eat less meat. His Holiness calls himself a “part-time vegetarian” and explains that some years ago he was fully vegetarian, but at one point became ill. At that time, his doctor advised him to eat a little meat for health reasons. Before eating meat, His Holiness recites mantras to benefit the animal who gave up its life, and he dedicates merit so that the animal will take a good rebirth, meet with the Dharma, and actualize the path in future lives. Likewise, it’s beneficial if people who eat meat pray to repay the kindness of those whose bodies they eat. After all, we wouldn’t give up our lives for someone else’s lunch, so it’s imperative to appreciate their sacrifice and dedicate merit to benefit these beings in future lives in whatever forms we and they may appear. In particular, we should practice well so we will be capable of teaching them the Dharma and leading them on the path to awakening in future lives.

His Holiness also recommends that those who eat meat consume the meat from larger animals rather than smaller ones. In that way the loss of one life will lead to many meals, whereas if you consume smaller animals, such as fish, clams, shrimp, or scallops, many living beings die for one human meal.

Some people worry that being vegetarian is not good for their health. I have been vegetarian for about forty-five years, since I was twenty-two or twenty-three, and it hasn’t harmed my health. It is easy to learn to eat wisely and stay healthy on a vegetarian diet.

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