Dharma Delight by Rodney Alan Greenblat

Author:Rodney Alan Greenblat
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8048-4526-7
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

THE BEEF BUDDHA

Once, a very long time ago in a very distant land, the Buddha was born in the form of a cow. He lived his life as a cow, did the things that all cows do, and when the time came, he was slaughtered and his meat, bones, hide and all parts were put to good use. After that he was reborn again as a cow and the cycle continued lifetime after lifetime. The Beef Buddha sometimes lived in the best of circumstances, well tended in beautiful green pastures; in other times he lived in the worst of circumstances, behind steel bars in a factory farm, ankle-deep in manure.

In one particular rebirth he was born into a spacious horse farm of rolling hills covered with soft grass and clover. He was a glorious Black Angus, pampered and prized by the owners. On this farm there was a young woman named Cleo who worked as a barn hand. She was sturdy and beautiful, strong enough to toss heavy hay bales onto a truck, but also loving and empathetic to the plight of all the animals.

One spring day, as she was inspecting the cows in the pasture, her eyes met the eyes of the Beef Buddha who stood serene and glowing in the sunlight. She walked up and stroked the cow’s shining black fur. “You are such a beauty,” she thought to herself, “too bad you are going to be slaughtered next week.” The Beef Buddha heard her thoughts and said out loud “Thank you for noticing me, and I’m not worried about being slaughtered.” The young woman was shocked! She jumped back. “You can talk?” The Beet Buddha then told her his story of lifetimes as a cow, the serenity, sorrows, cruelty and kindness he had been witness to.

Tears streamed down Cleo’s cheeks. She explained to him how she was a devout vegetarian and an animal lover. Then she burst out, “We’ve got to do something! You are the Buddha! You can’t be sent off to be made into steaks! If you would talk to the world they would stop eating meat. You’ve got to tell them!”

The Beef Buddha calmly replied, “It wouldn’t be appropriate at this time. They would only be suspicious and angry.” Cleo was forlorn. “The world stinks,” she lamented. “No one is going to believe I met the Beef Buddha, and the meat eating will go on and on and on forever.”

“No it won’t,” the Beef Buddha explained; “I happen to know it will end in 525 years.” “525 years! No way!” replied Cleo. “What am I supposed to do?” The Beef Buddha looked lovingly at the beautiful young woman and said; “You will work hard to stop the suffering of all beings. You will live your life as you want everyone to live, with compassion, wisdom and joy. You will fight against the injustices that you feel with your heart. You will laugh and you will teach by the example of your life, and so become an evolved person of the future right now.

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