Are You Eating Impure Meat?

12 thoughts on “Are You Eating Impure Meat?”

1. Yesterday, my boy told me something … one of his project teammates (they are doing on Vegetarianism for this year research study) decided to turn part-time vegetarian on a daily basis.

   A 13 years old non vegetarian, with only few months on this topic, after reading up can come up with such decision is real impressive – his reason is that he is doing such a project and he himself should put word into action.

   Buddhist having difficult in going vegetarianism or eating less meat, is because they have not fully understand the precepts, the law of karma, Buddhism yet … They have not spend enough time to understand Buddhism, due to lack of such information or material or time … etc It is quite sad …

   There is a Vegetarian Buddhist, who thinks offering non-vegetarian food is no harm even after highlights the right ‘Pure Meat’ concept. The reason was, this person use this to bridge the gap with non-vegetarian and non-Buddhist to hopefully convert them to Buddhist. What type of karma is generated? Good and Bad Karma at the same times, isn’t there other workaround?

   The first thought I got – Yup, at the expense of a living things (a sentient being) to get what you want … when will I be the next on the list to be make used of? What if, if others do exactly such things to this person, can this person except the consequences?

   Maybe it is ignorance that such thinking appears …

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2. Well I think the greed is our biggest obstacle now ::(( as Mac encouraging more people to patronise their fast food restaurant also the Coca-Cola glasses …I just don’t see how they can play a part in enviroment friendly , they should have launch veggie/vegan burgers and get the free glasses instead . 🙁 😉

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3. May I know why a few fast food chain for the burger & chicken is always being singled out? Bec they are representaive for their market share?
   There are also upcoming fast food chain outlets getting as popular…

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4. One reason most Buddhist teachers are not too enthusiastic in pushing the vege cause is because they don’t want newbies to be intimidated into thinking that they must be vegetarians to be Buddhists – because Buddhist practice is much more than just being vegetarians. (Some teachers sadly don’t even see vegetarianism to be important enough to encourage, while being non-vegetarians themselves.) Skilful teachers will try to urge the vege cause gently at some point, and more strongly when appropriate. I hope to be a good example, though I know some already find me too pushy.

   :-S

   Non-vegetarian food shouldn’t be offered deliberately for Buddhist causes. No Buddha would encourage that. Maybe you should send the person this post to share.

   :-[))

   The infamous burger and fried chicken joints are among the world’s largest fast food chains, guilty of demanding the slaughter of thousands upon thousands of animals everyday. They’re the biggest and baddest, especially with use of lots of toys and cartoon characters to entice children to continue eating unhealthy food… for life.

   :bobo:

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5. >>> “One reason most Buddhist teachers are not too enthusiastic in pushing the vege cause is because they don’t want newbies to be intimidated into thinking that they must be vegetarians to be Buddhists – because Buddhist practice is much more than just being vegetarians. ”

   Forgive me being frank, I would think Buddhist Teachers might not know how to do it wisely. It is not “pushing vege cause”, it is just bringing awareness (no forcing), again, we don’t see such information/materials around at all, it is all hidden and KIV.

   How about “oldbies” who are ready… if such information is not make available how would people know and learn? If NLB have never been set up and promote reading to create the environment, will our nation be cultivating a good habit and benefit from it – reading.

   Today, we see Non-Buddhist organizations around the world working very hard to bring awareness via different means on Vegetarianism and the benefits of eating less meat in relation of to health issue and global warming … Why are Supermaster, Tien Dao etc are so into Vegetarianism and not afraid of losing newbies?

   If no one had brought the awareness of vegetarianism to me, I would not have gone vegetarian and benefits so much from it. I think I shall share my story.

   I am glad that Shian is still willing to withstand the agony to spread the goodness of vegetarianism. You understand the important.

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6. When I was introduced to vegetarianism at KMSPKS, I just hear of Buddhism for only few months, haven’t been a Buddhist but in the end Vegetarianism help me to understand Buddhism Teachings, to generate faith in the Teachings …

   There was a time in my life, that I was so hapless, those that I think were able to help me, shut their doors and been left in lurch! It was very miserable, all sort of evil thoughts raised and that was dangerous. At that point in time, I was lucky I chosen the right move and that end all the sufferings in a very short period of time.

   It was 6 years later, when I listened to a Free Dharma Talk CD that I discovered a similar situation mentioned in the CD and able to related back to my previous experience and understand how my suffering for that ended.

   I have been thinking very hard, how a person like me who never attend Buddhism course/class, non Buddhist, don’t take any precepts, don’t chant, have not been reading about Dharma stuff for many years, able to get out from that sticky situation and not drive myself deeper into misery.

   People would said, it is could be my past good karma, but that is not true in this case. I finally realized it was going vegetarianism that helps me out of this, in accepting the very basic teaching law of karma and going vegetarianism (no killing), indirectly had been cultivate some little kindness in me, which makes me apply it to select the right choice and solved my own bad karma generated in the past.

   Why would I think is going vegetarianism that help? Because going vegetarianism is slightly different from donating to a good cause (which is so much easily, you just give money and that is, it is not of a situation when you need to choose between a $1 left to buy meal for your family or donate for others). But going vegetarianism, you are put in a situation, to eat or not to eat, to harm or not to harm, that portion really train a person (unless one go vegetarianism for health reason only), to let go, to grow kindness, to have determination etc, and these are some of the qualities that can save a person in crisis, not Buddha. Buddha is a teacher and gives guidance; we are the one that can help ourself …

   Therefore, I can agreed with the sentence –

   “As practitioners of this precious Dharma, we need to eradicate all non-virtuous deeds in general, particularly the consumption of meat, as it has the heaviest negative karma” —– The significance and benefits of six-syllable mantra recitation

   And in Ven Mahinda – Guided Meditation Free Dharma CD – he did mentioned that the important of loving-kindness. By cultivating compassionate, we are able to be connected to those beings who are full of love and compassionate, as such blessing, guidance and protection from them (Deva and Bodhisattva) …

   So, why should one ignore the important of going vegetarianism (karma and compassionate), besides it is also healthy diet and reduce global warming?

   The person who benefits from the things is the person who go vegetarian or vegan, not others … especially in time of crisis which can ‘kill’ or during dying …

   That’s one of the reason why I speak so much of Vegetarianism, because of my own experience … Other might not discover this, because you are in Buddhism, doing chanting and lots of others practices,unless you can see the past, how karma works etc, but me is only into Vegetarianism, so I can zoom in and see where it comes from …

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7. To be fair, some Buddhist teachers DO advise and bring awareness about vegetarianism, especially the Chinese Mahayana teachers, simply because vegetarianism is more rooted in Chinese Mahayana culture and there are in fact many materials on vegetarianism, probably more so in Chinese.

   I think if one loves reading, one won’t need a library to be set up to promote reading for one to read. It’s habitual for that person, regardless of whether one is a newbie or oldbie to Buddhism. If one has not yet developed the aspiration to subdue habitual craving for meat, one will not see being vegetarian as a priority. Everyone’s pace of cultivation is different, and for some, it does take longer time to transform. There are other aspects of Dharma practice that require transformation too.

   Between the Dharma in general and vegetarianism as a specific part of Dharma practice, the former ranks first – even though the Dharma that Buddha taught did encompass vegetarianism as well. It all boils down to intention. Buddhism encourages vegetarianism because we truly believe in compassion for all beings, but we understand that not everyone’s compassion is not perfect yet. Thus do we give leeway, persuading and hoping that others will eventually know what true compassion really is. Compassion has to be heartfelt, if not it’s just mere lip-service. I think the Buddha would not expect us to become vegetarian out of obligation. He would rather us to understand the importance of being compassionate to all beings. With true understanding instilled in us, we would be more able to carry this understanding from this life to the next.

   If only everyone is truly receptive and in tune with their inner compassion, there won’t be any killing in this world. Amituofo.

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8. You have made a valid point here:)

   “Compassion has to be heartfelt, if not it’s just mere lip-service. I think the Buddha would not expect us to become vegetarian out of obligation. He would rather us to understand the importance of being compassionate to all beings. With true understanding instilled in us, we would be more able to carry this understanding from this life to the next. “

   I have always mentioned that it is not to force (that include do thing blindly without questioning) but bringing AWARENESS. To help in understanding compassionate, is to take small actions to cultivate.

   I read from “Be a Lamp Upon Yourself” page 116

   “Or you might come into this life with the tendency to be patient and kind due to your mental habits in the past life. If in the present life you neglect to strength and develop then, they would gradually weaken and die out and perhaps be completely absent in the future life. In this case, there is a possibility that in either this life or the next, a short temper, anger and cruelty could grow and develop, bringing with them all the unpleasant experiences that such attitudes create.”

   No cultivation = lost totally as I understand from the above. Even a person love reading, without helping factors like writer writing books, paper to print books, this cannot be achieved at all. Without book, this love/interest of reading will be lost.

   I agreed that each of us have different level of compassion, therefore planting seeds is what Buddhism talk about.

   Bring awareness = planting seeds.
   Create the environment, have a little gentle reminder = watering the seeds, so the seeds have right conditions to grow.

   That’s why some Buddhist Organization involved in charity works, to plant seeds, to water seeds. But shouldn’t go vegetarianism be part of it too? Our planet not important, Our health not important? Without these, how can Buddhism stay?

   And to bring awareness of vegetarianism in Buddhist Communities is not saying need to be a Big Grand Event, but be more open on talking of Vegetarianism, more information available, more materials on related stuff …

   All good actions or attitudes or teachings etc that can help and benefits the human, the world, the sentient beings should be/worth given equal opportunities.

   Again, have no one start to produce those free distribution Dharma Books or VCD or give meaningful Dharma Talks, how many of us can understand what is virtue, what is moral, what is compassion, unless parents teaches that, society teaches that. Only when we are aware of such thing, that we can start to cultivate those good values via helping forces like (moral stories books, stickers for kids, little kindness campaign etc) and the environments we are in is important too (parents who are open to sex education for their kids, will have lesser problems …)

   To be fair, so far, I only seen Tzu Chi Foundation very farsighted in this area, even dare to put down ‘Try Vegetarian’ as the first on the list for Mindful Eating, besides ‘Purchase local food’ and ‘reduce food waste’.

   And surprising these flyers is available at Road Show where the Public can be of any religions.

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9. Thank you Crystal, for sharing. If you look around, there are many free Buddhist DVDs and books promoting vegetarianism. Most happen to be in Chinese though. You can see them at the shop with freebies at Fortune Centre for example.

   S. Master seems out to promote their beliefs via the vege cause – hence the constant reminder of their master’s website. Their teachings present twisted Buddhadharma. T. Dao also presents twisted Buddhadharma – in strict secrecy with the use of fear. Tiandao still sees eating egg as okay, when it is linked to killing of chicks and chickens. They are attached to physical purity, which is why they make vegetarianism compulsory for even their newbies, while Buddhism is not for that, because purity of the mind has higher priority, requesting vegetarianism and veganism only for those ready.

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10. Thanks Sisyphusian 🙂

    I am not here to comment their Teachings and the fact is there are doing very much in the area of Vegetarianism. Have T.Dao not so involved in Vegetarianism, change the traditional vegetarian food to be more delectable and setting up so many vegetarian stalls, it would not have make going vegetarian so easy and convenient for me that I benefit from it so much.

    My mom was “introduced” to T. Dao in ‘93 and we were the one who suggested that she took refuge in KMSPKS in that same year (she did) because she didn’t feel good.

    I go to Fortune Centre quite often and it is my habit to make a trip to that free Dharma CDs/books shop. What in the shop is so much lacking compare to the those free CDs on Dharma and Vegetarianism which they had at the 1 Day Vesak Day Event (more like a close door event) where they held at Expo this year which I accidentally passed by and pop in. If there are good VCD, why isn’t they given the chances too in showcases in other places too, maybe KMSPKS?

    From my observation and talking to Buddhists and hanging around during certain events, that make me come the above comments.

    If what I am talking about is rubbish, just treat me as ignorance soul, if it is not, I sincerely hope some attention given to it (to be fair to the World, not me), because there isn’t much done … the mindset haven’t change much … and importantly there are real benefits in it …

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