His Holiness on Animals, Vegetarianism and more...

[dsiluvu]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Participates in World Compassion Day in Mumbai to Promote Animal Welfare

November 29th 2012

Mumbai, India, 28 November 2012 - Early morning fog delayed His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s flight from Bangalore to Mumbai this morning, but on arrival in India’s bustling commercial capital the weather was clear and warm. A short drive brought him to his hotel, where he was welcomed by the proprietor Capt. Krishnan Nair and other well-wishers.

After lunch His Holiness was invited to attend celebrations of World Compassion Day to mark the launch in India of the Humane Society International (HSI), the international branch of the Humane Society of United States (HSUS), an animal welfare organisation. In a private meeting beforehand with organizers and special guests he was asked what role he thought religion played in fostering the animal welfare. His reply was that a large number of the world’s 7 billion population don’t have much religious belief, and many of those who say they do behave as if they don’t. He said that what is important is that if you choose to follow a spiritual path, you should do so sincerely.

“Now, with regard to animals, they not only have life, but feelings of pleasure and pain too. We should treat their lives with respect, which we Tibetans are accustomed to do.”

He told the story of a former Tibetan official who migrated to the USA where he and his wife had jobs in a university kitchen. When they were cleaning vegetables, they made a point of setting aside any worms or insects they found, keeping them in a jar until the end of their working day, when they would take them outside to some safe place.  The former official told His Holiness that fellow workers asked what they were doing and when they heard their explanation that they were protecting the worms and insects they found dismissed it as a waste of time. However, in due course they noticed that many of them had begun to follow the practice themselves.

His Holiness also spoke of his own sadness when driving from Dharamsala where he lives to Pathankot or Jammu and seeing the pitiful condition of chickens caged outside restaurants. With no freedom of movement, exposed to the extremes of the hot and cold seasons, they are completely helpless, treated like vegetables with no regard for their life or feelings. He remarked that in Tibetan culture there is a strong sense that if you can show concern for small creatures like insects and birds, you are more likely to be properly respectful and caring about your fellow human beings.

In his remarks, Anil Kapoor said that we hear about impending food shortages and water shortages, but what is most significant is our general shortage of compassion. Wayne Pacelle followed this up by observing that the closest relationship many people in the world have with animals is when they eat them. However, he pointed out that in India on average there is only 3.5 kgs of meat eaten per person per year, whereas in the US and France the average is closer to 100 kgs of meat per person per year. He concluded that the seeds for better treatment of animals in India already exist, but need to be nurtured and encouraged.

When it came to His Holiness’s talk, he began in his customary way.
 
“Brothers and sisters, I am very happy to be able to participate in this meeting to encourage compassion and the greater protection of animals. My friend and scientist, the late Francisco Varela and I had long discussions about the definition of what is a sentient being. We concluded that it means a being that can move from one place to another of its own accord, which includes everything from amoebas to the animals we see around us. Sunflowers, for example, may turn towards the sun, but they do so due to a chemical reaction rather than of their own accord.”   

He said that regarding our diet, it is better to be vegetarian, but confessed that despite encouraging others to do so, he found himself unable to keep it up for health reasons. He recalled strictly embracing vegetarianism in 1965 in Kerala after seeing a chicken killed by the cook. He kept it up for 20 months until he fell quite seriously ill with jaundice, at which when his doctors, Tibetan, allopathic and ayurvedic advised him to partly resume his non-vegetarian diet to restore and maintain his health. On the other hand, he mentioned that while he was still in Tibet he had decreed that all official banquets and functions should offer only vegetarian food and today in the Tibetan settlements in India the majority of monastic kitchens are entirely vegetarian. He also took the opportunity to clarify that while Chinese monks and nuns tend to be strictly vegetarian, those in Thailand, Burma and Sri Lanka tend to be neither vegetarian nor non-vegetarian. This is because Buddhist monks who depend on alms for their living have no right to choose what kind of food they accept; they receive in silence whatever they are offered.

He mentioned that in Tibet, nomadic families with little other source of food would occasionally slaughter one of their animals, but did so in the full knowledge that they were taking life and making prayers for the animal’s good rebirth. Meanwhile, he was recently surprised to learn in Japan that people indulge in fishing for sport. And although the fish caught are often released, it is not before their mouths have been cruelly torn by the hook.

“The ultimate source of a happy life is warm-heartedness. This means extending to others the kind of concern we have for ourselves. On a simple level we find that if we have a compassionate heart we naturally have more friends. And scientists today are discovering that while anger and hatred eat into our immune system, warm-heartedness and compassion are good for our health. Indeed one scientist I recently met in New York has found evidence that people who use the word ‘I’ a lot in their conversation are more susceptible to heart attacks.”

He reiterated that whether he’s addressing one or two people or 100,000 he looks at whoever he’s speaking to with the thought, “We are the same. I want to live a happy life just as you do.” The moment he begins to think of himself as a Buddhist, a Tibetan, or as the Dalai Lama, it begins to create a distance between him and others. All of us are born from a mother’s womb and nurtured by her love and affection; we human beings share the same origin.

“This is the basis on which we develop concern for others, because they are just like us. And once we’ve done that it’s easy to extend our concern towards animals and other forms of living beings.”

Chetan Bhagat was called upon to moderate questions to His Holiness. Meanwhile, reputed artist Paresh Maity put finishing touches to a six foot square painting of His Holiness that the organisers hope later to auction. Chetan Bhagat began with a question of his own. “Many of our problems involve the abuse of power. How can we change the abuse of power in India?” His Holiness replied,

“Through education. We have to lead people to see that concern for others is actually in their own interest.”

A practising vet asked his views about putting sick and suffering animals to sleep, as she is often asked to do. He told her that although this technically entails the taking of life, where there is real suffering and no hope of recovery, it can be beneficial. However, it depends on the case in hand; this is not something it is easy to generalize about.

Mumbai Police Chief, Satyapal Singh, made the suggestion that to be truly compassionate you must believe in a higher power, believe in the oneness of humanity, accept the consequences of your actions and be vegetarian.


His Holiness the Dalai Lama signs a painting by Parest Maity to be auctioned for charity in Mumbai, India, on November 28, 2012. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL
Before leaving the stage, His Holiness signed Paresh Maity’s painting. In his final advice he said,

“Implementation of compassion must be voluntary, so you must first be convinced about it. This is where our intelligence need to be involved. And if we want compassion to be more effective in the world, we need to train our children, the future generation, to be more compassionate.”

Meeting the press separately, His Holiness was asked his views of the new Chinese leadership. He replied that totalitarianism is in decline. The new leadership must follow the world trend towards democracy and the rule of law, but whether it will is too early to predict.

“Let’s wait and see. The new leaders may personally be good people, but the system they function in is tough.”

Asked how long he can remain compassionate towards the Chinese he answered,

“Until I die; anger is not an effective strategy.”


Back at his hotel, Capt. Nair invited His Holiness to speak to his staff and a gathering of Tibetans. In answer to Capt. Nair’s suggestion that his success was due to His Holiness’s blessings, His Holiness retorted that it was due instead to his own tireless effort. He said that as a Buddhist he believed that your motivation is all important. If your motivation is good, collaboration will naturally occur and you will meet with success. Smiling at the Captain who is 91 years old, His Holiness said,

“Yesterday at Tumkur there was a venerable Swami who was 106 and here you are at 91. Meeting capable older people like you over the last few days has given me the inspiration that I too can live long.”

From Mumbai His Holiness is travelling to the Tibetan settlement at Mundgod in Karnataka, where he will give an unprecedented series of teachings on texts of the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lam Rim).

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http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/886-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-participates-in-world-compassion-day-in-mumbai-to-promote-animal-welfare


Great to know that His Holiness actually promotes Vegetarianism... actually for some time many have thought differently, most of them actually think His Holiness does not mind eating meat since He takes it himself and most Buddhist monks do so too, so there was really not a big fuss about it. So I am glad to find this article and His Holiness views on eating meat and why He himself does so...

On the other hand I wonder are we Shugdenpas worst then animals that we do not deserve His Holiness compassion???

Also notice some interesting statements made on China and on His Holiness living long and well....

What's your take from this article?

[thor]

The public do have a perception that Buddhist sangha should be vegetarians, as we promote compassion and care for all living beings, which extends to animals as well. Therefore, those new to Tibetan Buddhism usually express surprise that the monks and nuns seems to enjoy a good meal of meat! Only when they understand the history and geography of Tibet do they understand why most Tibetan sangha were brought up eating meat.

The Dalai Lama is probably the main person promoting vegetarianism in Tibet. Apart from what was quoted by ensapa, here are a few more examples of the good work the Dalai Lama has done with regards to vegetarianism:

At Kalachakra for World Peace 2006, presided over by the Dalai Lama, all the food served to the 200,000 people attending the ceremony was vegetarian. He made a speech in Tibetan, criticizing factory farming and meat consumption, and urging Tibetans to stop the trade in wild animal skins and furs.

Tibetan Volunteers for Animals (TVA) has converted over 14,000 Tibetans to vegetarianism. The new vegetarians sign a pledge never to eat meat again. Dalai Lama gave funds to TVA to print 35,000 copies of vegetarian books for free distribution. The group campaigns for vegetarianism in Tibetan settlements throughout India, Ladakh, Nepal and Sikkim. They are opening vegetarian restaurants in Tibetan communities.

Dalai Lama has repeatedly urged people to move toward a more compassionate diet. His kitchen at his residence in Dharamsala is vegetarian. He doesn't always maintain a vegetarian diet while traveling. It is reported that Tibetan doctors told him he must still eat some meat. Most Tibetan doctors are unfamiliar with vegetarianism, as are most Western doctors.

In 1993, Dalai Lama asked restaurants in Dharamsala, India, home of the world’s largest Tibetan exile community, to become vegetarian so that Tibetans could experience delicious vegetarian food and learn how to stop eating meat. As a result, several local residents became vegetarian, and because of these restaurants vegetarian foods such as tofu have become known to the Tibetan public.

Several years prior to 2006, His Holiness has requested Tibetan monks and nuns become vegetarian. Traditionally, monks and nuns would eat food that had been offered to them, including meat. It was felt that if the monks had fresh tofu to eat each day, it would provide them with the good protein source they need.

So a plan was implemented to purchase a tofu machine that would be able to provide fresh tofu daily to 3,000 monks and nuns. The intention of this project is to one day have a tofu machine in each Tibetan monastery in India and Nepal. (Arjia Rinpoche's Tofu Project TCCWOnline.org)

In 2004, Kentucky Fried Chicken announced plans to open chicken restaurants in Tibet, and in response the Dalai Lama issued the following public appeal: “On behalf of my friends at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), I am writing to ask that KFC abandon its plan to open restaurants in Tibet because your corporation’s support for cruelty and mass slaughter violate Tibetan values.” Thereafter, the KFC management abandoned its plans.

[Midakpa]

With regards to the eating of meat by the sangha, compared to the Theravadin monks, Tibetan monks and nuns may appear to be fairly relaxed, so much so that people think that Tibetan sangha do not observe the precepts. There is a reason for this. In Tibet the monks  do not go for alms and can eat in the afternoon or evening. This is because Tibetan villages are very far apart and the monks who went out begging for alms at 4am would return only in the evening and would not be able to practice and study.  Therefore, the Tibetan masters and pandits decided that rather than spending the whole day begging for alms, it would be better to spend the time on practice and study.

Tibetans also prefer to eat the meat of only large animals and avoid eating small animals. For example, the meat of one yak is sufficient for one monk for one year. Also, eating vegetarian food, one might kill more living beings than one yak in the process of cultivating the various vegetable crops. Thus, the Tibetan pandits and siddhas decided that it was better to eat one yak than to kill many small animals thus maintaining the precepts in an appropriate way.

[vajratruth]

“This is the basis on which we develop concern for others, because they are just like us. And once we’ve done that it’s easy to extend our concern towards animals and other forms of living beings.”[/b]

In Buddhism , I think one of the most revolutionary lesson we learn is to identify with our "mind" instead of the physical form we take.  That mind is present in all sentient beings and so for me, one of the most radical change I have experienced from learning the Dharma is to view myself not as a person with the identity that I have become accustomed to, but to realize that I am a merely sentient being with a mind that all sentient beings have.

When we see things from that angle, we immediately transcend the obstacles that arise from our perceptions based on form and we see that there are more that connects us with all sentient beings, than separates us.   We look beyond the physical and begin to relate our feelings with the feelings of other beings, including animals. Whatever aversions we have towards pain and harm is equally felt by them. They are no longer commodities but lives, no less in value than ours but with impaired ability to help themselves. The right thing to do from there is to try and aid them instead of taking advantage of their limitations.

But not everyone in the world will see things that way and those who see animals as commodities to be killed and eaten do so because they are conveniently at the top of the food chain, for now. Therefore Buddhists have an obligation to observe a diet where animals are not caused to be killed on purpose, unless there are prohibitive factors such as health or practical reasons.

I am very glad to see the Dalai Lama using his tremendous influence to steer people away from causing harm on animals and by the post from thor, His Holiness is clearly very effective. It is also a welcome change to see the Dalai Lama not taking shots at the Chinese Government and hopefully the softening of his stance will lead to meaningful dialogue with China.

[bambi]

In order to satisfy one human stomach, so many lives are taken away. We must promote vegetarianism. It is extremely important. - Dalai Lama

“Life is as dear to the mute creature as it is to a man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not to die, so do other creatures.” - Dalai Lama

“Today more than ever before life must be characterized by a sense of Universal Responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.” - Dalai Lama

Sometime back I sent my friend who loves to fish, a picture of a man emerging from the water with a hook in his mouth. He was quite disturbed by it. He actually asked me, can the fish really feel the pain? "When you pat your dog, he will quietly let you pat and come near you but when you hit your dog, he will yelp and run away from you. So do you think animals have feelings?". He said he need to reconsider fishing... "But what about other animals?". Answer was... I 'll do my best....

[brian]

If Dalai Lama can be ever so compassionate (he should be) to animals and also vegetarianism, then he should also be compassionate to Dorje Shugden practitioners! I mean no disrespect to Dalai Lama, but I do feel for our fellow practitioners who have been discriminated and some physically tortured. All they did was just practising our sacred practise but due to the ban imposed by Dalai Lama, we were made to suffer. Our brothers and sisters were made to live under heavy scruntiny and under death threats all the time. If only Dalai Lama can quickly revert his decision and uplift the ban and be compassionate to our fellow Buddhist!

[fruven]

This is a very written article. It is also shows how the Dalai Lama think and answers his thought well when people interviewed him questions which I deemed difficult to answer. His answers are honest and realistic. I am vegetarian myself. However people have different mental dispositions and to speak in a way about going into vegetarian diet that could go well in their mind is the challenge. The message is animal abuse and welfare, and vegetarianism are all interconnected. We cannot do one but avoid the order. In other words saving and taking care animals but eating meat, or being vegetarianism but do nothing about animal abuse or maltreatment when we see it.