* Veganism, Buddhism and caring for the environment
by Mervyn Carter
April 2008
The aims of this article are to help raise our understanding of veganism, to make connections with the teachings of the Buddha, and to raise further our awareness of the destructive effects of the meat industry on the environment.
In Zen/Amidist Buddhism, there is a vision of a future land where the teachings of the Buddha are held in great reverence and enjoying life in an enlightened society is the natural state of everyday culture. This land is known as Sukhavati, the Pureland.
Firstly, may I commence by sharing with you a passage from David Brazier's book "The New Buddhism". Here, the author expresses his vision of the beautiful life of the inhabitants of the Pureland:
"The people of that land live in peace with one another and with the other forms of life. They are vegetarian. It has become unacceptable to kill animals. The idea of taking a life simply because the body of the other creature tastes nice, or because one might want to use the skin or scent of that creature, has come to be seen as horrific as it would be if the creature in question were you yourself. The people of Sukhavati remember that long ago their ancestors lived by killing, but that is now regarded as a barbaric time and people shudder at the thought of returning to such a primitive state. In Sukhavati, animals are not regarded as commodities. They are there for their own reasons in their own manner and are seen as friends. Humans and other animals share the planet. The humans have taken on some responsibility for regulating the balance of things, but, for the most part, there is a sense that the world will sort itself out in its own way. Human habitation is restricted so that areas of wilderness are extensive, allowing animals scope to live their natural lives.
Because people are vegetarian, it is not difficult to produce the quantity of food needed. Voluntary fasting is quite common and praised as a spiritual discipline, but famine is almost unheard of. When people used to raise animals for meat, those grazing animals required huge areas of pastureland. Now, however, the same area produces six, eight or ten times as much food from vegetable crops. There is a lot of horticulture. People like gardening - not everybody, of course, people are not all the same - and but it is generally felt to be healthy and pleasant. Consequently there are well-tended gardens everywhere, both for producing vegetables and ornamental gardens. There are many orchards. The hedges that line most roads are also full of fruit trees and when the fruit is in season it is so prolific that nobody thinks of it as being owned. The passer-by can reach up and help herself. Beauty is everywhere. To walk through this land is a fragrant and ever varied experience. The vast areas of monoculture that used to be necessary in the old days are now few and far between. People appreciate the diversity of life that a smaller scale brings. There are still some areas of the planet where a more industrial approach to agriculture is carried on, but it is simply less necessary.
The human population of this planet has fallen somewhat. They say that it used to be ten times as many as now. This is not because the human race is in decline. It is simply that people have chosen to opt for a better life. Buddhist teachings imply restraint in procreation and people have realised that a billion people is quite enough for a planet of this size. Because they practise restraint, they rarely experience want...'
Several incidents recorded in the life of the Buddha suggest that he had a strong commitment to the welfare of animals. During his childhood, he was playing with a friend, practising archery. The young friend shot and injured a bird. Rather than see the creature killed for food, the young Buddha-to-be insisted that the animal be saved and restored to health. The dispute between the two boys came to the attention of the adults in their palace. They accepted that the Buddha's motives were the more noble of the two, so his request was granted.
Later in his life the young future Buddha was required to witness a ceremony in which his father ploughed the first furrow for the year's crops. As he watched the plough cut into the earth he saw many small animals fleeing from the destruction of their habitat and the attacks of birds which were following the plough. He was so upset by this incident that he ran away and was found sitting under a tree seeking to recover his composure.
After his enlightenment the Buddha expressed many views which support the concept of compassion to animals. When speaking of right livelihood, he suggested that any trade in animal flesh could not be counted as right livelihood, and he decried the use of animals in ritual sacrifices, which was a common practice in his day.
The early Sangha held regular retreats during which the Buddha would offer teachings to novices. He deliberately planned these retreats to coincide with the monsoon season, knowing that the weather would be so wet that a large number of small creatures would crawl around on the paths where the trainees would walk. By remaining indoors during the monsoon season, trainees would not be walking around and the likelihood of such tiny creatures being injured or killed would be reduced. Clearly, the Buddha was fervently committed to the issue of animal rights.
The first precept of Buddhist ethics is usually stated to be a commitment to avoiding harm to all sentient creatures. It is hard to understand how any Buddhist can uphold such a clear precept and yet condone the killing of animals. One could also argue that the second precept of Buddhist ethics, avoiding the taking of that which is not freely given, is also incompatible with taking the life of an animal where, clearly, the concept of informed consent is ridiculous.
It is helpful to recognize the connections between the psychology of meat-eating and other forms of unskilful and destructive behaviour. I am reminded of a saying attributed to Tolstoy, "While there are abattoirs, there will always be battlefields, for they spring from the same attitude of mind..."
Our commitment to ending our reliance on animal-based products is best expressed by adopting a fully mindful approach to our choices when we are shopping. As we eliminate animal products from our homes and find alternatives, the path becomes easier.
Having information on the consequences of the animal industries can also help to strengthen our resolve. Please note the following:
* 850 million people around the world go hungry every day, approximately 13% of the world's population. Meanwhile, massive quantities of nutritious food are fed to approximately 21 billion livestock, roughly 3 livestock for every human being. Approximately 56 billion animals are slaughtered for food every year, many species, especially chickens, can breed several generations in one year.
* Approximately 40 people starve to death every minute, yet we are so distanced from the consequences of our greed for animal flesh that most people accept the situation without apparent distress.
* 10 hectares of land can provide food to support about 61 people if they are eating soya protein, but only 24 people eating cereal grains, 10 people eating maize, or only two people if they are eating predominantly meat.
* If the quantity of grain crops fed to cattle in the United States of America were used to feed the human population, it would be sufficient to maintain approximately 2 billion people, that is to say the population of both India and China.
* The world's population of livestock produce approximately 4 billion tonnes of manure per year, approximately 80 million tonnes per year in the United Kingdom. This represents more than 1 tonne of manure per person in the UK. Manure spreads disease and contributes to chaotic climate change. Approximately 18% of all greenhouse gases come from livestock, mainly in the form of methane and nitrous oxides. By comparison, the whole human transport infrastructure contributes 13.5%.
The adoption of the vegan lifestyle is not an event, but rather a path along which Buddhists make progress, perhaps over several years of their lives. The growth of compassion and generosity in one's mind gradually leads one to renunciation of destructive ways of life and towards more skilful means of living lightly upon the earth.
Clearly, wherever we are on the path from meat-eating towards veganism, there are many benefits for ourselves and for the planet if we can go further. It may be helpful to discuss your situation with a like-minded friend and work together to help one another to progress your shared agenda for change. It is also helpful to imagine the ways in which we can help other people to make changes toward living lightly upon the earth.
Buddhism and veganism are both important, positive aspects of an ethical and environmentally aware life. To follow the Buddha's path and to live out his teachings is fundamentally incompatible with killing animals for food. I hope more Buddhists will fully take the issue on board.
Mervyn is a NESX vegan and a Buddhist.
April 2008
The aims of this article are to help raise our understanding of veganism, to make connections with the teachings of the Buddha, and to raise further our awareness of the destructive effects of the meat industry on the environment.
In Zen/Amidist Buddhism, there is a vision of a future land where the teachings of the Buddha are held in great reverence and enjoying life in an enlightened society is the natural state of everyday culture. This land is known as Sukhavati, the Pureland.
Firstly, may I commence by sharing with you a passage from David Brazier's book "The New Buddhism". Here, the author expresses his vision of the beautiful life of the inhabitants of the Pureland:
"The people of that land live in peace with one another and with the other forms of life. They are vegetarian. It has become unacceptable to kill animals. The idea of taking a life simply because the body of the other creature tastes nice, or because one might want to use the skin or scent of that creature, has come to be seen as horrific as it would be if the creature in question were you yourself. The people of Sukhavati remember that long ago their ancestors lived by killing, but that is now regarded as a barbaric time and people shudder at the thought of returning to such a primitive state. In Sukhavati, animals are not regarded as commodities. They are there for their own reasons in their own manner and are seen as friends. Humans and other animals share the planet. The humans have taken on some responsibility for regulating the balance of things, but, for the most part, there is a sense that the world will sort itself out in its own way. Human habitation is restricted so that areas of wilderness are extensive, allowing animals scope to live their natural lives.
Because people are vegetarian, it is not difficult to produce the quantity of food needed. Voluntary fasting is quite common and praised as a spiritual discipline, but famine is almost unheard of. When people used to raise animals for meat, those grazing animals required huge areas of pastureland. Now, however, the same area produces six, eight or ten times as much food from vegetable crops. There is a lot of horticulture. People like gardening - not everybody, of course, people are not all the same - and but it is generally felt to be healthy and pleasant. Consequently there are well-tended gardens everywhere, both for producing vegetables and ornamental gardens. There are many orchards. The hedges that line most roads are also full of fruit trees and when the fruit is in season it is so prolific that nobody thinks of it as being owned. The passer-by can reach up and help herself. Beauty is everywhere. To walk through this land is a fragrant and ever varied experience. The vast areas of monoculture that used to be necessary in the old days are now few and far between. People appreciate the diversity of life that a smaller scale brings. There are still some areas of the planet where a more industrial approach to agriculture is carried on, but it is simply less necessary.
The human population of this planet has fallen somewhat. They say that it used to be ten times as many as now. This is not because the human race is in decline. It is simply that people have chosen to opt for a better life. Buddhist teachings imply restraint in procreation and people have realised that a billion people is quite enough for a planet of this size. Because they practise restraint, they rarely experience want...'
Several incidents recorded in the life of the Buddha suggest that he had a strong commitment to the welfare of animals. During his childhood, he was playing with a friend, practising archery. The young friend shot and injured a bird. Rather than see the creature killed for food, the young Buddha-to-be insisted that the animal be saved and restored to health. The dispute between the two boys came to the attention of the adults in their palace. They accepted that the Buddha's motives were the more noble of the two, so his request was granted.
Later in his life the young future Buddha was required to witness a ceremony in which his father ploughed the first furrow for the year's crops. As he watched the plough cut into the earth he saw many small animals fleeing from the destruction of their habitat and the attacks of birds which were following the plough. He was so upset by this incident that he ran away and was found sitting under a tree seeking to recover his composure.
After his enlightenment the Buddha expressed many views which support the concept of compassion to animals. When speaking of right livelihood, he suggested that any trade in animal flesh could not be counted as right livelihood, and he decried the use of animals in ritual sacrifices, which was a common practice in his day.
The early Sangha held regular retreats during which the Buddha would offer teachings to novices. He deliberately planned these retreats to coincide with the monsoon season, knowing that the weather would be so wet that a large number of small creatures would crawl around on the paths where the trainees would walk. By remaining indoors during the monsoon season, trainees would not be walking around and the likelihood of such tiny creatures being injured or killed would be reduced. Clearly, the Buddha was fervently committed to the issue of animal rights.
The first precept of Buddhist ethics is usually stated to be a commitment to avoiding harm to all sentient creatures. It is hard to understand how any Buddhist can uphold such a clear precept and yet condone the killing of animals. One could also argue that the second precept of Buddhist ethics, avoiding the taking of that which is not freely given, is also incompatible with taking the life of an animal where, clearly, the concept of informed consent is ridiculous.
It is helpful to recognize the connections between the psychology of meat-eating and other forms of unskilful and destructive behaviour. I am reminded of a saying attributed to Tolstoy, "While there are abattoirs, there will always be battlefields, for they spring from the same attitude of mind..."
Our commitment to ending our reliance on animal-based products is best expressed by adopting a fully mindful approach to our choices when we are shopping. As we eliminate animal products from our homes and find alternatives, the path becomes easier.
Having information on the consequences of the animal industries can also help to strengthen our resolve. Please note the following:
* 850 million people around the world go hungry every day, approximately 13% of the world's population. Meanwhile, massive quantities of nutritious food are fed to approximately 21 billion livestock, roughly 3 livestock for every human being. Approximately 56 billion animals are slaughtered for food every year, many species, especially chickens, can breed several generations in one year.
* Approximately 40 people starve to death every minute, yet we are so distanced from the consequences of our greed for animal flesh that most people accept the situation without apparent distress.
* 10 hectares of land can provide food to support about 61 people if they are eating soya protein, but only 24 people eating cereal grains, 10 people eating maize, or only two people if they are eating predominantly meat.
* If the quantity of grain crops fed to cattle in the United States of America were used to feed the human population, it would be sufficient to maintain approximately 2 billion people, that is to say the population of both India and China.
* The world's population of livestock produce approximately 4 billion tonnes of manure per year, approximately 80 million tonnes per year in the United Kingdom. This represents more than 1 tonne of manure per person in the UK. Manure spreads disease and contributes to chaotic climate change. Approximately 18% of all greenhouse gases come from livestock, mainly in the form of methane and nitrous oxides. By comparison, the whole human transport infrastructure contributes 13.5%.
The adoption of the vegan lifestyle is not an event, but rather a path along which Buddhists make progress, perhaps over several years of their lives. The growth of compassion and generosity in one's mind gradually leads one to renunciation of destructive ways of life and towards more skilful means of living lightly upon the earth.
Clearly, wherever we are on the path from meat-eating towards veganism, there are many benefits for ourselves and for the planet if we can go further. It may be helpful to discuss your situation with a like-minded friend and work together to help one another to progress your shared agenda for change. It is also helpful to imagine the ways in which we can help other people to make changes toward living lightly upon the earth.
Buddhism and veganism are both important, positive aspects of an ethical and environmentally aware life. To follow the Buddha's path and to live out his teachings is fundamentally incompatible with killing animals for food. I hope more Buddhists will fully take the issue on board.
Mervyn is a NESX vegan and a Buddhist.