Below are some video clips I made of the 17th Karmapa’s recent teachings in 2021 (in Tibetan with English subtitles) on the topic of the importance of not eating slaughtered animals not only for the Karmapas and Karma Kagyu tradition, but in original Buddhism Vinaya, and the Mahayana.
For the full teachings (Days 16 and 17, English translation only), see here. For a freely downloadable e-book compilation of most of the 17th Karmapa’s teaching on Buddhism and eating animals, see here.
May these videos help not only preserve and spread the teachings of the 17th Karmapa on this topic, but also inspire people to abandon eating slaughtered animals and increase compassion in their hearts and minds for all beings, including those whom they pay to kill the animals for food!
17th Karmapa’s lifetime vow to give up eating meat and the benefit of doing so
In this video clip, the 17th Karmapa speaks about his own personal experience and reasons for giving up meat. As a child he was horrified by the way they killed animals for food, suffocating them slowly to death, but because it was the custom he got used to it. So when he came to India, he ate meat although he did not find the taste as good as it was in Tibet. However, he says that the main reason was when he saw some videos of animals being slaughtered, even though some say it was the influence of the Taiwanese Buddhist teacher Hao Tao Fa Shi. The 17th Karmapa explained that he decided to take a lifetime vow not to eat animals and cause their lives to be deliberately taken, and wrote a special verse for that, which he recited. Many people tried to dissuade him saying it would harm his health, but he insisted and has now not eaten meat since 2005.
He explained that he did not intend to encourage others to give up meat, but at one Kagyu Monlam [which was in 2005/6] which I personally attended too and also took the lifetime vow), he explained why eating meat was wrong, in terms of the Vinaya but also in terms of the Mahayana and previous Karmapas and Karma Kagyu masters, and suggested that it would be best if people were to commit to not eating meat for the rest of their lives. He was surprised when over half raised their hand to commit to that [I was one of those people]. In terms of the main difference or benefit of not eating meat, compared to before, the Karmapa explained that he had a much greater and stronger compassion, empathy and love for sentient beings and now when he sees the flesh meat of animals, his mind becomes uncomfortable and not happy. Whereas before, when eating meat, he did not really recall it was a sentient being. So that was the main benefit, a greater compassion and empathy for animals.
2) Two types of people who do not eat meat and considering others’ in our choices of food and not giving a bad impression of Buddhism
In another short video clip on eating meat, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa explains the two types of people in the world who refrain from eating meat: those who do it for their own sakes, such as their health, and those who care about the suffering of animals and protecting the environment. He then explains that many people in the world associate Buddha and Buddhism with love, non-violence, peace and so on. There are very few people who immediately think of emptiness and lack of inherent identity when thinking of Buddha or Buddhists. So we should not ignore or disregard that, as eating meat without any care or restraint may make many people wonder what is happening with that and get a bad impression of Buddhists. In addition, saying aspirations for the happiness and well-being of sentient beings and removing their suffering is in direct contradiction to, and at odds with eating animals regularly which is simply for pleasure or health.
Finally, the 17th Karmapa explained that some people think that because they did not kill the animal, or did not order the animal to be killed they are ‘let off the hook’ of doing an unethical action. However, we also have to consider that these days the mass factory farming industry has developed in response to the demand of meat-eaters, and vice versa, the amount of meat-eaters has increased with the amount of sellers and so on. So we cannot only think of our own actions like that, we also have to think about not only how our purchasing choices impact animals but also the people who kill animals for meat for their work and income, and consider what we might be able to do for them.
How and why eating meat is strictly forbidden in Karma Kagyu
In this short video clip from a teaching in 2021 (Day 16), the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa goes into detail about how and why in 15th Century Tibet, the 8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje followed in the footsteps of previous Karmapas by not only strictly banning meat in Karma Kagyu monasteries and the Kagyu Great Encampment, even during special occasions or commemorations.
Moreover, people who contravened these rules were expelled from the Karma Kagyu encampment and effectively expelled from the Karma Kagyu tradition and institutions as a result. But also how the 8th Karmapa started a ‘movement’ that was widespread in Tibet that spoke about why eating meat was not suitable and encouraging people to abandon it.