“I believe my life only has meaning if it reduces some amount of suffering.” "I think I was born interested in animals, but it's not so much interested in animals as I seriously don't see the difference between an ant, a dog, an elephant, me. So, I was born with that kind of awareness." "Unless… Continue reading “REDUCING SUFFERING: DEFENDING THE VOICELESS IN INDIA”: On Animals, Women and Courage an interview with Maneka Gandhi (Dakini Conversations: Ep. 10)
Tag: vegetarianism
MAKING VESAK/ SAGA DAWA DAY MEANINGFUL: The three ways to accumulate merit cited in original Buddhism, Buddha’s teachings on not eating animals just prior to his passing away, and UNDV Vesak Day 2025 paper on “Compassion as Diet: Protecting Animals and the Planet”
". . . he abstains from killing living beings, exhorts others to abstain from killing living beings, and speaks in praise of the abstention from killing living beings." Samyutta Nikaya 55.7 “ “Lord,” said Kashyapa, “monks, nuns, and lay practitioners all depend on benefactors. When they go for alms and receive food containing meat, what… Continue reading MAKING VESAK/ SAGA DAWA DAY MEANINGFUL: The three ways to accumulate merit cited in original Buddhism, Buddha’s teachings on not eating animals just prior to his passing away, and UNDV Vesak Day 2025 paper on “Compassion as Diet: Protecting Animals and the Planet”
SEASON’S GOOD WILL TO ANIMALS: Update and action request to email the Bodhi Temple management committee
To all those who signed this petition, a big thank you and Season's Greetings today! Christmas is a time of year when people show love, kindness and generosity to each other and spend time with their families. However, not for animals bred and cooped up for long hours without movement to slaughter with no love… Continue reading SEASON’S GOOD WILL TO ANIMALS: Update and action request to email the Bodhi Temple management committee
PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE PETITION: Ban animal cruelty, slaughter and sale of meat near Buddhist temples and sacred sites
Please sign and share new petition to ban animal cruelty, slaughter and sale of meat near Buddhist temples and sacred sites: https://www.change.org/p/ban-animal-slaughter-and-sale-of-meat-near-buddhist-temples-and-sacred-sites For practising Buddhists, animal lovers and environmentalists it is deeply disturbing to witness the increasing prevalence of slaughterhouses and the commercial selling of meat, near sacred Buddhist sites in India, Nepal and South-East… Continue reading PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE PETITION: Ban animal cruelty, slaughter and sale of meat near Buddhist temples and sacred sites
The Buddha’s Footprint Mountain (Sri Pada) and Elephant Rock (Athugala) (Sri Lanka Pilgrimage V)
"Thus have I heard. The Blessed One once stayed in the Castle of Laṅkā which is situated on the peak of Mount Malaya on the great ocean, and which is adorned with flowers made of jewels of various kinds. He was with a large assembly of Bhikṣus and with a great multitude of Bodhisattvas, who… Continue reading The Buddha’s Footprint Mountain (Sri Pada) and Elephant Rock (Athugala) (Sri Lanka Pilgrimage V)
DRIGUNG KAGYU VEGETARIANISM: ‘IF YOU EAT MEAT AND CALL IT DHARMA, YOU ARE NOT MY DISCIPLE’ AND ‘IT DISPARAGES GREAT BEINGS’: Phagmodrupa, Jigten Sumgon and the ‘white’ food’ vegetarian tradition of Drigung Kagyu, past and present
For Dakini Day today, I offer a new research and translation article on vegetarianism in the Drigung Kagyu lineage. Although there has been quite a bit spoken and written about vegetarianism in Karma Kagyu recently, such as Milarepa, 7th, 8th and 17th Karmapas, as well as other lineage masters, such as Dolpopa, Shakpa and Khenpo… Continue reading DRIGUNG KAGYU VEGETARIANISM: ‘IF YOU EAT MEAT AND CALL IT DHARMA, YOU ARE NOT MY DISCIPLE’ AND ‘IT DISPARAGES GREAT BEINGS’: Phagmodrupa, Jigten Sumgon and the ‘white’ food’ vegetarian tradition of Drigung Kagyu, past and present
‘I DON’T EAT MY FRIENDS’: 78th birthday offering to Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, meditator, teacher and nunnery founder, on eating animals
'Animals are my friends, and I don’t eat my friends’—George Bernard Shaw ‘In Tibetan Buddhism, where we are taught that all beings have been our mothers, if you really believe what you're saying, then how can you sit down and eat your mother?' — Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo For the 78th birthday of Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo… Continue reading ‘I DON’T EAT MY FRIENDS’: 78th birthday offering to Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, meditator, teacher and nunnery founder, on eating animals
THE ‘SINGLE-SITTING’ VEGETARIAN PRACTICE: Sakya Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo’s vegetarianism; Kālacakra master, Śākyaśrī and the four monastic communities (Joden Tshogpa Zhi); the Gedun Gangpa’s monastic ordination of the 4th-8th Karmapas
Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo, 15th Century Tibetan thangka (1382-1456) (see Teacher (Lama) - Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (Himalayan Art)) Hey! Followers of mine, give up the impure lifestyle of consuming meat, alcohol, and the like! Being the sole basis of all marvelous qualities, cherish the precious discipline more than your life! --Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo, An Epistle Benefitting… Continue reading THE ‘SINGLE-SITTING’ VEGETARIAN PRACTICE: Sakya Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo’s vegetarianism; Kālacakra master, Śākyaśrī and the four monastic communities (Joden Tshogpa Zhi); the Gedun Gangpa’s monastic ordination of the 4th-8th Karmapas
UNBEARABLE GRIEF LIKE EATING THE FLESH OF ONE’S OWN CHILD: Jamgon Kongtrul the Great, Yogi Drugpa Kunleg and 17th Gyalwang Karmapa on abandoning meat; love and compassion more important than scriptures and logic
In the third part of Day 17 of the recent online teachings, Gyalwang 17th Karmapa went on to give more examples of great Tibetan Buddhist masters from the Kagyu lineages who made strong statements about eating murdered animals. He first explained why some practitioners were called ‘dokar’ “veggie broth practitioners and then gave two more… Continue reading UNBEARABLE GRIEF LIKE EATING THE FLESH OF ONE’S OWN CHILD: Jamgon Kongtrul the Great, Yogi Drugpa Kunleg and 17th Gyalwang Karmapa on abandoning meat; love and compassion more important than scriptures and logic
JE MILAREPA’S SONG ON THE SUFFERING OF ANIMALS AND THE ‘EVIL CUSTOM’ OF MEAT-EATING
In the second part of Day 17, the 17th Karmapa continued to teach on the suffering of animals caused by eating murdered animal flesh and animal produce. He gave two examples of vegetarian masters within the Kagyu tradition, Jetsun Milarepa and Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye. “In particular, in the 21st century most of the Tibetan… Continue reading JE MILAREPA’S SONG ON THE SUFFERING OF ANIMALS AND THE ‘EVIL CUSTOM’ OF MEAT-EATING