TDH #49
One who, while himself seeking happiness,
oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness,
will not attain happiness hereafter.
The Dhammapada - Chapter 10, Verse 131
(Translated by Ācharya Buddharakkhita)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Reddit’s r/Buddhism I came across a post about karma and eating animal products.
One commenter said, “When the Buddha was asked about eating meat, he suggested that it isn't wrong per se, and meat isn't impure or evil per se, but killing living things is bad because it harms another, and it should be avoided or minimized.”
I tried to bring a different perspective to the table, though. I’ve found bowhunting to be the most spiritually and nutritionally rewarding way to source your food.
I know this may “violate” the karma of killing another being, but when you take a step back and examine the overall effect, hunting tags are regulated and distributed in numbers that keep the herd’s population in check. Especially in areas where deer, for example, don’t have natural predators, they’ll multiply until there’s too much competition for a limited food supply through the winter and disease starts to spread and more of them run out in the street and cause car accidents. By culling the herd you reduce your own carbon footprint by not shopping at stores, keep the herd population healthier, and reduce the number of potentially fatal and environmentally inefficient car accidents, all while providing the healthiest source of food for your friends and family.
I’ve tried just about every diet there is (all the way down to raw fruitarian), but harvesting your own food from the earth is by far the most fulfilling. Yes, it’s sad watching an animal’s life leave its body by own your hand, but the amount of gratitude you feel during every meal for months after while remembering that moment is incomparable.
Also, the argument that vegans have some kind of moral high ground on hunters because they aren’t contributing to animal death is erroneous in my opinion. Unless you’re farming your own plot of land and surviving off that completely, shopping at grocery stores contributes to mono-cropping, plastic productions, fossil fuel consumption, etc. To say there’s no contribution to animal death in this manner is turning a blind eye to reality.
What my point boils down to is: I’d rather own my role in the circle of life than pretend I’m playing no part.
And these aren’t intended to be shots fired at all vegans, just the ones on their high horse.
I don't think that attitude does anyone any good ;)
oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness,
will not attain happiness hereafter.
The Dhammapada - Chapter 10, Verse 131
(Translated by Ācharya Buddharakkhita)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Reddit’s r/Buddhism I came across a post about karma and eating animal products.
One commenter said, “When the Buddha was asked about eating meat, he suggested that it isn't wrong per se, and meat isn't impure or evil per se, but killing living things is bad because it harms another, and it should be avoided or minimized.”
I tried to bring a different perspective to the table, though. I’ve found bowhunting to be the most spiritually and nutritionally rewarding way to source your food.
I know this may “violate” the karma of killing another being, but when you take a step back and examine the overall effect, hunting tags are regulated and distributed in numbers that keep the herd’s population in check. Especially in areas where deer, for example, don’t have natural predators, they’ll multiply until there’s too much competition for a limited food supply through the winter and disease starts to spread and more of them run out in the street and cause car accidents. By culling the herd you reduce your own carbon footprint by not shopping at stores, keep the herd population healthier, and reduce the number of potentially fatal and environmentally inefficient car accidents, all while providing the healthiest source of food for your friends and family.
I’ve tried just about every diet there is (all the way down to raw fruitarian), but harvesting your own food from the earth is by far the most fulfilling. Yes, it’s sad watching an animal’s life leave its body by own your hand, but the amount of gratitude you feel during every meal for months after while remembering that moment is incomparable.
Also, the argument that vegans have some kind of moral high ground on hunters because they aren’t contributing to animal death is erroneous in my opinion. Unless you’re farming your own plot of land and surviving off that completely, shopping at grocery stores contributes to mono-cropping, plastic productions, fossil fuel consumption, etc. To say there’s no contribution to animal death in this manner is turning a blind eye to reality.
What my point boils down to is: I’d rather own my role in the circle of life than pretend I’m playing no part.
And these aren’t intended to be shots fired at all vegans, just the ones on their high horse.
I don't think that attitude does anyone any good ;)
Published on October 23, 2022 16:33
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buddhism
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