Tuesday, December 19, 2017

When We Go To The Movies

When we go to the movies, we feel relieved to see the Humane Society certification at the end of the credits that guarantees that "no animals were harmed during the making of this film," and we feel grateful that modern technologies such as CGI reduce the need for the use of potentially mistreated animals in the movies we enjoy.

And yet, when we go have a meal before or after, many of the same people who care so much about animals do not seem to mind the inescapable reality that many animals (at least one, in the case of any non-plant-based meal) were certainly harmed in the process of bringing that meal to you. Typically, those animals were badly treated while they lived, as well.

I can't help but wonder why we care about one scenario, but not the other, and I hope this makes you wonder, too.

May all beings be well and happy, free of suffering and the causes of suffering.

Friday, November 24, 2017

May All Beings....

May all beings (that I prefer) be well and happy (and the rest of them, go to hell).

This is NOT how the prayer goes and does NOT represent its intention or purpose.

Ask yourself, do you mean ALL beings, or just people? Animals, too...but not ALL animals (like the ones you eat)? Cats, dogs, horses...how about cows, chickens and pigs?

How about spiders and insects? 

If we make this prayer, let's make it REAL:

lokaaha samastaaha sukhino bhavantu

May all beings everywhere (without exception) be happy and well!

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Thanksgiving and Medicine Buddha

“Since God has compassion for all beings—the thought of the needs of all sentient beings—this would include our brother and sister turkeys, and all other sentient beings, including all the insects as well—all sentient beings who suffer in order to support us and our happiness.

Read more of this article, at Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s website...... http://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/thanksgiving-0

And this excerpt from Facebook:

"I cannot stop this, but now, whatever teaching I do, even tantric teachings, I announce to the world to be vegetarian, so that fewer people will eat meat and fewer animals will get killed and they will suffer less. If more people refused to eat meat there would naturally be less suffering for animals.
"Not eating meat at all in the world—that is a dream. That will not happen. But fewer people eating meat can happen. So I thought to announce this to the world. It’s very simple. We ourselves don’t want somebody else to use our body, to be killed for food. We don’t want to suffer. In exactly the same way, why not all others? Animals, insects, they don’t want to suffer. We can see that when we touch their bodies, they have such fear.
"Animals can’t speak. They can’t demonstrate in the road or on TV or in newspapers. They can’t parade with placards and loud speakers. They have no power at all. Animals are powerless, totally in human hands, to be used like toilet paper. It’s so pitiful. People have little concern about their feelings. Their mind is not open at all. That is really so bad.
"Learning the Buddha’s teachings makes people understand. It emphasizes the need to generate compassion for all sentient beings. People have to understand the suffering of other sentient beings as the teachings explain."

With Gratitude for you this day and all days.

May all beings be happy and free from suffering and the causes of suffering. SVAHA

Giving Thanks and Prayers


May YOU and ALL beings be well and happy.

SVAHA

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Lankavatara Sutra on Meat Eating

Lankavatara Sutra on Meat Eating

For innumerable reasons, Mahamati, the Bodhisattva, whose nature is compassion, is not to eat any meat; I will explain them: Mahamati, in this long course of transmigration here, there is not one living being that, having assumed the form of a living being, has not been your mother, or father, or brother, or sister, or son, or daughter, or the one or the other, in various degrees of kinship; and when acquiring another form of life may life as a beast, as a domestic animal, as a bird, or as a womb-born, or as something standing in some relationship to you; [this being so] how can the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who desires to approach all living beings as if they were himself and to practise the Buddha-truths, eat the flesh of any living being that is of the same nature as himself? Even, Mahamati, the Rakshasa, listening to the Tathagata’s discourse on the highest essence of the Dharma, attained the notion of protecting [Buddhism], and, feeling pity, refrains from eating flesh; how much more those who love the Dharma! Thus, Mahamati, wherever there is the evolution of living beings, let people cherish the thought of kinship with them, and, thinking that all beings are to be loved as if they were an only child, let them refrain from eating meat. So with Bodhisattvas whose nature is compassion, [the eating of meat] is to be avoided by him. Even in exceptional cases, it is not [compassionate] of a Bodhisattva of good standing to eat meat. The flesh of a dog, an ass, a buffalo, a horse, a bull or a man, or any other being, Mahamati, that is not generally eaten by people, is sold on the roadside as mutton for the sake of money; and therefore, Mahamati, the Bodhisattva should not eat meat.

For the sake of love of purity, Mahamati, the Bodhisattva should refrain from eating flesh which is born of semen, blood, etc. For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to obtain compassion, refrain from eating flesh. To illustrate, Mahamati: When a dog sees, even from a distance, a hunter, a pariah, a fisherman, etc, whose desires are for meat-eating, he is terrified with fear, thinking, “They are death-dealers, they will even kill me.” In the same way, Mahamati, even those minute animals that are living in the air, on earth, and in water, seeing meat-eaters at a distance, will perceive in them, by their keen sense of smell, the odour of the Rakshasa and will run away from such people as quickly as possible; for they are to them the threat of death. For this reason, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva, who is disciplining himself, to abide in great compassion, because of its terrifying living beings, refrain from eating meat. The food of the wise, Mahamati, is what is eaten by the Rishis; it does not consist of meat and blood. Therefore, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva refrain from eating meat.

In order to guard the minds of all people, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva whose nature is holy and who is desirous of avoiding censure on the teaching of the Buddha, refrain from eating meat. For instance, Mahamati, there are some in the world who speak ill of the teaching of the Buddha; who say: “Why are those who are living the life of a Sramana or a Brahmin rejecting such food as was enjoyed by the ancient Rishis, and eating like the carniverous animals, living in the air, on earth, or in the water? Why do they go wandering about in the world thoroughly terrifying living beings, disregarding the life of a Sramana and destroying the vow of a Brahmin? There is no Dharma, no discipline, in them.” There are many such adverse-minded people who thus speak ill of the teaching of the Buddha. For this reason, Mahamati, in order to guard the minds of all people, let the Bodhisattva whose nature is full of pity and who is desirous of avoiding censure on the teaching of the Buddha, refrain from eating meat.

Such as these, Mahamati, are the evils of meat-eating; how much more numerous [evil] qualities that are born of the perverted minds of those devoted to meat-eating. And, Mahamati, the ignorant and simple-minded are not aware of all this and other evils and merits [in connection with meat-eating]. I tell you, Mahamati, that seeing these evils and merits the Bodhisattva whose nature is pity should eat no meat.

If, Mahamati, meat is not eaten by anybody for any reason, there will be no destroyer of life. Mahamati, in the majority of cases the slaughter of innocent living beings is done for pride and very rarely for other causes. Though nothing special may be said of eating flesh of living creatures such as animals and birds, alas, Mahamati, that one addicted to the taste of meat taste should eat human flesh! Mahamati, in most cases nets and other devices are prepared in various places by people who have lost their sense on account of their appetite for meat taste, and thereby many innocent victims are destroyed for the sake of the price they bring in. There are even some, Mahamati, who are like Rakshasas hard-hearted and used to practising cruelties, who, being so devoid of compassion, would now and then look at living beings as meant for food and destruction – no compassion is awakened in them.

It is not true, Mahamati, that meat is proper food and permissible for the Sravaka when the victim was not killed by himself, when he did not order others to kill it, when it was not specially meant for him. Again, Mahamati, there may be some unwitting people in the future time, who, beginning to lead the homeless life according to my teachings, are acknowledged as sons of the Sakya, and carry the Kashaya robe about them as a badge, but who are in thought evilly affected by erroneous reasonings. They may talk about various discriminations they make in their moral discipline, being addicted to the view of an immortal soul. Being under the influence of the thirst for meat-taste, they will string together in various ways some sophistic arguments to defend meat-eating. They think they are giving me an unprecedented calumny when they discriminate and talk about facts that are capable of various interpretations. Imagining that this fact allows this interpretation, they conclude that the Blessed One permits meat as proper food, and that this is mentioned among permitted foods and that probably the Tathagata himself partook of it. But, Mahamati, nowhere in the sutras is meat permitted as something enjoyable, nor is it referred to as proper among the foods prescribed.

If however, Mahamati, I had mind to permit meat eating, or if I said it was proper for the Sravakas to eat meat, I would not have forbidden, I would not forbid, all meat-eating for these Yogins, the sons and daughters of good family, who, wishing to cherish the idea that all beings are to them like and only child, are possessed of compassion, practise contemplation, mortification ,and are on their way to the Mahayana. And, Mahamati, the interdiction not to eat meat is here given to all sons and daughters of good family, whether they are cemetery-ascetics or forest-ascetics, or Yogins who are practising the exercises, if they wish the Dharma and are on their way to the mastery of any vehicle, and being possessed of compassion, conceive the idea of regarding all beings as an only child, in order to accomplish the end of their discipline…. Further, a tenfold prohibition is given as regards the flesh of animals found dead by themselves. All meat-eating in any form, in any manner, and in any place, is unconditionally and once for all, prohibited for all.

Thus, Mahamati, meat-eating I have not permitted to anyone, I do not permit, I will not permit.

https://shingondharmazazen.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/lankavatara-sutra-on-meat-eating/

May all beings be well and happy!

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

From Reducetarianism to Vegan

This NPR story explores empathy for those who eat animals and animal products as more effective than "othering" them, citing also:

"All the reducers together are responsible for avoiding more animals being killed than vegetarians and vegans combined."

An excellent report and effort!


May all beings be free....

Monday, October 30, 2017

Thursday, October 19, 2017

This Conversation Leads Toward Kindness

A letter to my Sangha (10/19/17) regarding a conversation about race and ethnic biases:

Dears, one and all,

I am also so glad to see these topics (race and others) being discussed now, especially in the loving, harmonious and beautiful way we are unfolding the conversation.

As we know: We may notice any number of such tendencies within ourselves, the many tendencies of self-grasping that amount to looking down on others. It is valuable to find these, to find ourselves in relation to these learned or habituated tendencies. It is yet another matter when we react from these experiences (less than consciously), because we know that does not bring benefit, but harm.

As we also know so well, by the great treasures of our practices and lineage, we come close and closer to what we are, as distinguished from what we are not, and in that discovering, compassion and forgiveness arise spontaneously. With compassion, we respond most skillfully for the benefit, support and upliftment of others.

In the broadest sense, as we pray “Raise us above the distinctions and differences which divide,” we hold constant vigil in our hearts, ever on the look-in for any ways we may look down upon – and sometimes also mistreat - others, either because of race, ethnicity, cultural or educational background, gender or sexual orientation, class, status, wealth, health, ability/disability, appearance, political leanings.... This list goes on and on.

And, this list may include attitudes and behaviors that oppress our animal sisters and brothers. Just as we now look back at slavery as something abhorrent, and while we continue to uncover and call-out sexual abuse of women, men, boys, girls... my own hope is that one day soon we will be able to look back upon how we have treated our animal friends and say with compassionate conviction: Never again.

May all beings be happy and well, free of suffering and the causes of suffering. SVAHA

With love,
Shivadam

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Parvati's Vegan Eggplant!

Parvati shares: BIG NEWS: Successful Vegan cooking experiment VICTORY!!!!!!!! Wow!

Combo of two modified recipes to create Vegan Stuffed Eggplant "not Parmesan" and it was ridiculously satisfying, and the picky eater in my house (that's me!) loved it as much as I did (so that is saying something)...

Cloe's vegan Rockn' Ricotta (I added 4 slices of some Creamy Original Chao vegan slices and lemon pepper to taste instead of the lemon juice, black pepper, and salt... I also added about 1 TBS of coconut milk and used only about 1 1/2 cups of fresh basil)

http://www.humanesociety.org/…/sauces_s…/rockin-ricotta.html

and combined this recipe with the Minimalist Baker recipe for Eggplant Parmesan...

https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-eggplant-parmesan/

and then layered the eggplant, red sauce, and the ricotta blend like lasagna and then re-baked it to warm through... topping it all off with a couple slices of crispy eggplant on top. It was truly as good as lasagna and paired perfectly with vegan sourdough garlic toast! I am actually 100 sure that a full blown meat eater would never have known this was not "the real thing". REALLY!

I agree! It was stunningly delicious...and, animal-karma free!

May all beings be happy and well.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

From 'The World's Happiest Man'

"For French Buddhist monk and prolific author Matthieu Ricard, there is no moral, ethical, or philosophical way to defend our treatment of animals. Aside from our reliance on meat and dairy products, which accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector, or the fact that an estimated 75 percent of the world’s fisheries are exploited or depleted, Ricard says a key thing to remember is that we exist on a continuum with animals—we are one of them."

Read the full Tricycle article....

Find his book, A Plea For The Animals, here...

May all beings be happy and well!

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

1000 Animals Saved by Owner - His House Lost

If there is any good news coming out of the devastating fires in Northern California, this report about Peter Lang saving all the animals in his wildlife preserve - while losing his own family home - is some.

Read the moving story about a man's selfless sense of duty and concern for the animals in his care:

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7512550-181/safari-west-owner-had-a

May all beings be well and happy.

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

October 4: World Animal Day

Be kind to an animal today... Maybe don't eat any?


A beautiful song for the day, for every day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=682&v=DzPTHstpJ2I

Hold an animal in your heart or your arms as you listen.

May ALL beings be happy and well, safe and protected, healthy and strong, free of suffering and may they live with ease.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Disasters and Pets

Blessings to all the pets and their caregivers as Hurricane Irma approaches Florida.

Here's a resource for planning and caring for pets subject to disasters:

https://www.ready.gov/animals

May all beings be well and happy.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Dining at Denny's - Vegan!

So many restaurants have vegan options. Did you know that Taco Bell's beans and tortillas are vegan? Here are good suggestions for dining at Denny's from Mercy For Animals:

http://www.chooseveg.com/here-are-our-favorite-vegan-options-at-dennys

Happy (for you AND the animals) dining!

May all beings be free.

An Inconvenient Sequel

I agree that the film could have spent more than a millisecond on mention of Animal AG's contribution to Climate Change, but I saw the film to be more about Al Gore's struggle simply to keep Climate Change a main topic of conversation, especially now in the face of Trump's outrageous efforts to squash the inconvenient truth, facts, and science. (Parts of the film had to be re-written before release to address the most recent onslaught of garbage coming from the WH.)

The film is less about the many contributors to a warming planet and pollution than it is about effecting energy policy changes through global agreements, such as Al helped to facilitate at the 2015 Paris COP21 Summit.

This article presents good critique of the film:

"Simply put, animal agriculture is one of the main culprits behind climate change. An Inconvenient Truth failed to address this, and people have been wondering whether the sequel would make up for it, particularly since it again stars Al Gore, who himself went vegan after realizing the connection between animal agriculture and global warming."

I did not know that Al went vegan! So, while Al may not be "talking the talk" as much as he could, he is certainly "walking the walk," as his Wiki page elaborates:

"In 2013, Gore became a vegan. He had earlier admitted that "it's absolutely correct that the growing meat intensity of diets across the world is one of the issues connected to this global crisis – not only because of the [carbon dioxide] involved, but also because of the water consumed in the process" and some speculate that his adoption of the new diet is related to his environmentalist stance. In a 2014 interview, Gore said "Over a year ago I changed my diet to a vegan diet, really just to experiment to see what it was like. ... I felt better, so I've continued with it and I'm likely to continue it for the rest of my life."

An Inconvenient Sequel profiles Al Gore's commitment (he calls it his "mission") to keep Climate Change on the front burner in global discourse.

Keep up the great work, Al!

May all beings be happy and well, free of suffering and the causes of suffering.

Monday, August 7, 2017

Albert Einstein

"A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." - Albert Einstein

May all beings be happy and well, free of suffering and the causes of suffering.

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Natural Elder Care

A wolf pack: The first 3 are the old or sick, and they set the pace to the entire pack.  If it were the other way round, they would be left behind, losing contact with the pack.  In case of an ambush they would be sacrificed.

Then come 5 strong ones, the front line.

In the center are the rest of the pack members with the 5 strongest following.

Last is alone, the alpha.  He controls everything from the rear.  In that position he can see everything, decide the direction.  He sees all of the pack.

The pack moves according to the elders pace and help each other, watch each other.

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/nature/nature-taking-care-of-the-elderly/

Another example of the wisdom, intelligence and compassion of animals in the wild.

May all beings be happy and well.

Monday, July 10, 2017

Revolution of Compassion

We are on the cusp of what can truly be a seismic revolution in compassion. It’s never going to occur when we focus solely on our own health. This revolution will occur when we have the courage and the determination to share the literacy of the heart that will empower people to recognize this common, chronic, killing disease, the "heart disease" of lack of compassion for all sentient beings and the consequent killing of them to slake our own desires, to feed our own egos.

May all beings be happy and well, free of suffering and the causes of suffering.

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Too Hot for Pets!

If you can't walk barefoot on the sidewalk or asphalt, neither should your dog! Make sure you keep them plenty cool and with plenty of water in the summer heat.

May all beings be happy and well, free from suffering and the causes of suffering.