Vegetarian Virtuous Food

“Give up eating Non-vegetarian Evil Food,
Let’s eat Vegetarian Virtuous Food”

“May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.
May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering,
May all beings never be parted from the absolute happiness free from
suffering,

May all beings remain in the sublime equanimity free from partiality,
attachment and anger.”
There are three key objectives in
preparing this booklet.

1.Not to suffer from taking birth in the hell realms due to our own
accumulation of non-virtue.

2.To let those sentient beings who have already taken birth in
suffering lead happy lives, without causing additional harm.

3.To adopt vegetarian food to respectfully assure all sentient beings
the right to life and to extend peace in the world.
Main Contents

4. According to the Lord Buddha, all sentient beings have already
been our fathers and mothers during innumerable previous lifetimes.
As our parents, they have contributed to our lives, with kindness and
other support just like our present father and mother has done. Now,
those kind parents have taken birth as animals due to their past karma
(action). Therefore, in the Mahayana (Great Vehicle) practice of
Buddhism, we pray, “May all sentient beings have happiness and the
causes of happiness. May all sentient beings be free from suffering
and the causes of suffering. May all sentient beings never be parted
from the absolute happiness free from suffering. May all sentient beings
remain in sublime equanimity free from partiality, attachment and anger.”
We should recite this Bodhicitta prayer and practice accordingly as
far as possible. Just as we can’t be happy while our present parents
are suffering, it would be a huge mistake to be happy while the parents
from our previous lives are suffering.

1. We human beings survive by drinking our mother’s milk when
   we are small and then drink animals’ milk during our lives. What is the
   difference between our mother and those animals in terms of their
   milk? But we also eat the animals i.e. buffalo etc. either killing them
   ourselves or selling them to other people to slaughter. How brutal we
   humans are!
2. By working throughout their lives, buffalo and other animals
   support us in our farming or to earn money, as our father did, but after
   they become old or even when they are young, we slaughter and eat
   them or sell them to others to be killed. Is not such action like slaughtering or selling our own father and mother? Some people think
   that on the basis of consciousness, animals are not fully developed,
   so that we can kill and eat them. If so then during childhood, when
   children lack psychological and mental development or in old age
   when people lose mental capacity, would it be possible to eat their
   meat?
3. Just like human beings know their feelings and emotions through
   their six sense faculties (i.e. Nose, Ear, Eye, Tongue, Skin (touch)
   and Mind), other beings have senses through which they feel happiness
   and suffering. Like human beings, animals enjoy eating good food,
   like comfort and love their children.
4. Some animals love human beings greatly. Wherever their owner
   goes, they follow. They love us as our own children and friends do.
5. If the right training and instructions are followed, not only human
   beings but also animals that have been showing extreme enmity towards
   one another could develop feelings of intimacy. In reality, no one can
   be an enemy naturally.
6. Just as human beings can’t tolerate injury, animals also can’t
   bear injury to their bodies. Human beings get tired while carrying
   loads or working hard, and in the same way animals also get tired.
7. When animals see other animals being slaughtered, they feel
   scared and frightened, and they cry. Though animals can’t speak when
   they see other animals being slaughtered, they may cry and shed tears.
   They might use their own language. Recently, one cow died in Biratnagar after not eating any food and weeping with tears for a
   week, after she saw a he-goat slaughtered in front of her. Not only
   human beings, but all sentient beings want to live happily and blissfully.
   If no beings want to suffer, then why should we cause harm to other
   beings?
8. Buddha has taught the four noble truths:
   a. Truth of suffering
   b. Truth of the cause of suffering (origin)
   c. Truth of the cessation of suffering
   d. Truth of the path that liberates from suffering
   If we deeply ponder and practice the four noble truths, we find
   that meat and the products made of animal skin or fur also come
   among the causes of suffering. Being attached to those products, by
   killing animals, human beings have been accumulating non-virtue and
   suffering. Among the ten non virtuous actions, due to the mind’s
   covetousness, people get meat for the sake of their bodies and for
   the taste on their tongues, and get warm clothes for their bodies by

killing and using violence against animals. The worst of the ten non-
virtuous actions are killing, done by the body, and wrong views of

mind.

1. The Buddha has said that someone who intentionally kills a
   sentient being or supports a killing taking place will take birth in hot
   and cold hells for a long period of time and then after again taking
   birth as an animal or human, will also be killed in the same way 500
   times by other’s hand. Taking a human birth he/she will experience
   untimely death, a short life span, or will suffer from various kinds of diseases. To illustrate this, earlier Noble Katyana while begging for
   alms met a family where a woman was breast feeding and dandling a
   baby, eating fish, and also beating with a stick a bitch that was eating
   a bone of the fish she had eaten. Katyana saw through his meditative
   vision that the baby was her previous life’s murderer who had taken
   birth as her son due to past karma. Her present life’s father had taken
   birth as the fish that she was eating and her present life’s mother had
   taken birth as the bitch in her home, who she was beating with a stick.
   Thus, the meat and fish that we are eating today might be our previous
   or present life’s grandfather, grandmother, father, mother or other
   relative. Due to the attachment of taste, should we still be continuously
   eating our own relatives’ flesh? By eating meat and fish for the taste at
   present, shall we take rebirth as chicken, fish, goat, or buffalo in future
   innumerable lives to repay that debt? If we don’t want to suffer in hell
   realms for a long time or to take birth as those animals, why not give
   up taking non-vegetarian food from today? By giving up non-vegetarian
   food, why not take vegetarian food today that makes us healthy in
   this life as well as happy in the next life?
2. During the practice of Bodhicitta, the Bodhisattvas undertake
   the mental practice (mind training) of exchanging their own happiness
   for the sake of other beings and taking other’s suffering on themselves.
   They practice seeing equally, taking the same view towards themselves
   and others, and they practice cherishing others more than themselves
   or, taking others as dearer than themselves. By giving more
   importance, love, care to others than to himself, during his Bodhisattva
   practice, Buddha Sakyamuni sacrificed his body a thousand times. At
   Namo Buddha of Kavre district, Nepal, in a previous life as a prince,
   Sakyamuni offered his body to a hungry tigers with four newly born
   cubs. At present, the place is known as “Namo Buddha”.
3. Human beings are considered superior to other beings. To be
   superior and wise, one should benefit other beings without doing any
   harm. Likewise, we wish peace for ourselves, but if we cause harm to
   others then how could we be peaceful? Some people say “I have only
   eaten meat but I have not killed it myself, I haven’t ordered it to be
   killed or seen that killing”. However, if someone has killed our relatives,
   could we eat the meat of that dead person? Of course not. Thus, if no
   one of us is eating meat, the slaughtering and production of animals will
   be abolished from the country and the world, and at the same time
   violence and terror will be minimized globally.
4. Only seeing the corpse of dead person we do not realize the
   horrible situation that he/she faced before death; likewise, only seeing
   the meat of a dead animal, we don’t realize their suffering. If, before
   eating the meat, we could see the unbearable suffering and tearful
   eyes when the animal is taken to the slaughter house and then the
   severe torture and pain of the weapon piercing their neck and heart,
   certainly the attachment for meat would not be raised in us. Since we
   are conscious human beings, let’s try to understand the painful story
   behind the bloody meat when we see it. By eating meat, and not
   stopping the torture and suffering of animals (beings), then certainly
   we will have to experience the same pain and suffering millions of
   times. Therefore this booklet has been prepared with the great
   compassion that we should not fall into such suffering and pain.
5. The following things are mentioned in the book of truth.
   a. If we human beings have wisdom or ability to differentiate
   good from bad, we should not have a heart that could allow others to
   be killed and then eat their meat, bones and blood.
   b. We can only become Buddha by learning to eat vegetarian
   food and freeing our minds of defilements.
   c. If we are eating meat knowing that animals are killed for the
   meat, we are accumulating the non-virtue of killing. Because those
   animals are killed for us, we as well as the killer will certainly
   accumulate the non-virtue. The spirit of that animal causes harm to us
   while we eat that meat happily. What should be clear is that we are
   very bad and compassionless. Only a compassionless person can eat
   meat.
   d. Buddha has given the following teaching. “To eat meat is
   only to establish a new habit. In the beginning we are not born with
   the desire for meat. Non-vegetarian people sabotage the sublime seeds
   of compassion inherent in their hearts. Meat eaters kill one another
   and eat…..In this life I will eat you and in the next life you will eat
   me….. This goes on continuously,….. How can they be free from the
   lower realms of the three hells?”
6. The ‘Lankavatara Sutra of Tripitak’ says: At that time
   Noble Mahamati Bodhisattva Mahasattva spoke to the Buddha in
   this way: “Lord! Sentient beings are falling under the wrong path
   because of various suffering, difficulties, and birth and death, by eating
   meat and wandering in samsara (the world) in the cycle of killing one
   another. In this way, due to causing the growth of greed, anger etc,
   and one will never find freedom from suffering. This will be really
   painful.” Buddha said, “If any of my disciples fail to contemplate this
   truly and continue eating meat, it should be understood that he/she is
   following a murderer’s path and will not be my disciple Nor will I be his/her teacher. Therefore, Mahamati, if someone is my relative or
   disciple, he/she should give up eating meat.”
   Then Buddha said to Mahamati “Eating meat has innumerable
   defects. All Bodhisattvas must give up eating meat to plant the seed of
   great compassion and kindness.”
7. The “Banijja Sutra” says: “Monks or lay practitioners should
   give up five kinds of trade.” They are:
   a. Trading in weapons
   b. Trading in human beings
   c. Trading in meat
   d. Trading in intoxicating substances
   (alcohol/tobacco etc.)
   e. Trading in poisonous substances.
8. The “Surangana Sutra “says: “Ananda! If sentient beings of
   the six realms stop killing beings, the cycle of taking birth and death in
   these realms will be stopped. If some person practices great
   compassion then how could he/she continue eating the flesh and blood
   of other beings?”
9. Tsongkhapa says: “Sentient beings don’t want suffering even in
   their dreams. Being unsatisfied with the happiness they receive, what
   is the difference between beings that know the Dharma and those that
   don’t know the Dharma? Those who seize other’s happiness have
   fallen into a serious delusion. Through knowing ourselves, we should
   wish for others to achieve happiness. From now onward to make a
   habit of seeing others and oneself equally, is the activity of a
   Bodhisattva. Take all sentient beings as your own relatives. Desiring happiness only for oneself is an obstacle on the supreme path.
   Considering others as dearer than oneself is the seed of accomplishing
   all qualities. If you practice exchanging yourself for others, giving your
   own happiness to others, all sentient being will be your own relatives”.
10. Longchen Rabjam says: “The contradiction between
    virtuous thinking while always causing harm to others will be ridiculous.”
    Likewise, in the teaching of Kashmiri Phalu, it is said that though
    many talk about karma (action) and the result (fruit) of karma, real life
    practitioners are more rare than finding gold. “Acharya Shantideva
    says: “As no one wants their whole body burned in the fire, the great
    compassionate ones would never be happy harming other beings.”
    All sentient beings want to live. Desiring to eat blood and flesh, many
    people, by killing beings, take birth as hungry ghosts after taking birth
    in lower hell realms, and have to undergo severe suffering and pain.”
11. On one occasion, the army of Virudhaka, king of Sravasti,
    attacked the city of the Shakyas and killed eighty thousand inhabitants.
    At the same time, the Bhagawan suffered from a headache, and when
    his attendants asked why, he explained: “In the past, those Shakyas
    were fishermen who killed and ate a great many fish. One night they
    caught two large fish but they didn’t kill them right away. As the fish
    were lying on the ground, parched and withered and writhing in pain,
    they thought, ‘These people are killing us, even though we did nothing
    to harm them. In the future, may we kill them without their doing us
    any harm.’
    “The karmic result of this is that the two large fish were born
    as King Virudhaka and his minister Matropakara. The other fish that were killed became the soldiers of these two. Today they swept the
    Shakyas away. At that time, I was born a child of one of the fishermen,
    and when I saw those two big fish writhing in unbearable agony on
    the dry ground where they were trapped, I laughed. Because of that
    I have a headache. Had I not achieved the qualities of Dharma that I
    have, I would have been killed by these nobly born ones.”
12. Similarly, the son of the Indian king, Surabhibhadra, was given
    a seamless brocade robe by his mother. “I won’t wear it now,” he
    said, “but I will wear it when I become king.” “You will never become
    king. After a king dies, his son succeeds him to become king, but your
    father has the same life force as the teacher Nagarjuna. Until he grows
    old, your father won’t pass away, and since Nagarjuna has power
    over his own life force, his time to pass away will never come. That’s
    why so many of your older brothers have died without becoming
    king,” she explained.
    The son asked how he could succeed, and the mother
    answered. “The teacher Nagarjuna is a bodhisattva, and if you beg
    him for his head, he will give it to you. There is no other way.” The son
    went before Nagarjuna and asked for his head. “Cut it off and take it
    away,” he said. The boy took up a sword but no matter how he
    struck at the teacher’s neck, it was as though he was striking through
    space and he didn’t cut anything. Then Nagarjuna spoke again. “Five
    hundred lifetimes ago I completely purified the ripening karma of using
    weapons. Therefore, weapons cannot harm me. But I have not purified
    the ripening karma of killing an insect when I was cutting kusa grass.
    If you slash me with kusa grass I will be cut.”Gathering some kusa
    grass, the boy struck him, and his head fell to the ground.
    Now I am leaving for the Land of Great Bliss In the future I will reenter this very body. Speaking thus, Nagarjuna passed into peace.
13. If even noble individuals such as this must experience the
    ripening of their karma, what can be said about people such as
    ourselves who have accumulated uncountable negative actions during
    our beginning less wanderings through the realms of samsara, and
    who continue even now to accumulate such negativity? When will we
    ever be free from this cycle? Since liberation from the lower realms is
    difficult, we must at all times carefully avoid even the slightest misdeed, and carry out even the slightest virtuous act. Without being that conscientious, every instant of negativity will lead to remaining in the lower realms for many kalpas. Do not underestimate the power of
    even the tiniest non-virtue.
14. The “Way of the Bodhisattva” teaches that a moment of
    negative thought or wrong view about a bodhisattva can lead to many
    kalpas in the lower realms. Negative thoughts easily arise in our minds.
    From a moment of negative thought we might experience terrible misery for many kalpas. Regardless of the apparent size of the negativity of body and speech, the crucial factor in determining the seriousness of the negativity is the mental attitude. The seriousness of the ripened result depends upon the degree of negativity, but we shouldn’t be careless about committing even a small negative action. Shantideva wrote:
    If evil deeds committed in a single moment Become a kalpa in the deepest hell, That evil gathered since beginning less samsara, Without doubt, will keep me from the happy realms.
    In the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish, Buddha taught:
    Do not belittle even small misdeeds Thinking they can do no harm;
    Even the tiniest of sparks Can set fire to a mountainous heap of straw.
15. Since we humans are superior beings, we should give up
    harming other beings to fulfill our own desires. If we are Buddhist,
    then because Buddha has taught the practice of universal good will,
    compassion and Bodhicitta, at any cost we should consider other
    beings to be like our present father and mother. We should consider
    them as our present parents. In such a situation, how one can eat the
    meat of one’s own mother and father? Great master Pandita Lobsang
    Chhogyal has said: “May all the suffering and non-virtue (Negative
    Karma) of all my mother beings fall upon me without a single one
    remaining. Because all the virtue and merits are dedicated to others,
    may all beings remain in happiness and bliss.”
16. Not only Buddha Dharma, but other religions and beliefs also
    prohibit eating meat obtained by killing beings. Those religions suggest
    eating food produced from vegetables and plants. They say that since
    the elements of our body are made from earth only plants/vegetables
    produced from the earth are suitable to eat. Food obtained from other
    beings is not permitted to be eaten. Because the elements found in our
    bodies and those in plants are similar, people will remain disease free
    and healthy by adopting a vegetarian lifestyle. Other beings’ elements
    don’t match with our elements.
17. The following things are mentioned in the book of truth.
    a. Throughout the historical period we have seen that
    vegetables are considered the only the natural food of human beings.
    Ancient Greek and Hebrew myths say that most human beings used
    to eat fruits. The ancient Egyptian masters never used to eat meat.
    Some of the greatest Greek philosophers such as Plato, Diogenes,
    and Socrates, advocated for vegetarianism.
    b. Sakyamuni Buddha gave great importance to the
    principle of non-violence according to which we shouldn’t cause harm
    to any living being. Buddha warned his disciples not to eat meat or
    else other beings will be frightened of them.
    c. Many initial Taoists and Christians were vegetarian.
    In the holy Bible, God said “I have managed all types of cereals and
    fruits for you, but for the food of animals and birds, I have managed
    grass and plants” (Genesis 1:29). Other examples of a prohibition on
    non-vegetarian food in the Bible are as this: “you should not eat meat
    containing blood because life lies in blood. (Genesis 9:4)”. God said
    “Who told you that you should sacrifice bulls and she goats for me?
    Clean yourself from the blood of these innocent beings, so that I can
    hear your prayer. Otherwise I won’t hear your prayer because your
    hand is soaked with blood. Confess, so that I can forgive you. (I sha
    1:11-16)”. One of Jesus ‘disciples, St. Paul, said in a letter to the Romans that eating meat and wine is not wise or beneficial. (Roman 14:21)

d. Recently historians have found some ancient doctrines
that shed light on Jesus and his teaching. Jesus said: “A person who
eats the flesh of animals will dig a grave within himself. I tell you the
truth, a person who kills another will die himself. A person who eats
meat obtained by killing living being will be eating the meat of the
dead”

e. The greatest Chinese Zen Master Shan Chie wrote a
poem criticizing the eating of meat. “They used to go to the market to
purchase meat and fish to then feed their families. But why kill others
to sustain your life? This thing is not reasonable. This doesn’t provide you
the place in the heaven, but rather will transform you into the dust of hell.”

1. Renowned mathematician, Pythagoras, scientist and
   philosopher Charles Darwin, famous writer George Bernard Shaw,
   great scientist Einstein, preacher of peace and non-violence Mahatma
   Gandhi, as well as the former CEO of the Apple company, Steve
   Jobs, were all vegetarian. Many of the world’s conscious scholars
   and scientists of are vegetarian. George Bernard Shaw used to say,
   “Animals are my friends and I can’t eat my friends as food.”
2. Meat eating is also prohibited in the Hindu religion. It is said
   that human beings can’t eat meat without killing beings, and that God
   will never bless or have mercy upon a person who harms living beings.
   Therefore, give up eating non-vegetarian food. (Hindu Vows)
3. Though many religious practitioners preach about the matter
   of non-virtue and virtue as well as the non-virtue of eating meat, very
   few practice in reality. Therefore, Sakya Pandita, Master Kunga
   Gyalchhen, says: though many scholars teach what is Dharma (virtue)
   and what is non-Dharma (non-virtue), very few in this world practice
   in their lives after learning it.
4. Cutting off the five poisons, i.e. Ignorance, Attachment, Anger,
   Jealousy and Pride inherent in human beings is called “Sacrifice” in
   sacred texts. The killing of beings is the greatest vice, evil and ugliness. It is not a merit or a Dharma (virtue).
   Who are animal sacrifice eaters? a. Any of the worldly God-goddesses: at their altars various animals are sacrificed and eaten. Due to ignorance the devotees think that killing other beings or harming them is virtuous. In reality, these are non-virtues.
   b. Ghost or spirits who eat chickens and male goats sacrificed
   by Shamans (witch doctors).

c. Non-vegetarian people are actually eaters of animal sacrifice.
d. In any party, birthday, wedding feast etc. if meat is served,
this is like a direct sacrifice of animals for those enjoying the feast.
Just as ghosts, spirits, and worldly gods and goddesses will be unhappy
if they don’t cause others to eat meat and blood, likewise those coming
to attend the feast will be unhappy if meat is not served.

• Due to the ignorance of not knowing the future cause of our
  most serious suffering, we feed our guests by killing many animals and
  ordering meat for our children’s wedding party or other feasts. Because
  of ordering the meat based on the number of guests, those attending
  the feast will also accumulate the non-virtue of killing animals. In reality, sending an invitation card or inviting guests to any non-vegetarian feast is like calling all the guests together to hell. It is to invite them to take animal births and let them be slaughtered hundreds of times. So, why don’t we keep ourselves and others free from non-virtue by making vegetarian feasts for weddings, birthdays and other occasions?
• During our wedding feasts, we eat sinful delicious pieces of
  meat and celebrate with laughing and dancing, but we forget that behind that piece of meat lies a hidden story of suffering, agony, crying, bloodiness, extreme torture and pain.
• Using meat products in birthday parties is like preparing to
  take birth in the hell realms from an early age. If one wants to celebrate a real happy birthday and later also wants to celebrate the day of taking birth in heaven, a worthy happy birthday is when celebrating with vegetarian food along with performing rituals, reciting, visiting gompas and temples and if possible, receiving a long-life
  empowerment. To eat any animal meat is not a human right but it is an act of forceful killing, violence and terror. Helping to secure all animals’ right to live, to bring happiness, peace and wholesomeness in the world, let all of us take vegetarian food during wedding, birthday, and other feasts as well in daily life, and in this way accumulate merit.
• In the earliest times, human beings depended on plants as did
  other herbivores. Later they gradually started to make weapons of
  stone and wood and commenced to hunt animals. As human beings
  are seeking their right of freedom, animals are also seeking their own
  right of freedom. By realizing these things conscious people throughout
  the world are striving for animal rights.
• Plants and animals play a vital role for all sentient beings to
  live happily and blissfully on this earth. The preservation of large
  national parks and lake or ponds is done throughout the world.
  Countries where various animals and vegetation are protected become
  successful economically and socially. By realizing their importance,
  rare species and wildlife (animal) conservation acts have been passed.
• The structure of teeth and small intestines of human beings
  match the structure of teeth and small intestines of herbivores
  (vegetarian animals). Vegetarian animals need longer intestines to digest the fiber and cellulose. Human beings have small intestines of 7 meters and large intestines of 1.5 meters, all together 8.5 meters. Human beings and other vegetarian animals do not have claws. Carnivores have short small intestines as well as sharp teeth and claws. This indicates that human beings are naturally vegetarian, not meat eaters.
• Importance of vegetarian food.
  a. Improves health.
  b. Leads to progress in spiritual practice.
  c. Increases longevity.
  d. Causeless disease.
  e. More natural radiance and energy flows through
  the body.
  f. Helps release toxins from the body.
  g. Keeps body healthy by reducing acidity and
  increasing the alkaline level in the body.
  h. Increases the amount of enzymes and immunity
  power.
  i. Lowers high blood pressure and reduces heart
  disease.
  j. Reduces the risk of cancer.
• Disadvantages of eating non-vegetarian food.
  a. By increasing adrenaline in the body, it helps cause
  fear, doubt etc.

b. The channels (chakras) will not open properly
during spiritual practice and meditation will not be
sound.
c. Increases high blood pressure.
d. Increases heart disease.
e. Causes colon, stomach and other cancers.
f. Can transmit animal diseases.
g. Increases diabetes.
h. Increases renal (kidney) diseases.
i. Increases mental diseases.
j. Increases the acidic elements and increase gastritis,
constipation and rheumatic diseases.

1. Protein and other elements (vitamins) available in non-
   vegetarian food can be obtained from the following vegetarian food.

a. Various types of fruits and seeds: i.e. Almond,
Walnut, Peach, Pumpkin, Cashew nut etc.
b. Green vegetables: Celery, Mustard, Spinach,
Fennel, Lettuce etc.
c. Fruits: Orange, Banana, Papaya, Apple, Guava,
Mango, Grapes, Pineapple etc.
d. Seed Cereals: Rice, Wheat, Beans, Peas, Grams,
Pulses, Soybeans, Maize etc.

1. Why do people find giving up meat difficult?
   a. Due to increase in the habit of eating meat.
   b. Due to lack of alternatives due to birth in remote
   unfertile lands.
   c. Due to being raised in non-vegetarian culture since
   ancient times.
   d. Due to lack of moral education.
   e. Due to increased greed for meat as well as not
   being able to take the right decision.
   f. Due to not knowing or contemplating the suffering
   in the next life because of accumulating non-virtuous
   karma while eating meat.
   g. Due to not knowing the disadvantages of meat.
   h. Due to being selfish and lacking compassion.
   i. Due to not understanding the reality of the law of
   karma (cause and effect).

2.The meaning of eating vegetarian food is to respect the right
of all beings to live. If all beings want to live peacefully, happily and in
harmony, then it is the duty of conscious human beings to respect
them. Buddha Dharma has a key practice called “Tsethar”, according
to which we ransom animals about to be killed and save their lives.
According to one’s capacity, ransoming from one or two animals, the
great masters may spend millions of rupees yearly, and save up to
hundreds of thousands of animals’ lives. In this way, if we save the
lives of beings our life spans will be longer, we will be healthy and our
diseases will be cured. If we perform the prayer for the liberation of
those animals, in their next lives they will take rebirth in life where they will have the opportunity to practice the sublime Dharma.

• Dedication and prayer:
• By this merit, may all beings attain the state of omniscience
  (all knowing), By defeating the enemy of wrong doing, from the stormy
• waves of birth, old age, sickness and death, from the ocean of samsara,
• may all beings be free.
• As is the wisdom of Manjusri, so is that of Samantabhadra,
  following in their footsteps so that I may learn, I utterly dedicate all
  this supreme virtue.
• The victorious ones who appear in the three times praise these
  dedications as supreme, I dedicate all my roots of virtue towards the
  excellent conduct.
• Angela Simmons:
  “Eating Meat Is a Sin: Go Vegetarian”
  Pastry founder Angela Simmons spreads the message “Eating Meat
  Is a Sin: Go Vegetarian” in her provocative new ad for PETA, which
  she unveiled at The Paramount Hotel (see photos from the event).
  Angela a devout Christian, the daughter of Rev. Run, and the star of
  the hit MTV shows Run’s House and Daddy’s Girls was inspired by
  her uncle Russell Simmons to adopt a vegetarian diet.

“I really want people to know what happens to animals … Animals
have feelings, and I think it’s important we take action,” Angela explains.

Angela believes that God’s creatures deserve love and compassion
and wants to raise awareness about the billions of cows, pigs, chickens,and other animals suffering on factory farms.

Animals raised for food are crammed by the thousands into filthy
sheds and confined to wire cages, gestation crates, or barren dirt lots
without the opportunity to ever feel grass beneath their feet or sunshine on their backs. When they have grown large enough, animals on factory farms are crowded onto trucks and transported many miles through all weather extremes to the slaughterhouse, where they have their throats slit, are scalded alive, or have their bodies hacked apart “piece by piece,” as one meat inspector described.

About her vegetarian diet, Angela says, “I’m happy with it. I feel
lighter it’s a good feeling.” In addition to combating the cruelty of
factory farming, adopting a vegetarian diet is the best thing that you
can do for your health. Meat consumption has been linked to our
nation’s biggest ailments, including heart disease, obesity, diabetes,
strokes, and cancer. The American Dietetic Association states that
vegetarian or vegan diets “are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and
may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain
diseases.”

Check out PETA’s free vegetarian/vegan starter kit and browse
hundreds of free recipes to get your vegetarian diet going. Watch
Angela’s on-camera interview from the set of her PETA photo shoot
to learn more about why she chose to go vegetarian and for tips on
how you can help animals.

Do something good for yourself and for animals. Join Angela and
pledge to be vegetarian now!