Vegetarianism for Heriosm II

03.08.2015

Did you know that eating meat can not only harm your health but even harm the earth? It's surprising how we've been eating meat almost all our lives and never known this fact. The workshop on compassion by Jangsa Tshether Tshogpa, an animal saving organisation, was yet another enlightenment. This morning when I checked my college webmail, I was so happy to see the message that Jangsa was going to come to our college. Just over a year ago, they visited our school in Punakha to educate us on the sucidal issues and I tell you, it wasn't the kind of workshop where you would be falling asleep or scribbling some cartoons pretending to be listening. The workshop went all day long but I wasn't even a bit tired. This team of volunteers brings up very reasonable talks and I always get inspired. I am especially very amazed with one of the speakers, Phuntshok Rabten, who I hear is also a writer. I am so glad that today he spoke on "Dharmic Science," something I have always been confused about. But what was more appealing to me was the big package of facts about vegetarianism. So this is why the second part of my article, "Vegetarianism for Heroism" comes up.

First of all, I am very happy that I got to listen to the presentation and suppress my wildest love for meat. Well, at least for a while. I cannot assure till when, but after Phuntshok Rabten explained everything, I had this strong urge to stop eating meat. But I had the same urge a few years back when I watched the documentary. And now I eat it again like I have never seen how animals go through merciless pains. So I'm not sure how long the effect of the workshop would last in me. But I'm really going to try this time. May be I should keep reminding myself that one reason why millions of people die of starvation is because we consume meat. Statistics tell us that kilos and kilos of grains are exported to big animal farms and slaughter houses, which shortens the resources for those poor people who cannot afford to have meals like us.  So we are the ones who eat those animals fed with the grains which actually could have saved the lives of those people undergoing starvation. So we are not just ending the lives of those poor animals but also bringing the lives of other human beings at stake. We are indirectly killing millions of people just to fill in our dinner plates and proudly say, "Ah, it's chicken, or pork." Aren't we so selfish?

I was never aware of this fact that a cow produces more carbon dioxide than a car. This logically explains that being a vegetarian can help the atmosphere from being contaminated. So this is one thing we've been ignorant about saving the ozone layer or the atmosphere.

Phuntshok Rabten said that humans are not designed to survive on meat. The set of teeth we have is designed to crush grains and plants like those of cows'. Furthermore, think about the millions of species that exist on the earth. And think whether we equally share the mother earth. Who authorized humans to be the most dominating of all other species? We are not only highjacking their resources but also eating them as our meals. How more selfish can we be? We are so cruel. But  we are very intelligent. We have euphemised the concept of killing other species and eating them. Huge concrete walls cover the pains of so many animals and when they come out of it, they come packaged in nice labels. So for us it's just like buying a packet of gum when we are actually buying a cow who felt it's own blood being collected in a bowl and its head being separated from the body.

Every now and then, millions of lives are slayed for us and all we do is rejoice over a great meal. Climbing mountains, fighting and winning a game has created heroes. How can we not stop killing animals and not eat meat? I feel a complete hypocrite saying these things but I am really trying. I say this once again that if you can become a vegetarian, you are a true hero!