Buddhism believes that animals are alive just like humans, so out of compassion for loving life, killing is not advocated. But some people think, don’t vegetables also have life?

Buddhism believes that animals are alive like humans, so out of compassion for loving life, killing is not advocated. But some people think, don’t vegetables also have life? Is eating vegetables not killing animals? Master Shuti, the abbot of Tongjue Temple in Taicang, gave an answer to this question.

Text/Master Shuti

According to Buddhism, life is divided into two forms. One is called "sentient life" and the other is called "sentient life." We humans and animals are sentient beings.

What is emotional consciousness? Any kind of animal has feelings. If it comes into contact with good things, it will feel very happy. If it comes into contact with bad things, it will feel pain and make choices. Therefore, we are "sentient beings."

The so-called "heartless life", for example, plants are not the subject of reincarnation, but only accompany our dependence. Mountains, rivers, vegetation, and rivers are the environment on which we depend, and they do not have emotions. Therefore, plants, mountains, rivers, and the earth are all merciless beings.

Sentient beings have emotions. If we kill sentient beings, they will feel pain, and they may jump up and kick us. Their pain is the same as our pain, and will generate hatred. Therefore, all sentient beings This kind of love and hate in the world is a cyclical and continuous cycle, so the main objects we do not kill are sentient beings.

As for the sentient beings, although they have birth and death, they are also life, but they have no emotional consciousness, and the main objects of our non-killing are sentient beings.

But for the heartless sentient beings, the Buddha said in the scriptures that we should not eradicate or harm the vegetation casually. We must cherish it. With this clean heart, we can build a good society. Therefore, it is called the pure land of the world, so that all sentient beings can be there. In a peaceful and serene environment.

For example, each of us needs to cut our fingernails. Why not cut our fingers? Plants themselves cannot feel pain. Why can't we cut hair at the same time? Some people may think this is inappropriate, but I mentioned it to illustrate the relationship between sentient beings and emotionless beings.

We always need food to nourish our lives, so we choose some heartless sentient beings without emotion, but do not pick them excessively, or harm other sentient beings. This is how vegetarianism in Buddhism is.

Today is Monday, are you vegetarian?

Picture source丨Ten Wish Encyclopedia

Photography丨Danzhen Wangmu, Miao Chuan, Ghosting