In this episode I extemporaneously answer questions listeners have submitted by email, including: Why doesn’t Buddhism endorse veganism if the first moral precept is “do not kill?” What does it really mean to “let go” of a thought? And: Isn’t taking action – including compassionate action – always the result of being dissatisfied in some way?
In this I am trying something new! I have several questions submitted by listeners, and I’m going to respond to the extemporaneously – that is, without preparation. Naturally, my answers will rarely be complete (which is why I love preparing). But here goes… [Note that this means there is no written version of this episode; if you’re a reader, don’t worry – I will still be releasing full episodes you can read.]
[Preface to Neil’s question – In Episode 273, about the first precept “cultivate and encourage life,” I said: “At the most basic, literal level, this precept means not to take human life. Certainly, to do this even indirectly or accidentally has severe karmic consequences on us and others. It is valuable to extend the circle of non-harming beyond human beings, though, because killing any being or thing usually encourages us to disidentify with it and devalue it, seeing our own needs and wants as more important than its continued life. Many Buddhists are vegetarian for this reason, though in Zen we generally regard this as a personal choice. In any case, you are encouraged to be thoughtful about and/or grateful to anything you choose to kill.”]
Neil writes:
Episode 273 has made me question the validity of Zen as an enlightened practice. There is a statement in the episode that being vegetarian is a choice in Zen. As far as I can see the abused and slaughtered sentient beings are not given a choice. Being vegan is an ethical, moral and environmental imperative. If you believe in the notion of not killing then you cannot in any way accept the industrialised slaughter of sentient beings to satisfy your own pleasure. This moral and ethical ambiguity leads me to question the whole tradition of Zen
Care writes:
I often hear folks talk about letting thoughts go in meditation (like a cloud going by, etc.), but I don’t actually know what that means. At my current level of practice, my “letting go” looks more like using a fly swatter on any thought/emotion that arises. Could you clarify what it means to let a thought go?
Micah writes:
Is taking action not always the result of being dissatisfied in some way? You mentioned taking action in certain circumstances when one knows what to do, but if someone has discovered their true nature and has found some type of cosmic satisfaction, what would be a circumstance in which this person, or Buddha, takes action, given that this person is not wishing for things to be another way?
