If slaughterhouses had glass walls…
Sir Paul McCartney has been a vegan and animal rights activist for decades
We all know Sir Paul McCartney as part of The Beatles. His face was everywhere in the 1960s and 70s… billboards, record covers, magazine covers, etc. Thousands and thousands of people would scream and cry at the sight of him! How beautiful that Sir Paul uses his hard-earned celebrity power and fame for something beneficial. Something that has meaning. Something that releases the sufferings of others. I fold my hands to Sir Paul and thank him from the bottom of my heart for his compassion. We should take it from here and get this video seen everywhere…everywhere that we can…thank you again ahead of time.
You might be surprised to know that he is also a spokesperson for PETA. Under PETA’s “Action Center” on the website, there’s a video starring Sir Paul McCartney speaking about why people should go vegetarian.
Do read the article and watch the video below. It exposes what really goes on behind the bloody walls of slaughterhouses. It is very noble of Sir Paul McCartney to put in his star power for the animals.
Imagine being able to see every pig, cow, chicken and turkey being slaughtered…drowning in their own blood, screaming for help. Would you still be able to continue eating that hamburger from a fast food joint? I could not…
We cannot keep pretending that a piece of steak or a nugget comes from nothing. What you’re eating is somebody else’s flesh. Somebody else had to die for you to bite into that… well-cooked, medium, medium-rare, rare meat. You are eating somebody else’s body.
Does someone else really need to ask you to stop?
I HAVE A REQUEST – PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO NARRATED BY SIR PAUL McCARTNEY. PLEASE WATCH IT AND SPREAD IT EVERYWHERE… I BEG YOU FROM MY HEART.
Tsem Rinpoche
“If slaughterhouses had glass walls,
everyone would be vegetarian.”
– Sir Paul McCartney
Narrated by and starring Sir Paul McCartney, PETA’s shocking new video takes its inspiration from the most well-known quote in the animal rights movement and offers a brief glimpse behind the walls of slaughterhouses, factory farms, live-animal transport and the fishing industry.
By teaming up with PETA to produce the powerful video – titled, “Glass Walls” – Sir Paul is helping to uncover the horrific abuse that the meat and dairy industries inflict on animals to provide consumers with cheap burgers, nuggets and other products. He also explains the massive cost to the environment for which the meat industry is directly responsible.
Billions of individual animals are violently killed for their flesh every year – whilst others spend almost their entire lives confined in filthy, cramped conditions, where they are forced to produce seemingly endless supplies of eggs or gallons of milk.
“Glass Walls” goes deeper into the meat and dairy industries than any video we have produced before.
The video contains real-life footage of cows, chickens, sheep and other animals who are abused on factory farms across Europe and around the world – animals who all feel pain and fear just as you or I do and who were born to loving mothers solely so that one day, they could be killed and eaten.
This video is only a few minutes long, but most animals endure abuse like this for their entire lives.
“Glass Walls” is a must-see video for meat-eaters and vegans alike: ask yourself, “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, would I go vegetarian?” Watch the video, take the Pledge to Go Veg and then forward this to your friends.
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/IfSlaughterhouseHadGlassWalls.mp4
(Video and article extracted from: http://action.peta.org.uk/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=5&ea.campaign.id=5133)
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This video makes my heart drop, pain and tears keep dropping. After finishing watching the documentary I wish to become a vegetarian stages by stages and slowly transform my mind .
Sir Paul McCartney is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. He gained worldwide fame as the bass guitarist and singer for the rock band the Beatles, He is also a passionate voice for animal welfare and animal rights. Its an encouragement for others famous artist to join him to forgo meat.
The video “If Slaughterhouses Had Glass Walls,” is about the inhumane horrors of factory farming and the slaughter of billion of farm animals for food. Sad to watch the video, somehow manage to finished it. Animals raised on modern factory farms and killed in slaughterhouses endure almost unimaginable suffering and pain before the hour of death. We can reduce the pain, suffering and cruelty experienced by all farm animals by going on meatless or adopting a plant-based diet.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this.
It is very sad watching this video. I agree that many would be vegetarian if slaughter house has a glass wall. Many of my friends said that they do not want to watch this kind of video as it is so cruel and horrible and thinking that without knowing they can continue to eat meat. It’s like living in denial.
The video produced by PETA is good to create awareness. It is a great move that we have more celebrity supporting vegetarian diet and highlighting the cruel act in the slaughter house. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
Dear Rinpoche,
It is very nice to see celebrities being so out spoken about issues such as animal abuse and vegetarianism. They can influence a lot of young people out there to make a better choice and also raising the awareness of these issues by putting heir stardom into good use. When more and more people are aware of the abuse that went on in those so called “humane” slaughter house, eventually somebody will put an end to it. On the other hand, many youngsters have no idea how the meat in their dinner plate get harvested. If they know the pain and suffering that involved, they might be able to make a correct choice for themselves.
Humbly,
Chris Chong
Dear Rinpoche, I think everyone might not dare to eat meat of slaughter houses have glass walls. The workers not only slaughter them, they even torture them for fun. How can they do this, if they want to express their anger on something that won’t hurt them, I would rather them to smash their own pillows or bolsters. At least they don’t hurt anyone. And if they really wants to milk the cows, they should milk the cows in the old way. I can’t even imagine how much pain the animals are feelings. Especially when the fishes are suffocating. When can these kinds of actions stop?
It is so cruel how the people in the slaughter house treats the animals. It is just sad how these animals would have to be genetically made to grow so fast that they bodies will not be able to handle it. I will have never imagine that this is how the animals are being slaughtered. The screams an cries of theirs is just so heart daunting. They sound like little children crying for help.
Just look at how the people of slaughter house treats the animals, it is with so much cruelty. Just imagine if this continues on, how would it influence the younger generation? How are the younger generation going to be taught to be kind to both animals and people with these images and behavior being taught to them? It is just so sad to see that.
This is so sad. I will share the video to my friends in school in order to create more awareness. I hope that more people can could come across this vdeo. People only know how to eat but do not know the ugly side of the process. People should know the truth.
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
Love, beatrix.
This video is so sad. But is is true. I wish that people would see this video and understand the true reason why people should become vegetarian. I even like the name of the video, “If slaughter houses had glass walls”. I wish that they really did have glass walls, then so many people would be vegetarian. Because they can really see behind the scenes of animal slaughter. And they would realise the amount of pain the animals are being put in.
Instead of us using (and abusing) others, how about being their servant?
“If what you want is to liberate sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric suffering and enlighten them, you need to achieve enlightenment. If you want to achieve enlightenment, you need to practice bodhicitta. The bodhisattvas’ attitude is always day and night to totally dedicate their lives to be used by other sentient beings for their happiness. This is what they are seeking and wishing for all the time. You have to know that. If you feel like that, there is the opportunity to gradually become closer and closer to bodhicitta and have the realization. If you are able to change your mind into an attitude wishing to be USED by others for their happiness, this is EXACTLY what the bodhisattva’s attitude is.
“I often hear people say, “Oh, these people are just using me!” Even sometimes at meetings in our centers I hear this. That is because they are not practicing bodhicitta. One time I wrote a letter to a center saying, “Bodhisattvas want to be used by sentient beings.” That is what the bodhisattvas’ attitude is. They actually accept it. The worldly mind thinks that being used by others is bad, it is the worst thing, but bodhisattvas are most happy to accept this. If you want to achieve enlightenment, you have to practice bodhicitta and this is EXACTLY what the bodhisattvas’ attitude is. Their happiest practice is to be used by sentient beings. It is what they are always looking for.
“In the West, millions of people suffer from depression, but if you dedicate your life in the morning to numberless sentient beings, there is unbelievable joy and happiness the whole day. Cherishing the I opens the door to all suffering, while cherishing others opens the door to all happiness. When you live your life every day for others, the door to depression, relationship problems and all these things is closed and instead there is incredible joy and excitement.
With this bodhisattva attitude you become wish-fulfilling for others. All sentient beings have been wish-fulfilling and kind to you since beginningless rebirths and now you become wish-fulfilling for them. From this, all your wishes for happiness are fulfilled, even your wish to achieve liberation and enlightenment and to benefit others by causing them happiness this life, future lives, liberation and enlightenment. You become the cause of all this for others. This is how to overcome all problems.”
-From http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&id=697
In everything we do, there is positive and negative effects due to the nature of our existence. It is 100% correct you don’t eat meat. HH the Dalai Lama, the highest authority within Tibetan Buddhism recommends we do not eat meat, so that is all we need to remember. Buddha said, we should not lie, or get attached to drinking, singing, dancing, intimacies,entertainments and that we should spend our energies to become enlightened. Are we doing all die and not just the meat part?? People tend to pick what is convenient from the Buddha’s teachings to suit themselves. If we are going to follow Buddha’s teachings or quote, we may ask are you following everything Buddha says? If you are not, then rejoice when others follow the best they can and as much as they can. Since it is the right path for 21st century Buddhists to follow the no meat path, let’s do it. We have so much variety of food. Let’s eat the no meat diet and get on with our practice and basically compassionately go passed the criticisms. It is very simple, do not kill. So hence animals will not die in front of you to eat them…There is no good karma in eating meat..full stop, but definitely there is good karma refraining from eat. Many of the tantras when engaged in the practice prohibit meat as taught by Vajradhara. Many rituals we do in the great Monasteries prohibit meat so the rituals are more effective…..Many who are not monks or not living in the monasteries would never understand that. Reading from books, net or from dharma centres would never be the same as in the monastery. Again, eating meat does not gather good merits for our spiritual practice, avoiding does. Listen to some of wonderful Tenzin Palmo’s views on not eating meat. She is the great yogini who meditated for the longest time in the mountains.TR
Please sign to stop the seal hunt and Calgary Stampede. You can help stop:
. the clubbing of baby seals or any other form of seal killing
. the mass slaughter of elk and deer diagnosed with Mad Elk and Mad Deer Disease
. the Calgary Stampede which causes the brutal pulling apart of calves by cowboys on horses and many other cruelties.
http://www.petitiononline.com/seal
Thank you.
In the tantras such as Tara, White Tara, Vajrapani, Manjushri, Saraswati, Tsongkapa, Dukkar, Avalokitesvara, Oserchenma, Maitreya, etc, it is highly recommended you do not eat meat/eggs when you engage in their sadhanas, practice, retreats. When you do Tara Pujas (Drolchok), you are suppose to avoid meat or you shouldn’t engage in the pujas. In the Monastery, countless times we have to do Tara puja or engage monks to do for us, they have to avoid meat before coming..it was strict. If you are doing Naga pujas, you have to avoid meat and it is a must. There are many types of beneficial naga pujas such as Lutor, Lusang, etc that you avoid meat totally. There’s a very powerful Naga vase (Lubum), which my guru made and I have one for years now, and it is specifically for generating wealth for dharma activities. If you keep this vase, make proper offerings, then with the motivation of dharma, your financial resources will increase to fund the dharma works. 10 years ago, when I was literally down to a few dollars and struggled financially very badly, I called my Guru for divination, he said to get a Naga vase and then with some time it will be ok. He taught me how to make offerings and what to offer and not offer and one big no-no is meat. He said avoid meat…or in my thinking no wealth…LOL. Well I didn’t offer meat, after that yearly I can see growth in Kechara.So no meat in this case was worth it for growth to benefit others.
It seems eating vegetables and eating animals are both bad, in that case cut one out completely. Why do both. Our karmic ripening makes us take rebirth always in situations that we cannot avoid all situational karma as a natural by product. But we have a choice to make it less. No matter what we do or how we exist at our ordinary levels, we will accummulate negative karma. So we have to choose conscioiusly to lessen them. His Holiness Dalai Lama, many Tulkus/Geshes/monks in Gaden tells us go vegetarian. The beautiful Master Thich Nhat Hanh and the sacred Nun Rev Chen Yen of Taiwan (http://tw.tzuchi.org/en/index.php? ) with hundreds of centres around the world and the whole accomplished Mahayana Buddhism of China forbids meat.The current Karmapa banned all meats in the Monasteries. Before it was meat and vegetables/rice. Now no more meat. The trend is no meat.
I may have people object, but that is ok, as a Buddhist teacher for the rest of my life I will advocate a no meat diet, produce books, blog posts, works and inspirational examples toward Vegetarianism. If that lifestyle offends/angers others or they feel their spirituality is being put down because of that, I do apologize. But that is not my intent, but it is their perceptions speaking or their perceptions of my motivation for speaking about no meat..If it really upsets them, then they don’t have to visit my posts, my writings and my ideas…LOL…simple as that… In this day and age, when you say things ppl like, then they praise you as a great person, great Rinpoche, great teacher, if you say something slightly off, no matter how they ‘liked’ you in the past, it changes. It’s reflective of the times and dynamics of this day and age. As my guru says, if you practice/teach dharma these days, you become a white crow. LOL..
This article is so well put together http://thesravaka.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-we-have-lulled-ourselves-into-false.html
While surfing the webpage of a friend, I came across this music video advocating non-violence. It’s quite catchy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn9qWnGbZtw&feature=player_embedded
I shared this video on FB with a request that my friends also share it. A few of them did and that’s something at least. I tried a vegetarian diet a few years ago for health reasons, but didn’t stick with it. Being the only vegetarian in the house is difficult, and I wasn’t doing it for the right reasons at the time. In January my husband and I took module 1 of the FPMT course Discovering Buddhism at Maitripa college in Portland, Oregon in the United States. It was a life changing experience. I want to read everything I can get my hands on about Tibetan Buddhism. My husband is from Japan and was raised in the Nichiren tradition, but he too is drawn to Tibetan Buddhism. I’m so grateful that my eyes have been opened to the harm I was causing so many sentient beings by consuming meat.
Dear Jessi, What a beautiful sharing you posted here. I do appreciate what you wrote so much. I am so happy to hear about your honesty and candor. I am very happy of your spiritual journey. Beautiful… I will send you and your husband a special Lama Tsongkapa statue as a gift from me. Place it anywhere in your house and if you want a shrine ok, if you don’t, place anywhere. Tsongkapa will bless you journey. Please contact Beng Kooi, and she will arrange it.
Much light, wisdom and growth,
Tsem Rinpoche
Wow, thank you Rinpoche! I hope you don’t mind if I ask you one question. Which practice would you recommend for a beginner who is wanting to be less selfish and more compassionate to all living beings? I have a small shrine set up where I give offerings and I do a nightly Vajrasattva meditation recitation, but I feel like I should be doing more.
Dear Jessie,
Listen to the teachings I have given on the 8 verses of thought transformation. Also the teachings on Gaden Hlagyema (Guru Yoga of Tsongkapa)..both are on youtube. Practice these two strongly daily at all costs. And at the end of the Gaden Hlagyema dissolve Tsongkapa strongly into your mindstream and merge with your mind daily. Sit in that merger daily and realize your compassionate nature. I have taught it clearly…Listen and please study from there. Incorporate these practices in and be completely vegetarian without exceptions. I wish you luck and light, Tsem Rinpoche
Thank you Rinpoche. I’m happy to incorporate these into my daily practice! I will also stay vegetarian for the rest of my life, with no exceptions, and will try to convince my friends and family to do the same. Those that I can’t, well, maybe they’ll change their minds if I stay a good example. It’s hard to convince us hillbillies to give up meat, but clearly not impossible. Fare well where ever you may fare. 🙂
I would share this video wherever I can.I hope that eventually everyone would stop eating meat as meat is bad for their health and bad for the environment. I also know that eating meat would be generating a lot of bad karma for yourself and for the people who have to slaughter animals for a living.
As a Vajrayana practitioner, do you not partake of meat at vajra feasts? I am a great admirer of the late Kalu Rinpoche. Now in Sukumvati. He was very clear on this subject. On page 124-125 in his book, “Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism”,… he goes through the root Vajrayana downfalls. Let me please share downfall #13: “The thirteen root downfall concerns our attitude and approach to tantric practice and tantric ritual. If we are participating in a ganachakra or vajra feast, where ritual use of meat and alcohol is made, and we abstain from one of the other of these on the grounds that it is impure or that it is contrary to our convictions and principles, then we have failed to appreciate the view of tantra which attempts to transcend purity and impurity, attempts to transcend dualistic thinking, and we have failed to appreciate and take part in the spirit of that tantric transformation process. To indulge in this kind of superficial, dualistic clinging to appearances during the course of a tantric ritual is to commit the 13th root downfall and to go against the spirit of our tantric practice.”–(from a facebook comments post)
During tantric rituals, a tiny bit of meat, must be had for the greater view and greater good..which is to overcome clinging…but what I am talking about is daily consumption of meat…steaks, fried chicken, pork chops, leg of lamb, turtle soup, sharksfin, duck, rabbit stew, frog legs, clams, seafood chowder, sushi, and all the other animals slaughtered daily for our taste buds…. If we give up all meat eating and meat consumption then let’s talk about tsok meat. HH Kyabje Zong Rinpoche mentioned in Los Angeles, we can take some tsampa and put a few drops of alcohol on it in place of meat when we cannot get it for tsok…..that can be used for meat. In Tibet Kyabje Zong Rinpoche would do that. Tsem Rinpoche
This is from the very good source on Buddhist Vegetarianism recommended by Dennis, http://vegpeace.org/buddhistvegetarian.html :
One positive development within modern society is the way in which, together with a growing appreciation of the importance of human rights, people are coming to have greater concern for animals. For example, there is growing recognition of the inhumanity of factory farming. It seems, too, that more and more people are taking an interest in vegetarianism and cutting down on their consumption of meat. I welcome this. My hope is that in the future, this concern will be extended to consideration for even the smallest creatures of the sea.
– Ethics for the New Millennium, p. 157
Eventually, we need some kind of worldwide movement for more vegetarianism, to check those beef farms, poultry farms, fisheries and shrimp,… One plate of shrimp, too many lives,…
– MyFoxDC.com
http://vegpeace.org/buddhistvegetarian.html
I used to love the Chinese chilli oil with shrimp as one of the ingredients. Well, not LOVE it, exactly, more like relish it because eating them is not love, it is more like predatory ignorance I indulged in.
I am vegetarian now and have no desire to eat them, especially after seeing the videos which Rinpoche is so skillfully showing us to awaken our compassion and reading the words of Buddha Shakyamuni on the effects of meat eating.
Sometimes, when I feel my arrogance and self-centredness rising too much, I watch some more to remind me of the real problem and hence re-orientate my focus away from my own self-centred concerns, which are the cause of grief and bad karma for the future, towards the profound suffering of all beings in Samsaric existence.
I can barely watch, I have to almost force myself each time, but it is so effective in reminding me what is truly important. All my vanity is shown for what it is, in the face of such tragic and unnecessary agony, fear and helplessness. Especially the helplessness. We have to do something to help them.
Dear Friends,
You can read Shakyamuni Buddha’s words on the effect of killing and his words on the effect of protecting Life, here:
Suttas : Majjhima Nikaya III (Calakammavibhanga Sutta)
“Young man, a certain woman or man destroys living things, is fierce with bloody hands, engaged in destroying living things without compassion. On account of that action, accomplishment and undertaking, after death he decreases, is born in hell. After death, if he does not decrease and is not born in hell, and if born with humans, wherever he is born, has short life. Young man the behaviour of destroying living things, being fierce with bloody hands, engaging in destroying living things without compassion, is conducive to be born with short life.
Young man, a certain woman or man gives up and abstains from destroying living things, throws away stick and weapon ashamed, and abides with compassion for all living things. On account of that action, accomplishment and undertaking, after death he increases, is born in heaven. After death, if he is not born in heaven, and if born with humans, wherever he is born, has long life. Young man the behaviour of giving up and abstaining from destroying living things, throwing away stick and weapon ashamed, abiding with compassion for all living things, is conducive to be born with long life.
Young man, a certain woman or man by nature, hurts beings with hands, clods, sticks or weapons. On account of that action, accomplishment and undertaking, after death he decreases, is born in hell. After death, if he does not decrease and is not born in hell, and if born with humans, wherever is born, he has many ailments. Young man the behaviour of hurting beings with hands, clods, sticks or weapons, is conducive to be born with short life.
Young man, a certain woman or man by nature does not hurt beings with hands, clods, sticks or weapons. On account of that action, accomplishment and undertaking, after death he increases, is born in heaven. After death, if he is not born in heaven, and if born with humans, wherever he is born, he has few ailments. Young man the behaviour of not hurting beings with hands, clods, sticks or weapons, is conducive to be born with few ailments.”
http://mpbvf.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/suttas-majjhima-nikaya-iii-calakammavibhanga-sutta/#more-126
Two Poems:
千百年来碗里羹，怨深似海恨难平。
欲知世上刀兵劫，但听屠门夜半声。
夜半声 夜半声，怨深似海恨难平。
欲消世上刀兵劫，莫把众生肉作羹。
Thousands of years of meat broth in bowls,
contain resentment deep as the sea with hatred hard to resolve.
If we wish to know the cause of war,
just listen to the sounds of the slaughterhouse at midnight.
Sounds at midnight, sounds at midnight,
contain resentment deep as the sea with hatred hard to resolve.
If we wish to diminish the cause of war,
please refrain from making beings’ flesh into broth.
– Chan Master Yuan Yun (Song of Lives Protection)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Same advice as Tsem Tulku Rinpoche gives today, “Widely urging the world to liberate animals and refrain from killing”:
Master Hongyi
是亦众生，与我体同，
应起悲心，怜彼错蒙。
普劝世人，放生戒杀。
不食其肉，乃谓爱物。
Since they are also sentient beings with bodies like mine,
One ought to give rise to compassion and empathise with those who have done wrong.
Widely urging the world to liberate animals and refrain from killing,
Not eating their meat is to love them.
http://www.moonpointer.com/bvf.php
Here is a comment which another person left on the same topic:
“I feel angry that farm animals are treated so savagely in parts of the world and there is no decent law to protect them. We expect dogs to work to protect us, then in China they are skinned alive for their fur, we use horses for entertainment, racing/jumping etc, then cram them into lorries drag them half way around the world then when they are half dead from exhaustion kill them for horsemeat. When are we going to admit that all animals are sentient beings, are we going to wait until there are no tigers in the wild, we are down to the last handful of amur leopard, and yet we are still cutting down forests and not learning from mistakes. No wonder we are having so many natural disasters lately, its the world fighting back against the greed and cruelty that will never seem to stop. Only 1 world we have, when are we going to start looking after it, and share it with other creatures.”
This is on the Yahoo News website, so there are all kinds of people and views. In such a place, the compassionate view and voice matters enormously.
You will feel sad reading some of the comments and it will strengthen your resolve, because you can see how compassion for others is so precious, rare and needs to be cultivated.
Dear Friends,
If you wish to add your voice to the rising political debate in the UK surrounding animal welfare in the food industry, you may do so by visiting and leaving your comment at:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/blogs/talking_politics/animal-welfare-matters-more-than-free-trade-p176118.html
I was surprised to see this topic now and realised I had an opportunity to present people for years to come via the internet with a message of concern for animals and their unbearable suffering. If it even influences one person I will be happy.
This is what I chose to post, which includes the link for the Paul Mc Cartney video (big respect to Paul Mc Cartney for creating this video you cannot ignore):
Animal Welfare is extremely, extremely important.
Why?
Because these animals are living, conscious, *feeling* beings with emotions, just like *ourselves* and to see the suffering they undergo, from their birth to the agonising pain they suffer while being kept in captivity to the horrendous way their death is carried out, to see it is enough to break your heart and change the way you see animals forever.
You can see that here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4YX_iVWIe0&feature=player_embedded
You cannot ignore the pain in their eyes, the despair, the depression of their living conditions, their screams of pain and terror at death as they drown in their own blood, suspended by their legs upside down.
You want them to never have to experience such unbearable suffering ever again. To live in peace and in comfort and dignity, and never have to experience suffering ever again.
Are you brave enough to see the truth of these beings who die so reluctantly and agonisingly to satisfy an unthinking trade?
You can do something different.
You can save precious lives.
According to this website, http://www.moonpointer.com/bvf.php , these are the Global Slaughter Statistics for 2003:
45,895,000,000 (45.9 billion) chickens
2,262,000,000 (2.3 billion) ducks
1,244,000,000 (1.2 billion) pigs
857,000,000 (857 million) rabbits
691,000,000 (691 million) turkeys
533,000,000 (533 million) geese
515,000,000 (515 million) sheep
345,000,000 (345 million) goats
292,000,000 (292 million) cows and calves (for beef and veal)
65,000,000 (65 million) other rodents (not including rabbits)
63,000,000 (63 million) pigeons and other birds
23,000,000 (23 million) buffaloes
4,000,000 (4 million) horses
3,000,000 (3 million) donkeys and mules
2,000,000 (2 million) camels (and other camelids)
TOTAL: 52,794,000,000
United States: 9,116,248,000
The numbers only include land animals slaughtered for food for which records were taken. They do not include the billions of marine animal killed each year. They do not include the millions of animals killed in laboratories, fur farms, animal shelters, zoos, marine parks, or circuses. Nor do they include the animals killed by human negligence, blood sports, abuse, or extermination attempts.
Did you see the video where the lady is having difficulties trying the vegan diet because of addiction to fast food? Sometimes there can be problems like that, but people can get through them. It takes a while for your body to adjust if it’s used to lots of toxins like that, perhaps? http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Struggling-with-the-Vegan-Challenge-Video
After seeing the cows on the Paul Mc Cartney video, I really want to give up milk now or at least find an ethical source where the cows are in good conditions, I suppose a bit like some of the farms here which my friends have. But I don’t know if they’re really 100% good because that would take a special level of care. So…because a lot of my protein comes from cheese (mostly Mozzarella)I need to find an alternate source of protein. Anyone have any good ideas? Tofu is great but not so readily available here, although it can be obtained with some effort and a very good fresh one at that, from the Chinese supermarket.
I wonder what the living and dying conditions of hens in the organic and free-range egg industry are like, also?
Thank you for sharing this with us Rinpoche. It is shocking to hear this truth but always always necessary and important to remind ourselves of what really goes on in those slaughterhouses. It is true – why wouldn’t we eat our pet dog, but we’d happily eat a chicken? The suffering is equal and terrible.
I’ll definitely be sharing this on facebook and via email too.
I think the only reason people wouldn’t want to watch this is simply because they’re too selfish and want to keep eating meat, so they don’t want to be “put off” from watching this.
If anyone is unsure of the horrors of Samsara, they won’t be after watching this video. It makes you feel horror about falling into the three lower realms, and the horror that your fathers and mothers might fall into there is even worse. You couldn’t take it, even to see them is too painful for you to bear.
I think it makes people more determined to free them from their suffering when they see the truth of their actual, unbearable suffering like this.
What do these beings need most? Immediate help, of course, but also towards ultimate freedom from suffering?
If it is merit, people to dedicate oceans of merit for their release from the three lower realms, positive connections with the Trikaya and ultimate liberation from suffering?
What is the Buddhist view/approach to this?
After watching the video on how animals are killed and kept in the slaughter houses. I would agree with Sir Paul McCartney if people who can see through the walls of slaughter houses, and how the animals are kept and killed for their dinner plate will change their minds on eating meat. If these are normal people with emotions they will become vegetarian. Sometimes people need to be triggered with proof for them to realise and how they would feel of the sufferings if they were to be in the animals place. Promoting no meat eating is also good because it will prevent people from collecting more bad Karma from killing.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this video by Sir Paul McCartney.
I could not stand watching more than a few minutes, a shame in itself being that the pain I feel is a grain of sand in the vastest desert compared to the suffering of these animals. If even that. I truly admire the level of compassion and courage the ones who stand to bear witness to acts like these possess. I can only hope to develop such a strength myself, being that my determination to continue loving all animals and staying vegetarian sharpens tremendously by watching this kind of suffering.
For God’s sake, this needs to stop.
The whole World should go vegetarian.
It’s not even that difficult.
When you compare giving up meat with the suffering, it’s obvious what to choose.
I couldn’t even watch the whole video, it is too painful even to see.
I am going to share this on Facebook and YouTube.
Dear Pali, I would be happy if you shared this as much as possible. TR
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you, Rinpoche, I am happy to think of your happiness. Your completely dedicated and untiring example inspires us to honour our responsibility to those who are helpless to help themselves.
For a short time, we hold the influence to increase awareness and effect change, and the importance of grasping that opportunity while it remains is paramount.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for all of your help, I really do appreciate it. Please, along with all realised beings, stay in this world a long time and lead each and every one of us to ultimate liberation.
My apology, but brackets around my abovementioned sites didn’t allow HTML publishing here. Thus, I’ve removed them from the pertinent paragraphs, which I’ll repeat here for those interested. Thank you so much for caring about other living beings’ suffering. Big Love and respect for all life. . .Dennis
The following site, MONIQUE, lists vegetarian restaurants, worldwide: http://www.greenpeople.org/restaurants.htm
Another listing vegetarian restaurants and health-food stores (over 8000 in more than 100 countries) is at:
http://www.happycow.net/raw/raw_living.html
Also, know that one of the best books I’ve found on the compassionate practice of not eating fellow sentient beings is “Food of Bodhisattvas: Buddhist Teachings On Abstaining From Meat” by one of Tibet’s greatest saint-scholars, Shabkar Natshok Rangdrol (ISBN 1-59030-116-1), available for $11.96 at Shambhala Publications:
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/1-59030-116-1.cfm
A website full of Buddhist teachers speaking out against meat-eating is at:
http://vegpeace.org/buddhistvegetarian.html,
They also provide vegetarian recipes at:
http://vegpeace.org.
Description of “Food of Bodhisattvas”: Based on the teachings of the Buddha, this book offers the most compelling and impassioned indictment of meat-eating to be found in Tibetan literature and is pertinent to anyone interested in vegetarianism as a moral or spiritual issue. The Buddha’s teachings show how destructive habits can be examined and transformed gradually from within. The aim is not to repress one’s desire for meat and animal products by force of will, but to develop heartfelt compassion and sensitivity to the suffering of animals, so that the desire to exploit and feed on them naturally dissolves. There are two texts presented here. One is an excerpt from Shabkar’s “Book of Marvels,” consisting of quotations from the Buddhist scriptures and the teachings of masters of Tibetan Buddhism that argue against the consumption of meat, with Shabkar’s commentary. The second, the “Nectar of Immortality,” is Shabkar’s discourse on the importance of developing compassion for animals. The Shabkar website is at:
http://www.shabkar.org
Thank you for this excellent information and the links, Dennis. I am enjoying reading through them.
The following site, Rinppoche, lists vegetarian restaurants, worldwide: . Another listing vegetarian restaurants and health-food stores (over 8000 in more than 100 countries) is at: .
Also, know that one of the best books I’ve found on the compassionate practice of not eating fellow sentient beings is “Food of Bodhisattvas: Buddhist Teachings On Abstaining From Meat” by one of Tibet’s greatest saint-scholars, Shabkar Natshok Rangdrol (ISBN 1-59030-116-1), available for $11.96 at Shambhala Publications . A website full of Buddhist teachers speaking out against meat-eating is at , and they also provide vegetarian recipes at .
Description of “Food of Bodhisattvas”: Based on the teachings of the Buddha, this book offers the most compelling and impassioned indictment of meat-eating to be found in Tibetan literature and is pertinent to anyone interested in vegetarianism as a moral or spiritual issue. The Buddha’s teachings show how destructive habits can be examined and transformed gradually from within. The aim is not to repress one’s desire for meat and animal products by force of will, but to develop heartfelt compassion and sensitivity to the suffering of animals, so that the desire to exploit and feed on them naturally dissolves.
There are two texts presented here. One is an excerpt from Shabkar’s “Book of Marvels,” consisting of quotations from the Buddhist scriptures and the teachings of masters of Tibetan Buddhism that argue against the consumption of meat, with Shabkar’s commentary. The second, the “Nectar of Immortality,” is Shabkar’s discourse on the importance of developing compassion for animals. The Shabkar website is at: .
KEEPING IN MIND Benjamin Disraeli’s words–“The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages may be preserved by quotation!”–the following represents a random act of human kindness for those who know how to appreciate both, from our sisters and brothers who’ve courageously sought both before us on this supremely compassionate action we can all choose to make our life’s practice:
“To educate our people, and especially our children, to humane attitudes and actions toward living things, is to preserve and strengthen our national heritage and the moral values we champion in the world.”–John F. Kennedy
“I do not see any reason why animals should be slaughtered to serve as human diet, when there are so many substitutes. After all, man can live without meat.”–Dalai Lama
“Killing animals for sport, for pleasure, for adventure, and for hides and furs is a phenomena which is at once disgusting and distressing. There is no justification for indulging is such acts of brutality.”–Dalai Lama
“It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human body’s temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of humankind.”–Albert Einstein, 12.27.30
“And in fasting, if he be really and seriously seeking to live a good life, the first thing from which he will abstain will always be the use of animal food, because. . .its use is simply immoral, as it involves the performance of an act which is contrary to the moral feeling–killing.”–Leo Tolstoy (author)
“It is beneficial to one’s health not to be carnivorous. The strongest animals, such as the bull, are vegetarians. Look at me. I have ten times as much good health and energy as a meat-eater. My hearse will be followed not by mourning coaches, but by herds of oxen, sheep, swine, flocks of poultry and a small, traveling aquarium of live fish, all wearing white scarves in honor of the man who perished, rather than eat his fellow creatures.”–George Bernard Shaw (author)
“Flesh eating is unprovoked murder.”–Benjamin Franklin
“Imagine the room filled with 45 or 50 people with empty bowls in front of them. For the feed cost of your steak, each of their bowls could be filled with a full cup of cooked cereal grains.”–Frances Moore Lappe (“Diet For A Small Planet”)
“In studying the traits and dispositions of the so-called lower animals, and contrasting them with man’s, I find the result humiliating to me.”–Mark Twain (author)
“The fate of animals is of greater importance to me than the fear of appearing ridiculous.”–Emile Zola (author)
“If one is trying to practice dhyana (spiritual meditation) and is still eating meat, he would be like a man closing his ears and shouting loudly, and then asserting that he heard nothing. . . . How can a bhikshu (student of spirituality) who hopes to become a deliverer of others, himself be living on the flesh of other sentient beings? . . .S/he who causes suffering shall suffer; there is no escape.
“To avoid causing terror to living beings, let the disciple refrain from eating meat. . . .The food of the wise is that which is consumed by the sadhus (holy men); it does not consist of meat. . . .There may be some foolish people in the future who will say that I permitted meat-eating, and that I partook of meat myself, but. . .meat-eating I have not permitted to anyone, I do not permit, and I will not permit meat-eating in any form, in any manner, or in any place; it is unconditionally prohibited for all.”–Gautama Buddha, 5th Century, B.C. (“Dhammapada”; to read Gautama’s “Lankavatara Sutra on Meat Eating,” pull up )
“And God said, behold, I have given you every herb-bearing seed which is upon the face of the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree-yielding seed; to you, it shall be for meat.”–Genesis 1:29
“Kill neither men nor beasts, nor yet your food which goes into your mouth, for if you eat living food, the same will quicken you, but if you kill your food, the dead food will kill you, also, for life comes only from life, and death comes always from death, for everything which kills your food, kills your bodies also. . .and your bodies become what your foods are, even as your spirits, likewise, become what your thoughts are.”–Jesus (“Essene Gospel of John”)
Thank you so much, Rinpoche, for continually showing this superb video for upleveling consciousness about incredible cruelty to the more than 50 billion animals slaughtered each year, worldwide. Personally, I’ve been vegetarian/vegan since 1968, and have lived at optimum health, happiness and healing power that entire time, having no need to see an allopath for anything more than a few broken bones from motorcycle and cycling accidents.
For those carnivores wishing to contemplate further changes in your own diet, which scientific evidence now proves adds DIRECTLY to the progressive degradation of our Mother Earth through climate change, as we speak, you may find the following sites educational:
• “Livestock’s Long Shadow”:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.HTM
• “Rearing Cattle Produces More Greenhouse Gases Than Driving Cars”:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=20772&Cr=global&Cr1=warming#
• “What’s Wrong With What We Eat,” by bestselling cookbook author, TV personality, and “New York Times” food writer Mark Bittman:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/mark_bittman_on_what_s_wrong_with_what_we_eat.html
• “Vegetarianism Is the New Prius”:
http://www.alternet.org/environment/47668?page=1
• “Sustainable Table: Serving Up Healthy Food Choices”:
http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/animalwelfare/
• “Why Are We Against Wearing Fur, But OK with Eating Meat?”:
http://www.alternet.org/story/149020/why_are_we_against_wearing_fur%2C_but_ok_with_eating_meat
I will share this video and post it in as many places as possible so that people gain awareness… I hope that more people will realise where the meat on their dinner plates comes from. So many people who live in the city have a disconnect between the food on their plate which doesn’t look like an animal and the actual animal, so this video should give everyone food for thought.