Question asked by Jason
Hi I'm having trouble practicing bodhicitta… For the most part I'm a mild mannered kind and caring person… My trouble starts when it's meal time. I am a carnivore. I understand logically and emotionally that meat and cheese and milk products come form the suffering and murdered animals. And I understand via the lamrim that these creatures have once been my mother, but once a steak or a nice roasted pork is set in front of me my mind goes blank and any dharma I try to retain goes flying out the door. Instead an unimaginable beastly hunger takes over and before I know it I've eaten the whole bloody thing. I have tried to look at this hunger through the lense of renunciation but again as soon as meat appears the hunger sets in and I can't think straight. What should I do?
Dear Jason,
Thank you for your question. I’m very happy to read that you are practicing Bodhicitta, and trying to improve your spiritual life by doing so. First, let me start off by saying that spiritual transformation is a process, it won’t happen over night. And as part of that process, some of us have difficulties overcoming certain behaviours or habit. Other people will have difficulties in other areas or habits. It’s all part of the process and is very unique to each individual.
The Lamrim is very good text to learn about bodhicitta, and the areas in which it discusses about the suffering of the animal realm is extensive. It is a good text to follow in this regards. Sometimes however, it may be difficult for us to actualise these teachings, therefore we can use other methods to help us. In this case, HE Tsem Rinpoche used to use things like documentaries, articles, etc, to help us come to actualise positive habits in our Dharma path. On this topic, Rinpoche had close students watch the following documentary twice a year: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/earthlings.html It is a very good documentary to watch about the suffering of animals and why we should go vegetarian. Perhaps you can watch it to aid your practice?
There are also many other articles on this category about the topic: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/animals-vegetarianism You should read them and contemplate them also. Overtime you will be able to overcome the tendency to eat meat. Remember it won’t happen over night, it is a process as with any teaching on the spiritual path. I hope this helps.