Reader：Lu Jing Hui (盧靜慧)

Topic: The Apex of Food Chain – A Sonata of Pure Meatless

Book: Master Cheng Yen’s Foot Print – Spring Volume (p 466- 531)

Schedule: 02/16 – 02/24

Translator : Elizabeth Wong (MY) 阮絲怡

Reviewer: Ho Joo Lim (MY) 何裕霖

Proof Read : Ong Mooi Lin (MY) 王美齡

The 5th day of Chinese New Year, is in the week where basically all business and factories are ready to open after the new year festivities. However, from the onslaught of Covid 19 Pandemic, there is the much of impermanence lurking all around the places. Going paperless by sending electronic Chinese New Year card to all my relatives, friends and donor-benefactors, some of them did replied to me, with multiple excuses of impossible, not treating oneself well etc.

Frankly speaking, of our past of fraught with ignorance and afflictions; some people do think that human is the apex predator of food chain in the world, and such eat those lesser beings. However, this is not true at all!

In Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s discourse: The pandemic that spreading around the world, for the human is helpless in preventing the virus from spreading. Only able to encourage one to be a vegetarian. For we shall not take the animal products into our mouth and not to eat those lesser sentient beings in the food chain. For this is as if we are pulling the animals by chain going into our mouth. ( PPT4 )

Since from recorded history of mankind, there is and will always be occurrence of great epidemic or pandemics. From modern science method of investigations, almost all the main source of infection is from animals spreading to humankind; advancement in science and technology still not able to fully prevent and found the treatment for those diseases.

Are we really so attached to our taste-buds in our mouth until the is no sparing of meat? Are we digging the graves for animals in our stomach or actually for ourselves?

Assistant Superintendent Dr Ling of Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital have mentioned: On this earth, there needs to have mutual co-existence of human and all animal. When there is imbalance in the ecosystems, then human would also suffer the brunt from the spreading of zoonotic diseases. That happened before, same as now of Covid Pandemic and even in the future, for the cycle would come again and again. Learning co-existence with the nature and its beings is the correct way to protect the humankind.

( Video of Master Cheng Yen discourse on vegetarian to mitigate disaster )

Loving oneself, loving animals, loving all lives, the is what the human beings should do, for only through this path there would be peace and tranquility in the world. Otherwise, if the 4 Elements is imbalanced, incurring the repetition 3 great disasters, then this is the collective karma of humankind. We only could encourage all to become vegetarian. When all able to protect and not killing sentient beings, then every difficulty is solved. The principles are very simple, though the afflictions and attachments nature of human is difficult to subdue.

The great education of human is filled with great challenges, to mitigate those ills of human mind is hard. For example, to encourage people to donate money and things to help others is easy whilst asking to be vegetarian is very difficult. When human opened their mouth, each second the life of over 2000 animal is gone, for the whole day it surmounts to over 200 million (excluding seafood). The mouth when opened wide then the killing already is horrendous. The cries of pain, their hatred and their vengeance is becoming strong and stronger by each minute. If, I say if all human could be having vegetarian meals all the time, there would not be killing of animals, loving and protecting the lives of all beings, instilling and nurturing hearts of love, then this is indeed a meritorious deed, this is the true way to mitigate disaster, this is then really creating true blessings.

Deepest gratitude for Master Cheng Yen’s wisdom words; the only we can do is to spread the goodness together, so the earth will be safe and peaceful. However, even everyone knows these basic truths, it is difficult to do so. Therefore, master hopes that everyone to spread the kindness and also to impact others to do so. Master impressed to the doctors and staff as they served such thing to people in tzu chi hospital.

Former President of United States of America, Mr. Clinton, owed his life by changing his dietary habits when he was suffering from life threatening cardiovascular disease. The change of diet is advocated by Dr. David Campbell who is a nutritionist. From his influence and status in the society, there is more of people adjusting and changing their diets for the sake of their health. For this healthy and nutritious 21 full plant diet is what we are promoting. We are thankful for the influence of those in the society and vegetarianism.

The recent Korean drama "Squid Game", which became a global sensation, even if we did not watch it, one would have heard of it. From the sharing of staff from Humanistic Education in the Volunteers Morning Briefing, quite many of them used Korean dramas as the topic for their technical diligence improvement. Just in September this year, the popular Kpop band BTS had attended in the United Nations General Assembly for " SDG Moment ", which is a conference related to the goal of sustainable development and management. Certain issues are also discussed such as recovering from the pandemic and combating climate change. In line with the theme of the conference, the band members wore "regenerative design" clothing to the podium that day.

The leader of the band RM said: “It’s not an easy topic, but in the process of preparing for this event, we learned that there are many students who are genuinely concerned about the environment and even choose these as their study. The future which no one yet has experienced, is where we are going to spend more time, so we are looking for answers of the right way to live. ”.

It's like the children in the Parable of Fire Mansion, not aware of the fire and do not seek the way out.

To know the truth and get the answer

To provide the meat supply, cattle and animal husbandry needs to rear over 70 billion animals. The breathing and waste product of the livestock and human amounts to great burden for the world; Human for their meat-eating ways, creates 10 times more of pollution. "To make the environment clean and the earth ecologically sustainable, we must start by changing our diet.

The awareness and action are most important, for in keeping silence would let the future generation never to see the any forest on earth.  There is a group of young people in Taiwan who are wise, they not only have awareness, but also continue to take action.

The Meatless Market, which is popular throughout in Taiwan, is coming to Hualien. Through the meatless market, these young people are spreading a new attitude of living without meat.

Founder of the Meatless Market, Ting-Hui Chang said: "Beside switching to vegetarian diet, we also can do is to educate everyone that how to care for the environment.”

Brother Guoqi mentioned that the most important point of their environmental philosophy is that they would not create any non-reusable garbage in this market.

In the cooperation with Tzu Chi Foundation and Tzu Chi University, the vegetarian like event will be held at Tzu Chi University for 2 days, through seminars, sharing of vegetarian recipes, musical performances, green market activities, they are spreading information about care for the earth.

Zhang Zhi Rui, another cofounder of Maetless Market said : “ For this occasion, there is a one day seminar in Hualien where we have invited numerous famous vegetarian icons and public figures to share how they being a vegetarian and living their ideal way of life.”.

In one of the discourses by Dharma Master Cheng Yen stating that we need younger generation to come in to continue the effort to care for the environment.:.

The Meatless Market speaking of the relationship between human and animal coexistence. Hoping such seeds of kindness is able to take hold and mature in everyone's heart.

 A famous writer is calling out everyone to be part of ecological protection:

If you still eat meat, please don't say you love animals.

If you still eat meat, please don't say you love the earth.

If you still eat meat, please don't say I love myself.

If you still eat meat, please don't say vegetarian is not nutritious.

If you still eat meat, please don't say vegetarian food is tasteless.

“I love animals, I love the earth, I love health.

 I am a vegetarian! Are you?”