Fuss about vegetarianism

Nice to meet you, Mizuki. I read your question.

Mizuki has always been worried about vegetarianism. The reason for this is that I don't understand why cows and pigs are judged to be superior or inferior in terms of pity.

Buddhism explains that mountains, rivers, grass, and trees all have the heart of a Buddha. So, as Mizuki said, I don't think it's possible to attribute superiority or inferiority to living things.

“Rice also has gods, so don't leave even one grain behind.”
“Appreciate all the food and have a meal”
The phrase “I take your life” was born from this kind of heart.

Even if you eat a vegetarian diet, you are getting your life.

Hello.

I agree. In particular, Japanese people think that brushes and needles also have a soul, and there are events such as “fudezuka” to store brushes that have been used, and “needle memorial services.”

As you said, rice and vegetables also have life. The nuclei of cells are composed of DNA, and the basics are the same for both animals and plants.
Also, is eating vegetables supposed to not kill “living things”? Pests and vermin are exterminated in order to grow vegetables, so I don't think that will happen.

With that in mind, it's impossible for us to live without killing our lives.

There is a “commandment of immortality” in Buddhism, but I think it is a commandment called “make use of” rather than “don't kill.”
Eat any kind of food without leaving anything behind, and use tools with care. I think that's what it is.

It made me speechless, but it reminded me of words that were talked about on “Twitter” before. Please refer to it as a way to deal with the mind when you meet such a vegetarian.
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Indians don't say that we eat beef are “barbaric” or “cows are sacred, so don't eat them,” and they say, “That's fine, isn't it? I like it because they say, “We don't eat it.”
”

Mizuki

You're worried about vegetarianism, aren't you? Like you, I feel that flowers, vegetables, and rice are alive. Cows and pigs are alive, and fish, insects, cockroaches, and pests are alive. That's why I feel hypocritical by animal protection groups against pet animals and people who protect dolphins and whales. Do you feel anything about “getting rid of” avian influenza or mad cow disease even though you make a fuss about not abandoning dogs and cats? Aren't those bags and shoes cow skin? It makes me want to stick around, so I won't come close.

I understand the atmosphere where cows are likely to be killed. Small animals are being forced to suffer a great deal of pain in medical research. They can get cancer, or have their internal organs and bodies cut while alive. To test whether the shampoo we use is safe, we even put shampoo in the rabbit's eye. We are the ones who have survived by doing this kind of thing. So it's not a problem if you don't eat beef or pork. But my opinion is that it's not okay to make excuses and be insensitive because you can't do it perfectly. It's not about what other people are, it's about who you are. I'm vegan (vegetarian). I don't buy leather or down products. When I buy soap, etc., I buy products from companies that have not tested on animals. Mosquitoes and cockroaches are caught with insect nets so they can escape. Even so, if you're walking, you're probably trampling ants, and if wasps build a nest, you may have no choice but to exterminate them. If you suffer from an illness, you will receive treatment and take medicine. But living as “non-lethal” as I could, made my heart feel at peace.

Gandhi, Schweitzer, Einstein, Plato, etc. are also vegetarians. Russian thinker Tolstoy said, “As a result of being made to believe that God allowed animals to be eaten, people stopped thinking that eating animals was a bad thing, but even if it is written in any book that killing or eating animals is not a crime, it is written in the human mind that animals must not be killed more clearly than in any book. As long as you don't kill your own conscience, everyone knows that.” Please find answers from “Mizutsuki's conscience” while valuing your sensibility for life. Senryu

I even think the feeling of becoming a vegetarian because I feel so sorry is childish. But when you dig in, it's a lot complicated.

Rice also has gods and life... This feeling is common in polytheistic countries. In Japan, they are called Shinto's 8 million (yayorozu) gods. However, this feeling is difficult for monotheists to understand. We must know that there are people who don't understand it.

The feeling that dolphins and whales are smart and shouldn't be killed makes us think, “Huh? What are you saying?” It's like that. Why is the treatment different? The Bible is in the background. In the Old Testament, the first humans are banished from the Garden of Eden as punishment for eating the forbidden fruit of wisdom. This is a metaphor for people discovering the uniqueness of human society and understanding the natural world. Therefore, for Westerners, having wisdom is not just a pity, but may also be close to a sense of family.

Conversely, unlike animals in the natural world, livestock are beings given to humans as food by God, the creator. When listing living things, they list people, fish of the sea, birds of the sky, domestic animals, animals of the earth... Domestic animals and animals are the same, but they are separate. “Livestock is livestock, so it's natural to treat them like livestock, right? What are you saying do it with whales?” That's the feeling. It seems that plants and trees are also given by God as food for living things.

Of course, I don't think so because I'm aware of the Bible. However, as a culture composed of a religious backbone, as a folk feeling naturally inherited from parents and people around them, it somehow became an idea in that direction.

For our part, I understand the logic, but I'm not convinced at all. But it's just like each other. “Rice also has gods. Even flowers have life.” I was told, “Huh? What are you saying?” There are also people who aren't convinced.

So first, let's understand that “ego is something we tend to unknowingly impose.” We must try not to criticize other countries or cultures lightly.
Then, if possible, get to know the roots of my beliefs, and say, “Values rooted in Buddhism and Shinto are values rooted in Buddhism and Shinto that are not distinguished as much as possible. Let's be able to clearly explain, “It's a problem even if it interferes there.” The actual percentage of fanatical people isn't as high as rumored.