One Reply to “Live Discussion (9:00AM AEST on 17 May 2020)”
Sadhu, Bante Sujato! Sadhu! I am grateful for your compassion and wisdom.
If I may just add a somewhat off-topic thought, as a fellow former animal activist and as a vegan of nearly 30 years, Bhante’s account of his past participation with the ALF (which I applaud and causes me to wonder how ‘hiri’ and, perhaps, ‘karuna’ arise differently for people) caused me to recall an account I heard decades ago (perhaps told by Rynn Berry (?) at a “Compassionate Living Festival,” organized by Tom and Nancy Regan, in Raleigh, NC, USA) about Sunryu Suzuki and vegetarianism. I have found it recounted at the bottom of this page: https://www.lionsroar.com/suzuki-roshi-at-tassajara/ . If I may copy about 20 sentences from the page, the pertinent section reads as follows:
‘… Suzuki had again crushed a finger while resetting stones, this time at the base of a wall at Tassajara. It swelled up and turned purple. Bob Halpern drove him into Carmel, making a special effort to sit up straight and not to talk for the first few miles, but then he started asking Suzuki about Buddhism and vegetarianism. Suzuki promptly went to sleep.
‘The finger wasn’t broken. The doctor drilled into the nail to relieve the pressure, wrapped it up, and told him to keep it high.
‘Walking past the Carmel boutiques, Suzuki said to Bob, Let’s eat, I’m hungry.” Bob started looking for a restaurant where they could get a vegetarian meal. “Let’s eat here,” said Suzuki, going into a little hamburger joint while Bob mumbled,“But, but…”
‘Bob studied the menu with horror.
‘“You haven’t had any meat in a long time, have you?” Suzuki said to him.
‘“No, Roshi, not in two years. No animal food. No dairy or eggs.”
‘“That’s very good,” Suzuki said, as the waitress walked up. “You order first.”
‘“I’ll take a grilled cheese sandwich.” It was the best he could do with that menu.
‘“Hamburger please,” said Suzuki, “with double meat.”
‘Their food arrived and they each took a bite. “How is it?” asked Suzuki.
‘“Not bad.”
‘“I don’t like mine,” Suzuki said, “Let’s trade.” With that he picked up Bob’s sandwich and replaced it with the double-meat hamburger. “Urn, good. This is good. I like grilled cheese.”’
If I may add a coda, I guess, personally, this account recurringly wakes me to my _attachment_ to veganism and to ethical stands in general. I wonder how it resonates for others?
Sadhu, Bante Sujato! Sadhu! I am grateful for your compassion and wisdom.
If I may just add a somewhat off-topic thought, as a fellow former animal activist and as a vegan of nearly 30 years, Bhante’s account of his past participation with the ALF (which I applaud and causes me to wonder how ‘hiri’ and, perhaps, ‘karuna’ arise differently for people) caused me to recall an account I heard decades ago (perhaps told by Rynn Berry (?) at a “Compassionate Living Festival,” organized by Tom and Nancy Regan, in Raleigh, NC, USA) about Sunryu Suzuki and vegetarianism. I have found it recounted at the bottom of this page: https://www.lionsroar.com/suzuki-roshi-at-tassajara/ . If I may copy about 20 sentences from the page, the pertinent section reads as follows:
‘… Suzuki had again crushed a finger while resetting stones, this time at the base of a wall at Tassajara. It swelled up and turned purple. Bob Halpern drove him into Carmel, making a special effort to sit up straight and not to talk for the first few miles, but then he started asking Suzuki about Buddhism and vegetarianism. Suzuki promptly went to sleep.
‘The finger wasn’t broken. The doctor drilled into the nail to relieve the pressure, wrapped it up, and told him to keep it high.
‘Walking past the Carmel boutiques, Suzuki said to Bob, Let’s eat, I’m hungry.” Bob started looking for a restaurant where they could get a vegetarian meal. “Let’s eat here,” said Suzuki, going into a little hamburger joint while Bob mumbled,“But, but…”
‘Bob studied the menu with horror.
‘“You haven’t had any meat in a long time, have you?” Suzuki said to him.
‘“No, Roshi, not in two years. No animal food. No dairy or eggs.”
‘“That’s very good,” Suzuki said, as the waitress walked up. “You order first.”
‘“I’ll take a grilled cheese sandwich.” It was the best he could do with that menu.
‘“Hamburger please,” said Suzuki, “with double meat.”
‘Their food arrived and they each took a bite. “How is it?” asked Suzuki.
‘“Not bad.”
‘“I don’t like mine,” Suzuki said, “Let’s trade.” With that he picked up Bob’s sandwich and replaced it with the double-meat hamburger. “Urn, good. This is good. I like grilled cheese.”’
If I may add a coda, I guess, personally, this account recurringly wakes me to my _attachment_ to veganism and to ethical stands in general. I wonder how it resonates for others?