Ahimsa: From the Teachings of The Venerable U Lokanatha (vegetarian), Part 1 of 2

The Venerable U Lokanatha (vegetarian), was an Italian Buddhist monk, highly respected in Myanmar and was devoted to spreading Lord Buddha’s compassionate teachings worldwide. His works comprised many treatises on Buddhism, including the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and the Anatta-lakkhana Sutta, as well as other works such as “The Crime of Killing” and “The Light of Truth.”

Today, it is an honor to present selections from Chapter 3, “Ahimsa,” in the book “The Light of Truth.” This chapter features a sermon delivered by the Venerable U Lokanatha (vegetarian), in Singapore for the Malayan Vegetarian Society.

“[…] If the majority would overflow with infinite love, there would be no war.

Flesh-eating is wicked, for we should not kill, nor cause to kill. To purchase flesh in the bazaar is to cause slaughter; for the supply is proportional to the demand. Dogs are never slaughtered because there is no demand for dogs’ flesh. ‘He who consents to the killing, he who strikes, he who slaughters, he who buys, he who cooks, he who serves, he who eats – they are all murderers.’ These are the words of Manu, an Indian philosopher. So everyone is an accomplice in the murderous game; beginning from the butcher and ending with the one who eats.

It is written in our Scripture that the Buddha said: ‘In olden times there were only three diseases; that is to say: desire, hunger and decay.’ Through the slaughtering of animals, however, these three diseases gradually increased […]. Therefore, let us refrain from slaying. Let us refrain from causing slaughter. Let us become life-long vegetarians and all disease will disappear from the face of the Earth.

There is a common belief in Buddhist countries that anyone may eat flesh provided he does not kill the animal with his own hands; but it is not so, because eating is the cause of slaughter. If we become vegetarians, all the butchers will have to close their shops and turn to a better profession. By eating flesh we keep a class of people in a miserable profession. It is not fair that we should force the butchers to go to hell for our sake. If we become vegetarians, then the whole world would be at peace. […]

Let us practice infinite loving-kindness. It is impossible to say: ‘Let all beings be happy.’ Because, if a flesh-eater says: ‘May all beings be happy,’ while he is crushing flesh between his teeth, it will be sheer hypocrisy. Therefore if a flesh-eater wants to be logical, he should say, while eating flesh food: ‘May all creatures be happy, except those creatures which I am chewing between my teeth.’ For I am sure that the creatures which are being masticated, cannot be happy, or could not have been happy when they were killed for the sake of the flesh-eater. Therefore he cannot practice all embracing love when he is eating flesh, because by eating flesh, he automatically demands a certain proportion of the creatures in the world to die for his sake. […]

The Spirit of Buddhism is Compassion, Compassion, Compassion!! Ahimsa. ‘Harmlessness is the highest doctrine.’ If we turn the pages of the vast ‘Tipitaka,’ we will find the word ‘compassion’ stamped in large letters on every page. […]”