NEWS

Dalai Lama Advocates Global Need for a More Compassion-based Diet

By Craig Lewis | | Buddhistdoor Global

Speaking at the Vidyaloke Talks, a two-day event in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) dedicated to rekindling appreciation for ancient Indian spiritual traditions, His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Sunday emphasized the importance of adopting a more plant-based diet on a global scale for reasons of environmental sustainability and out of compassion for the suffering of sentient beings. The event, organized by the Vana Foundation and which ran from 11–12 August, was divided into two mains sessions. Day one, titled ”Courage and Compassion in the 21st Century,” was aimed at young professionals and students, while day two was held under the theme “Indian Wisdom in the Modern World.” The Dalai Lama, who turned 83 last month, was responding to a question from an audience member on human cruelty toward nature and animals in particular. “We are consuming too much meat,’’ he observed to the gathering, underscoring the need to be sensitive to the suffering of all living beings. “However small they are, they too experience pain and pleasure,” he said. (The New Indian Express) His Holiness has long-advocated the adoption of a compassion-based diet and has spoken extensively on the subject of eating meat and vegetarianism on various occasions. While not strictly proscribing the consumption of meat he has openly spoken on the necessity of a global shift toward a more plant-based diet. Mainly vegetarian himself, the Dalai Lama is known to eat meat from time to time. He has revealed that his doctors encourage him to consume meat occasionally for health reasons, and he has also said that he does not refuse meat dishes then that are offered by his hosts when he travels, while acknowledging last year that “many in the Buddhist world are vegetarians because they believe it is wrong to slaughter any creature.” (Deccan Chronicle)



From vidyaloke.in