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The Meditative Diet

I sat sobbing in front of my computer. I had just finished watching an hour-long YouTube

video titled, The Most Important Speech You Will Ever Hear, a speech given by animal rights

activist Gary Yourofsky.

For two years, I have been a vegetarian under the idea that it is simply not right to sacrifice

the lives of other beings to sustain my own. It was difficult, however, to try to figure out why

other people do not agree with me. Why are they eating the flesh of a murdered animal? Why do

they think it is right to cause suffering on another being so that they can gratify their tongues? To

me, being vegetarian was not enough. After listening to the speech, I could not go back to

consuming any dairy or egg products. The speech gave me all the reasons to convert to a

completely plant-based diet as well as plant-based lifestyle. Following this transition, I realized

many changes in my actionsmy emotions were less dramatic and I developed a more mindful

way of living. Because of the benefits that I received from leading a vegan lifestyle, I have put in

effort to try to convince other people around me to do the same. It is so frustrating. After several

difficult and volatile conversations with some stubborn meat eaters, I realized that consuming

meat, dairy, and eggs is simply a habit.

We have been bombarded with so many advertisements that we have come to believe that

eating an omnivorous diet is natural. Since birth, most of us were not given the choice of staying

away from any animal products. We were born into this lifestyle filled with advertisements

tempting us with close-ups of juicy red meat, sizzling steaks on a grill, and full breakfasts

abundant with animal protein.

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There have been many difficulties facing my efforts in spreading veganismbeing labeled

as the vegan snob or having discourses with people who are completely indifferent about the

harm that the omnivorous diet is causing. But there must be a way to get people out of their

habit. And that is when I started meditation.

Meditation is from Chan Buddhism, which practices mindfulnessmindfulness of our

thoughts, our actions, and our speech. Ultimately, it is the practice of being aware of every action

we take, including what we eat. What if there was a way for people to realize, on their own, what

they are unconsciously consuming? Without any doubt, meditation became significant in all

aspects of my life. It was only a matter of time before I had to ask the question: How are

veganism and Chan Buddhist philosophies related?

I drove into the gates of Buddha Gate Monastery in Lafayette, California. I volunteer

there often, but on that morning, I was there to conduct research in the monasterys library. The

monastery, tucked away in the Californian hills, is secluded from the clamors of mundanity, yet

always there to welcome any weary souls seeking refuge in its serenity. The buildings, consisting

of a meditation hall, a lecture hall, and the reception building, are hybrids of modern architecture

and archaic designs, signifying the timelessness of Buddhist philosophies. Although the

monastery is only a five-minute drive from the closest shopping area, the hustle and bustle of the

rest of the world was far behind me as I was welcomed by the crisp air, the placidity of the

atmosphere, and the greetings of the Dharma Masters and volunteers. The library is adjacent to

the kitchen and cafeteria; as I made my way to the library, I could already smell the lunch being

prepared by the volunteers. The library contains the most priceless treasures in the worldthe

wisdom and knowledge within the pages of the volumes. This is the place where I spent a good

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amount of time researching. It contains the sacred Buddhists texts, as well as other books from

quantum physics to Chinese literatureall of which have ties to Chan Buddhism and meditation.

For my purpose, I looked for volumes on the Buddhist diet and veganism.

What is veganism? Veganism is more than a diet devoid of any type of animal products:

it is a lifestyle that removes the use of any objects and the consuming of anything that are

animals or animal byproducts (American). In other words, products like dairy, leather, wool,

gelatin, or honey is completely eliminated from a vegan lifestyle. There are various reasons why

people adopt a vegan lifestyle. In the UK alone, there has been a 350% increase of vegans in the

past decade (Quinn). Many vegans are found to be in the 15-34 age range, which explains one of

the main motivation behind their choice: environmental sustainability. Other vegans take on this

lifestyle for their own health while others avoid animal products for the ethical treatment of

animals. Vegans are different from vegetarians in that vegetarians still consume dairy and egg

products. The second part of my question addresses Chan Buddhism. Buddhism is a religion

founded by Siddhartha Gautama over two thousand years ago. Chan, also known as zen,

means meditation. It is a school of mahayana Buddhism, which is the practice of not only

liberating oneself, but also helping other sentient beings leave the pain and sufferings of their

lives (Hershock). Chan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism that was propagated to Asia and

practices the meditative mind in order to free oneself and others from sufferings (McAlister).

These ideas can be observed in the Buddhist diet and lifestyle, which are highly similar to the

vegan views. Although there are some differences between the two, veganism and Chan

Buddhism have similarities in their philosophies as well as their practices.

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The meditative practice urges one to be mindful about their intake of food, and so does

veganism, as they have to watch out for what they are consuming. Mindfulness is defined as

being constantly aware of our body, thoughts, actions, and our surroundings (Mindfulness). By

practicing mindful eating, one is more conscious of the senses that correlates to the feeling of

satiety and hunger. In order to practice this, the Five Contemplations Before a Meal is

observed by many Buddhists before a meal:

This offering is the fruit of manys work and care;

Reflecting on my conduct, Am I worthy of a share?

Be wary of poisons, the foremost being greed;

Seeing food as medicine, I take only what I need,

Solely for cultivation, to realize the Buddha Way.

With gratitude, I accept this offering today. (Five)

This short verse should be pondered before taking any meal. In Chan Buddhist tradition, it does

not simply assert a belief or fact, but rather, it reminds one to appreciate and consider the amount

of labor that has been put into the food in our plate. It then urges one to reflect on their own

conduct, which is an internal self-examination of our past actions. After the analysis of ones

actions, it shows us how to determine the portion of our meal: by being aware of our greed and

realizing the purpose of having the meal. These contemplations do not force any specific fact,

portion, or restrictions on how we should take our meal, because it encourages us to be mindful

and self-aware of where the food is from, what the food is made of, and how much of it we are

consuming. This is the same case for vegans. Due to the restricted diet, vegans take more time to

pause and look over the listed ingredients on food packaging before deciding whether or not to

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purchase the product (Veganism). A study conducted at Syracuse University proved that

vegetarians and vegans are more mindful than non-vegetarians when measured in criteria relating

to disinhibition (ones ability to restrain their actions), emotional response, awareness, and

distraction (Hatanaka).

When being mindful about the food consumed, one would also think about how the

nutritional value of the food can impact our physical and mental health. Horace Fletcher, a

twentieth-century nutritional expert who promoted the mindful eating practice of chewing food

slowly, popularized the idea that eating slowly would solve many kinds of health issues on its

own. It takes about twenty minutes for the human brain to recognize satiety, or the feeling of

fullness. Eating rapidly or mindlessly, which often happens when one is distracted by eating

while watching television or performing other activities, might cause the recognition to happen

after the meal is finished, leading to digestive problems or over-eating, both of which are

extremely harmful to the body (Stepaniak). Mindful eating has been proven to help with treating

eating disorders and with weight loss. A study, funded by the National Institute of Health and

conducted by psychologists and nutritionists at Duke University and Indiana State University

proved that mindfulness-based therapy helped people with binge-eating disorder and depression

to enjoy their food more and lessened their struggle with their control of their food portions.

Those who meditated more during the duration of this study had the best result (Mindful

Eating).

Many vegans adopt the vegan diet for their health, which has been proven to be more

mindful and healthier. Others are vegan for the good of the environment. The Five

Contemplations Before a Meal guides us to think about where the food comes from and how

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much work has been put into the food. Looking at the bigger picture, vegans understand that the

production of their food can impact the entire environment. Animal agriculture is the number one

contributor to the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which is one of the

main reasons why vegans avoid contributing to the meat, dairy, and egg industries (A

Leading). Both vegans and Chan Buddhists take their time to consider what they are eating

prior to their meal, which is a mindfulness practice that ultimately helps with being aware of not

how the intake can affect the body and mind, but also how the production of the food burdens the

planet we live on.

The other motivation behind taking on a vegan lifestyle is the ethical issues that relates to

animal agriculture. Animals are treated as commodities. The processes of treating the animals are

horrid; pigs have their skin boiled off their bodies while they are still fully conscious (Haas); the

beaks of baby chicken are cut off for easy management (Poultry); female cows are forcibly

impregnated two to three times a year to keep up with our demand for milk, while their newborn

calves are taken away from them to be used as future milking cows or slaughtered for veal

(Robiner); the legs and wings of queen bees are severed so the worker bees will stay in the hive

and be overworked in order to satiate our sweet tooth (Why). Vegans take these into account

when choosing their diet. They do not believe that their desire for food can be stronger than their

conscience, especially when they are aware of how these animal and animal by-products are

produced. In the Buddhist point of view, when one is mindful about where their food is from and

how it is produced, they have to contemplate how these animals are treated. In Chan Buddhism,

one of the most fundamental ideas that all sentient beings have equal. The concept of being

compassionate towards all beings is manifested in the plant-based diet. There is also the concept

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of karma, which is the idea that any action we commit will result in consequencesgood or

badthat eventually comes back to ourselves. By the idea of karma, when we commit these acts

on animals, we are not only harming other animals but also ourselves in the long run (Suzuki).

If one contributes so much pain and suffering unto another being, it is completely against the

practice of Buddhism, which is the practice of helping oneself in the process of helping others

relieve their suffering.

Many people are transitioning from the vegetarian diet to a vegan one. Although animal

products like dairy or honey are not too harmful, the reality is that the entire dairy industry is

interconnected. Because of the mass amount of milk that is produced, calves are given birth at

such a fast rate that male calves are either immediately slaughtered or raised to be meat products.

The vicious cycle continues as female calves are injected with hormones and subjected to the

same treatment as their mothers in order to grow rapidly and produce more dairy products

(Robinger). Nutritionally, the acidity of animal protein is actually harmful to our bodies,

especially our bones health, despite the information that we are often fed by commercials and

advertisements (Forks). All the macronutrients that people want to get from these dairy

products are available in plant-based food. For example, whole grains have five times the amount

of calcium that is found in milk. Mushrooms and sunlight are better and more efficient ways for

the human body to attain vitamin D (PETA). Although bees are not directly killed for bee

products, in addition to being amputated, bees are assaulted by smoke before their beehives are

taken away for honey, propolis, and beeswax (Why). When we contemplate where dairy

products or bee products come from, we realize that they are no less harmful than meat or egg

products. The methods of attaining these are killing, stealing, and destroying the dwellings of

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other beings, which are all against Buddhist teachings. This is why many people are making the

switch from being vegetarian to being fully vegan.

Nutrition analysts believe that the reason for the low percentage of vegans in the population

is due to the lack of people being informed about how their food is made. The efforts of animal

right activists and promoters of plant-based diets cannot be matched with the heavy advertising

done by the dominant meat, dairy, and egg corporations. So how can veganism be promoted?

Buddhism, and its ideas about propagating Buddhism wisdom, can possibly have some

inspiration for the vegan movement. Venerable Jian-Sheng, who has been Abbess of the Buddha

Gate Monastery and instructor of meditation and Buddhism courses at the monastery for over a

decade, explained that these lifestyle changes have to start from changing ones mindset. We

often see activists and organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals with

extreme language and ways of demonstrating their beliefs that result in the opposite effect of

what they are speaking up forvegans are viewed as pushy and snobby (Burgess). This causes a

negative stereotype surrounding all vegans, which is detrimental to their efforts. Venerable Jian-

Sheng explained that the best way to influence others is to practice what you are preaching, so

that others will see what effect it had on you and view you as an example and inspiration. The

changing of eating habits is significant to an individual, so it will take time and patience before

others have the right understanding of veganism, which can only be done with the gradual

practice of learning and accepting.

As veganism is related to Chan Buddhism in many ways, the main difference between them

is that the Chan Buddhist diet excludes the five pungent herbs: onions, garlic, scallions, chives,

and leeks. Tien-Hui Yu, a Chan Buddhist student who recently adopted the Buddhist diet and

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eliminated the herbs from her diet, stated that the herbs are disruptive to her meditative practice.

When I was still consuming the five pungent herbs, she added, I never realized how strong

the smells were, and how irritated my mood was. According to the Shurangama Sutra, the five

pungent herbs can give rise to sexual desires and cause emotions like anger and annoyance. This

is backed by scientific data: the consumption of the five pungent herbs, especially garlic and

onion, increases the male estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone hormone levels (Hajiuon). The

vegan diet does not have any restrictions on these plants, but the Buddhist diet avoids these for

better meditative practices.

Veganism is not just about the diet. It is a lifestyle, just as how meditation is not only

practiced during a meditation session, but also during every moment of our lives, including when

we are eating, studying, or interacting with people. Every day, there are new distractions added

to our lives. Mindfulness can help us remain aware of our actions. Veganism and meditation

reinforce each others philosophies. Coupled together, they can guarantee a healthier lifestyle.

Prior to this research, I have been practicing meditation regularly for a few months and

have just transitioned to a vegan diet. I noticed significant improvements in my physical and

mental health, but did not understand why I am much healthier, as I havent seen much data

about the effects of meditation and veganism. With in-depth reading and research, I realized that

they are backed up heavily with medical research and nutritional data. This gave me confidence

in my practices and encouraged me to share veganism and meditation with other people. In the

future, I hope to use my personal experience as well as the information gathered through this

research process to teach others about veganism and meditation, both of which have transformed

my mental and physical health for the better.

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Works Cited

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Electronic

"A Leading Cause of Everything: One Industry That Is Destroying Our Planet and Our

Ability to Thrive on It." Student Journals. 18 Mar. 2017.

"American Vegan Society." American Vegan Society. 18 Mar. 2017.

Burgess, Sheanna, Paige Carpenter, and Theresa Henshaw. Eating on Campus: Vegan,

Vegetarian, and Omnivore Stereotyping. College at Oneonta. College at Oneonta. 18 Mar

2017.

Fieser, James. Moral Issues that Divide Us. The University of Tennessee at Martin. 18 Mar.

2017

Five Contemplations Before a Meal. Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale. Chung Tai Zen

Center of Sunnyvale. 18 Mar. 2017.

Hajiuon, Behnaz. "Effects of Garlic (Allium Sativum L) Hydroalcoholic Extract on Estrogen,

Progesterone and Testosterone Levels in Rats Exposed to Cell Phone Radiation." Zahedan

Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. Zahedan Journal of Research in Medical

Sciences. 18 Mar. 2017.

Hatanaka, Miho. A Study to Explore Mindfulness among Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian

Students on a College Campus. Syracuse University. Syracuse University. 6 March. 2017.

Haas, Samantha J. "How We Mistreat the Animals We Eat." Name Resolution Service; Office for

Information Systems; Harvard University Library.18 Mar. 2017.

Hirschler, Christopher A. An Examination of Vegan 's Beliefs and Experiences Using Critical

Theory and Autoethnography. Engaged Scholarship. Cleveland State University. 18 Mar

2017.

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Lewis, Noah. "Why Honey Is Not Vegan ." Why Honey Is Not Vegan. 18 Mar. 2017.

"Mindfulness Definition." Greater Good. 18 Mar. 2017.

Mindful Eating May Help with Weight Loss. Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Medical

School. 18 Mar. 2017.

Ochoa, MD Sofia Pineda. "7 Serious Problems With Animal Protein." Forks Over Knives. 09 Mar. 2017.

Accessed 05 April 2017.

"Poultry Chicken Grower & Layer Management." Poultry Chicken Grower & Layer

Management. 18 Mar. 2017.

Robiner, Eli. "Where's the Compassion? Reflections on Human Privilege." The Carletonian. 18

Mar. 2017.

Robson, James. "Formation and Fabrication in the History and Historiography of Chan

Buddhism." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. Harvard-Yenching Institute, 11 Nov.

2011. 18 Mar. 2017.

Quinn, Sue. "Number of Vegans in Britain Rises by 360% in 10 Years." The Telegraph.

Telegraph Media Group. 18 Mar. 2017.

"That's Why I Don't Drink Milk." PETA. 05 May 2017.

"Veganism in the West." UCSB Sustainability. UCSB Sustainability. 18 Mar. 2017.

Print

Davis, Brenda and Vesanto Melina. Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a

Healthy Plant-Based Diet. Book Publishing Company, 2000.

McAlister, Michael. Awake in this Life: A guide for those climbing the Mountain of Spirit.

BookSurge Publishing, 2008.

Stepaniak, Joanne. The Vegan Sourcebook. United States: McGraw-Hill, 2000.

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Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. The Shurangama Sutra. Brighthill Buddhist Center,

2008.

Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginners Mind: Informal talks on meditation and practice.

Weatherhill, 1998.

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