10 Virtues of Vegetarianism

1.       It’s good for health.  A vegetarian diet is easier to digest, and contributes to vigor and long life.

2.       It’s good for the animals.  Our fellow living beings live in unimaginably dreadful conditions being fed harmful hormones; only to suffer a cruel death.  Lord Buddha taught us to protect every living being.  Every being wants to live in peace and do not want to suffer and die.

3.       It’s good for the environment.  The livestock industry greatly contributes to deforestation and global warming.

4.       It’s good for our practice.  It can help us develop compassion by not contributing to the suffering and death of living beings.

5.       We have a vegetarian physiology.  Our intestines are long and narrow, whereas those of a carnivore’s are short and thick.  We don’t have sharp nails and fangs like those of a carnivore’s.  Our nature is generally gentle and peaceful like a deer or other herbivores. 

6.       It’s good for our Karma.  Lord Buddha taught that our current longevity and health is due to protecting and saving the lives of others in the past.  Our current sickness and early death is due to harming and killing other sentient beings in the past.

7.       There are numerous diseases related to eating meat. 

8.       It can contribute to a brighter and more peaceful countenance and attitude by not ingesting the fearful and negative energy of the suffering animals.

9.       It’s good for our wisdom.  It can increase our understanding of the kinship and connectedness with all life. 

10.    It saves us money.  Vegetables are generally far less expensive than meat. 

Even if we can’t become 100% vegetarian; it’s very helpful to eat less meat.