Vegetarian Era

Q: If I stop eating meat, doesn't my body weaken if I do not have conditions for preparing a vegetarian meal?

M: No, but you must select a protein-rich diet to replace the missing animal protein. In the English sample booklet, I talk about the vegetarian diet and there I tell you what foods you can eat which have enough nutrition. Meat is not all that good. We all know already. You see, the hospitals are full of meat-eating people. Vegetarian people hardly ever go to the hospital. The more civilized, the more meat we have, the more hospitals we build. If you fear that vegetarians don't have enough nutrition, look at the elephants. look at the horses, look at the cows. Is there anything stronger than an elephant? What does it eat? It doesn't even care about protein. Don't cheat yourself. Vegetarianism is very healthy.

Even Mohammed Ali, the boxer, eats vegetarian. So don't tell me any tales. If you want to eat meat, then you eat meat. No one will say anything. Just don't make excuses. Meat is no good. Very filthy! All kinds of bacteria in it. All kinds of poison in it. All kinds of hatred, fear, terrifying feelings, or say, magnetic fields in the meat of the animal from when it was killed and they remains there. When you consume the meat, you consume all these energies with it. It's very heavy energy, so you can't climb back Home.¡¹

We must see the suffering of other creatures as our own. Therefore, we should not rejoice in the killing of animals, and then eat them. That's the reason why we should be vegetarians. That's what I mean by leaning more and more towards compassion and extending love to all creatures. Every religion, not one doesn't mention that we should extend our love to all beings, not only human beings. So, whether we believe in any religion or not, we all can believe in the "Hsin Ben Shan", in the goodness, in the compassion of our hearts. So we try to save as many lives as possible.

That doesn't mean that if you eat one piece of meat, many things will change. But it is the principle of training our hearts towards compassion. Let our compassion grow, don't kill our compassion. The intention is important.¡¹

I am a teacher of physical education at a senior high school. Several years ago, in order to fulfill my dream of winning the kendo (Japanese fencing) championship for a fifth consecutive year in the Formosa Area Athletic Meet. I focused all my attention on practicing this art. Every day I practiced fanatically and, in an attempt to go beyond my physical limits and overcome mental barriers, I even challenged male fencers of higher degrees including top-class coaches. Naturally I felt frustrated and helpless whenever I failed to achieve breakthroughs in either body or mind. My anemic condition made things even harder for me. Very often I would collapse during a contest and make a fool of myself.

It was by chance that my coach, gave me a book entitled "Food is the Best Therapy". It was about the treatment of cancer with natural food rather than medicine or chemotherapy. It cited hundreds of successful cases and recommended the consumption of fruits and plants that grow from the earth, which produced remarkable results. The author was a scientist and a prominent doctor who forsook western medicine and modern medical equipment for the simple and natural herbs in his treatment of seriously ill patients. He had become a legend because of the incredible success of his method.

My coach had been on a vegetarian diet for a while, and I observed that he looked much better and had become stronger and more agile. He had made marked progress in kendo. The vegetarian diet had brought him many benefits; his uric acid level was back to normal without the use of medication, his eyes had become sharp and bright, and his fencing techniques superb. It had been a long-time wish of mine to defeat him, so I too switched to a vegetarian diet so I could be in better shape to challenge him again.

One evening, I found myself in emotional turmoil when a former schoolmate announced that she was going to the United States, to become a monastic disciple of the master of her dreams. She described so vividly her admiration for him and the honor she felt at being able to devote herself to a great master that I went home and cried all night long. I did not know why I felt so alone and helpless; and I was frustrated at my setbacks in kendo practice as well.

Seeing that my schoolmate had found her spiritual support while I remained lost with no one to turn to, I boldly protested and complained to heaven. "She has found her master; I want one too!" Stubborn and arrogant as I was, I would not settle for anyone other than the most enlightened and powerful master in the universe. I went down on my knees and prayed sincerely to the Lord of Creation to help me find a greatest master who could save me, elevate me, and free me from the sea of suffering.

A few days later, I started a new job at a senior high school in Keelung in northern Formosa. It was there that I met a colleague, brother initiate Zhuang, who asked why I had become a vegetarian, and whether I recognized the Master on the cover of the book in his hand. Immediately delighted and impressed, I borrowed from him "My Wondrous Experiences with Master" and "The Key of Immediate Enlightenment". As I began reading the books on my way home on the bus, tears trickles down my cheeks. Oblivious to all, I found myself almost dancing on the bus, and then, a moment later, bursting into laughter.

A man sitting next to me noticed how strange I was acting and kept glancing at the books. Thus, it was not until he got off the bus that "My Wondrous Experiences with Master" was returned to me. I did not care about the curious looks from other passengers and could hardly conceal my ecstasy. The long-awaited answers to my questions were about to come! Gazing at Master's countenance on the book cover, I wiped away my tears and told myself with all certainty that I had found "the secret method" this time. I became even more determined then to keep the vegetarian diet.

Thanks to the vegetarian diet, my fencing techniques improved markedly. With a lighter burden, my body became so agile, my mind so sharp and clear, my reactions so fast, and I could concentrate much easier and longer. I could see through every strategic move on the part of my opponent and dominate the match. With a sword in my hand, I was totally at ease in both attack and defense, and there was no end to my inspiration.

Even more fantastic was that I seemed to have developed infinite physical strength and vitality that my self-confidence grew as well. Master let me experience what it was like to be "as stable as a mountain and as calm as the water within, as energetic as a hare and as fast as lightning without".

My totally helpless opponents could only stare at me in amazement; people who practiced kendo with me simply refused to do so any more. My success so impressed my students that they too followed my example and began to eat vegetarian. So swift was the change that I felt life had become meaningful and worth living.

My determination to keep the vegetarian diet saved me from the embarrassment of having to attend social gatherings, where I had to drink alcohol or eat meat. And of course, I saved on my expenses as well!

My relatives and friends did not dissuade me from the vegetarian diet but gave me support instead, because they found that I was growing healthier in both body and mind; I was full of vitality, had a good appetite, and was cured of the anemia. I easily defended my gold medal in the following two athletic meets, and in the eyes of my students I was an exemplar of good health. Despite my heavy workload and physical exertion every day, I mingled happily among my students and colleagues. Not a single one of them could find an excuse to say that the vegetarian diet was not good or not nutritious enough. On the contrary, they were eager to consult me about the healthy way of eating.

Being a vegetarian has brought me so many good things that even I myself am overwhelmed by it. Vegetarians are benign and sincere; they get along easily with anyone and anywhere they go. Having come to this point, I am again dancing with joy because I am overwhelmed with bliss! It is really wonderful to be a vegetarian!¡¹