What does the first precept to refrain from killing living beings mean for our relations with non-human animals? Is generating loving kindness and compassion for all sentient beings relevant to our daily lives? Can we understand animal liberation–especially through refraining from eating meat–as a form of Buddhist practice? Please join us for a conversation exploring these questions with Andrea Diaz and Bob Isaacson, of Dharma Voices for Animals (DVA), and BCBS Director of Studies William Edelglass.
In preparation for our time together, we invite you to read Bob’s article, originally published in Lion’s Roar, “Friends not Food” and Ven. Tashi Nyima’s article, “Right Eating: What the Buddha Taught.” We also invite you to watch the DVA documentary Animals and the Buddha. Finally, for those interested in a philosophical exploration of Buddhist animal ethics, especially the question of vegetarianism, we share this article by the philosopher Bronnwyn Finnegan.