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The Buddhist era was one of the most enlightening periods of our history. Lord Buddha traveled far to spread the message of compassion and love. We can certainly create a culture that is influenced by Buddhist teachings. One of the Buddhist messages was to treat all animals equally. A very potent saying in Buddhism is that human beings can learn to live peacefully when we leave our suffering behind. But can we simultaneously kill animals and expect to live in joy?
There is where Buddhism and Veganism meet. The goal of veganism is to nurture a collective kindness toward animals, spread the message of doing good for the planet, and come together to fight the evil which inflicts harm on innocent species. After all, our compassion should not only extend to humans but also animals. In ancient times, it was not very easy to survive on vegetarian food, alone. Consequently, hunting animals was more convenient. However, today, as per veganism, there are many choices that we have. We can enrich our understanding of plant-based alternatives.
However, for someone who is used to a non-vegetarian lifestyle, adopting a completely plant-based lifestyle is not an easy mission, and there are many facts to consider. Why would people choose plant-based food, when there is scientific evidence that meat provides plenty of nourishment?
The answer is far simpler than we think: with many new alternatives to protein in a plant-based diet such as soya, the need to depend on animals can be reduced. Moreover, if you were to survive on meat mostly, you might not get to experience the calmness and peace which a vegan diet can provide. So don’t knock off the benefits of adopting veganism as a way of life. It is truly built on a very strong foundation of principles!
The reason why people proudly say that veganism means to ‘live off the land' is that they are inspired by the amazing progress that this branch of thought has made without hurting the planet. Everybody who seriously tried going vegan has realized the game-changing effect that it can have on their mental and physical health and the planet. There are some fascinating stories about people who decide to go vegan when their healths were at the bottom of the pit. It can instantly change our experience on Planet Earth. Furthermore, it was also seen that adopting veganism is not as hard as one may think!
If you are interested in following a vegan diet, you can start by taking small steps. It is easier if you already are a vegetarian. Vegan food is everywhere. Maybe it is that paratha you ate or the lentil curry you made. Following a vegan diet will mean letting go of kinds of butter, cheeses, and all the other flesh foods which are mere obsessions.
While there are many forms of animal products we don’t even know, one can at least start by reducing consumption of the most common ones like meat and dairy! But did you know you can still enjoy a bowl of creamy vegan pasta or lasagna?
