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For sure, animals are sentient beings capable of feeling all the emotions we feel, happiness, sorrow, anger, and much more. When they are being slaughtered, they tremble in fear, frantically struggle, scream in anguish, and cry endless tears, imbuing these powerful negative emotions into their dying flesh. Supreme Master Ching Hai shed some light on this subject. “Whenever we eat meat, it is unavoidable that some of the hatred, anger, frustration in the animal's heart when he departs will be imposed upon, imprinted upon our subconscious. And then we feel uneasy inside. Therefore, when we sleep in the night, we have nightmares; when we see the animals, they are frightened of us and run away; and when we are sick, it is difficult to cure, because of all this hatred, anger atmosphere, which hangs around the meat that we eat.”
With deep sympathy for the pain and distress of farm animals, Supreme Master Ching Hai wrote a poem entitled “Words of a Piglet” in Her late 20s. The heart-wrenching poem vividly conveys the thoughts and feelings of a little piglet. “Words of a Piglet The day I met you first Was the day of my birth. Pink and round, me oh so plump I gaily frolicked with Mom. Lovingly you looked at me Praising, ‘Oh, so round, what a cutie!’ Every day you came by to visit Bringing cool water and delicious veggie treats... Mommy and I were so touched Your kindness, more than gold worth I lived a peaceful life Under your care and protection Growing more plump with each passing day Just eat, rest and play... So lovely was this early morn As clouds were drifting across the sky Cuddling together, Mommy and I Unaware of the befalling tragedy! Two brawny young men Strong like tigers and elephants Squashed my tiny body into a cage of horror. Flat! There was no way to escape! O God, what purgatory was this? I wailed in fear and terror Mom, oh mom, please save me Oh caretaker, please, fast, come protect me! Rescue my life, I’m still at a tender age! Mom was crying out in sorrow Tears of desperation filling her eyes The immense Heavens cannot contain This horrendous heart-wrenching pain! My caretaker turned away Hands busy counting a stack of money Haplessly I rolled around in the car trunk Breaking heart more painful than bodily misery! The two young men bantered: ‘This piglet will be so tasty! Tomorrow we’ll slaughter him To celebrate the birth of the wife’s newborn baby!’ Oh, how ironic this life My soul is shattered Tears flow in my heart Like blood running in rivulets. I thought you loved me Nurturing me to maturity But all this was a sham It’s all just about profit and gain! Tomorrow my body will be chopped to pieces My flesh and bones turned to sheer torture Just so people can laugh in merriment At their happy feast and gathering. To your children and others’ too I wish them all long lives So the family can stay together Not endure the same fate as mine... I pray the whole family lives nobly To be human in many lifetimes And never be reborn as pigs Paying forever karmic debts! Alas, goodbye life... I ache for my gentle suffering mother. In tears I am overcome... Oh, mommy! Mom... mom!”
