A friend shared her thoughts on vegetarianism. She commented that plants are living beings too, it's just that when we eat them, they can't shout to tell us their pain. What's most important is our state of mind when we eat, do we eat just to assuage our hunger, or to satisfy our greed? And if it was to satisfy our bottomless greed, whether we go all the way to hurt animals and waste resources?
尽管我心里有着极明确的想法，但是要把思绪整理好，完整地表达出来……还真不知从何说起，这素食小使者还实在不容易当啊！
Despite having clear answers deep within, when it comes to sorting out and sharing my thoughts, it sure isn't an easy task. What a tough job as a vege ambassador!
吃素，是不是就不伤害生命？
Do vegetarians cause no harm at all to other beings?
答案是否定的。农夫在翻土、收割的时候总会捏死踩死一些昆虫。不吃不喝也能生存下去，也许这就是应该追求的最高境界？然而，就是我们真能不吃不喝，平时走路，也会踩死蚂蚁而浑然不觉。我上高中时比较多愁善感，不愿意踩在草地上，因为觉得小草也会怕疼，也不愿意被践踏。
Yes we do. When farmers plough the field, there are bound to be insects and worms that are killed in the process. If only we could live on without having to consume anything. Perhaps this is the goal we should strive to attain? But even if we could live without food and drink, we can't avoid unknowingly stepping on ants while walking. I was a little sentimental during my college days, and avoided walking on grass, because I thought they would feel pain and wouldn't like to be treaded on.
那么植物本身是否有生命呢？有啊……要是没有，一颗渺小的种子又怎么会变成参天大树？植物也会对外界起反应，它朝着阳光生长，要是失去水分、阳光，它就没有生长的条件。我们也常听说，花朵种在充满噪音的地方就枯萎凋谢，树木听着佛咒就茁壮成长。甚至水也有生命，几年前江本胜博士的书《生命的答案，水知道》就揭示了水的灵性。
So, are plants living beings? Definitely, a tiny seed grows up to become a giant tree because it's alive. Plants react to the environment, they grow towards the sun, if they are deprived of sunlight and water, they lose the conditions to grow. We also hear of many stories like flowers withering when bombarded with loud noises, and trees growing luxuriantly when nourished with Buddhist mantras. Even water has life energy, Masaru Emoto's book "The Hidden Messages in Water" has shown us this.
但是，植物没有像动物那样发达的中枢神经系统，它们不会像动物那样感受疼痛，一般佛教的观点也不列植物为有情众生，它不会投胎，不会带着动物被宰割时的那种恐惧愤恨而轮回转世。植物的生命，犹如我们的头发和指甲，长长了我们就把它修剪，但是它似乎并不怎么样，剪了又长，就像野草一样有它自身的生命力。
Plants, however, do not have a central nervous system like animals, so they don't register pain like animals do. Generally in Buddhism we do not classify plants as sentient beings either, they do not have reincarnations, they do not take rebirths like animals do, carrying with them the fear and hatred they felt when they were killed. The life of plants is akin to that of our hair and nails, when they grow long, we cut them, they don't seem to care so much about being cut or chopped, and they grow back pretty fast, like grass.
然而，就该不该吃素这问题而言，我认为，我们并不需要在这方面钻牛角尖。因为，我们活在这世上，不可避免地会伤害到其他生命，因为我们毕竟离完美还非常遥远。
Nevertheless, with regards to whether or not to take the vegetarian path, I do not think this is a point we need to ponder so much upon. We cannot avoid causing hurt in one way or another to other beings, for we are all far from being perfect.
关键是如何把这伤害降到最低点。
The crux of the matter is to minimize the harm that we cause.
对我而言，吃素最根本的原因，就是这么简单。
To me, this is the fundamental reason for choosing vegetarianism/ veganism.
把自己给周围的各种生命形态所带来的伤害，减到最轻。
Minimizing the extent of harm that we cause others.
我们不能十全十美，但是我们可以尽力而为。
We cannot be perfect, but we can always try our best.
我们食用的动物，吃的是什么？是植物。也许有一天，我们发现植物果然能感觉疼痛，植物真的会投胎。难道因为如此，我们就应该先把植物喂给动物吃，让植物先感受疼痛、恐惧，然后我们再吃动物，这回让动物也来承受同样的痛苦？这违背了为什么要吃素的根本原因。如果我们直接吃植物，那么也就只有植物痛苦，动物就免了这场灾难啊。难道我们能说，反正总会伤害到生命，少杀不如多杀？
What do the animals that we have for food eat? They eat plants. Perhaps one day, we might realize that plants indeed feel pain, and they do take rebirths. But does this mean that we should then first feed them to animals for them to first feel the pain and fear, and then we in turn feed on the animals, for the animals to feel again the same pain and fear? This would be in discordance with the vegetarianism cause. If we were to consume plants directly, then it would only be the plants suffering, the animals would be spared of the same fate. It wouldn't be logical to say that since we're killing anyway, let's kill more!
诚然，我们每一餐是怀着感恩的心情咀嚼每一口饭，还是带着享乐的心情大吃大喝，也决定了这一餐的价值。
Undoubtedly, whether we take a meal with gratitude or with gross desire, would make a huge difference.
假设我学会了每一顿饭都满怀感恩，我吃饭，不是因为嘴馋，只是因为肚子饿了，只是为了换取下一口气。而我的眼前，有两份套餐，一荤一素。我选择哪个呢？自然选择素的，因为我没有选择荤食的理由。素食套餐能让我果腹，也能让我把对其他生命的伤害减到最低。
Let's say I have learnt to be grateful for all my meals. I eat not because of indulgence, I eat simply because I need to alleviate my hunger, simply because I need to live on. And in front of me, I have two meals, one vegetarian and one meat. Which one would I choose? The vege one, for sure. There's simply no reason for me to choose the other. The vege meal fills my stomach, and it also minimizes the harm I cause.
我们大部分人每天面对的，就是这样的选择。
Making a choice is exactly what most of us need to do everyday.
很多人吃素面对各种障碍，但是，只要我们有这样的心愿，所有的障碍总能去除。这条路，并不是那么难走，并不是那么另类。
Many people face obstacles when they think of going vege. All sorts of obstacles. But if we really put our minds to it, I believe these can be overcome. This path of vegetarianism isn't really that difficult to tread on, neither is it anything bizarre.
这是一条我们朝往真正自由快乐的必经之路。
This is the inevitable path to true happiness and freedom.
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