(Excerpt from the Maha Bodhi, printed in 1984 Vol. 92)

When one holds precepts, cultivates Samadhi, and opens wisdom, then one can have spiritual penetrations.

If we hold the precepts very clearly, we are able to obtain proper concentration and proper reception. From the power of that Samadhi, our inherent wisdom can come forth. And when the wisdom is perfected, we have entered the state of spiritual penetrations – the state of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Further, spiritual penetrations are based in great vows and in the heart of great kindness and compassion. So another function of holding the precepts is to become replete with great compassion.

Holding precepts includes not taking life; not taking life includes not eating meat. Why? Because eating meat causes one to lose the seeds of great compassion in the mind and in the heart. Fundamentally our self-nature is replete with the seeds of great kindness and great compassion. But if we eat the flesh of other living beings – consume their bodies then we destroy these seeds of compassion. How are we to know of the living beings we are eating that they are not in fact our own parents from former lives? Or our own ancestors from previous times? It's not for certain that they're not. We don't know. That's the reason why we who cultivate the Bodhisattva Path – any Buddhist disciple – should not eat the flesh of another living being.

What we eat determines what we will become. We become part of what we eat, it becomes part of us and we form a company, as it were. That means that we take on the odor and the mannerisms of the kind of beings whose flesh we eat. Those who eat beef will take on the attitude of cows and will smell like cows. Those who eat a lot of seafood will begin to look like fish with big bugged out eyes, and will have a fishy smell about them. It's that way with eating meat and also with eating onions, garlic, and the like; one will smell like what one eats. This is an obvious principle and I'm sure you're all clear about it. But someone may try to extend this and say, then if we eat vegetables do we become like them? Does our skin turn green? That's begging the question a bit. Vegetables don't have breath and blood, or any conscious awareness to speak of. We know they do have awareness, but it is minimal. So people who want to develop their seeds of great compassion would do best to eat less meat.

If you take a look at animals, the gentlest ones are those such as deer, sheep, and elephants. They are all vegetarians; they are not carnivores. They are easy to teach and very compliant. On the other hand, look at tigers, foxes, coyotes, wild cats and the hawks. These animals are violent, cruel and terribly fierce. What do they eat? They eat other living creatures. If you have to be around these kinds of carnivores, you naturally are on guard, because the kind of energy they send out is easily perceived as being very dangerous. If such animals are kept in zoos, they must be caged, otherwise they would roam about killing people. That kind of violent nature comes from eating meat. So it is best if Buddhist disciples eat less meat.

The reason people commit crimes and wage war is just because they have lost the seeds of the compassionate nature; that's where it all begins. If people could only be satisfied and not be greedy for flavorful tastes, then they would be replete with the seeds of great kindness and great compassion, and would not lose them.

So Bodhisattvas obtain spiritual penetrations because they start with a solid foundation, the practices that are based in the precepts.