Earthlings
“EARTHLINGS is a powerful and informative documentary about society’s tragic and unforgivable use of nonhuman animals, narrated by Joaquin Phoenix with soundtrack by Moby. Directed by Shaun Monson, this multi-award winning film by Nation Earth is a must-see for anyone who cares about nonhuman animals or wishes to make the world a better place.”
Released in 2005, EARTHLINGS premiered at the Artivist Film Festival and won the Best Documentary Feature. It then went on to win the Best Content Award and Best Documentary Film at the Boston International Film Festival and the San Diego Film Festival respectively.
What is this video that made such an impact on these renowned film recognition boards?
The 95-minute documentary was inspired by Shaun Monson. He’s a writer, producer and director who had previous shot footage of animal shelters within Los Angeles. He did it to produce a series of public service announcements… however, what he saw had such a profound effect on him that he decided to produce what became known as Earthlings.
Notable celebrities like Joaquin Phoenix (the actor from Gladiators) and Moby then joined the project. Joaquin narrated the entire documentary and Moby featured his music. They are both long-time vegans, and like Sir Paul McCartney, they decided to use their celebrity status for a good cause.
This video covers five main parts:
- Pets
- Food
- Clothes
- Entertainment
- Scientific Research
As it was difficult to obtain footage within the relevant industries… the documentary took SIX years to make!
Joaquin Phoenix (left) and Moby (right), who are both committed vegans and animal rights activists, lent their talents to this incredibly important movie.
Companies who are within any part of the supply chain of cruelty e.g. puppy mills, slaughterhouses, experimental labs, etc. have A LOT to hide and A LOT to lose if exposed. With their business being very profitable, they maintain high security measures to keep what they do behind concrete walls and closed doors.
What you see in this video is footage which are mostly obtained using hidden cameras. They show day-to-day practices of some of the largest industries in the world…
When the video was released in 2005, it was nicknamed “The Vegan Maker” because whoever who watched the video with an open heart and mind would, without a doubt, stop participating in the consumption of anything animal-related.
It is also considered to be the definitive animal rights film by organisations all around the world. According to Joaquin Phoenix,
“For every one person who sees EARTHLINGS, they will tell three.”
The video is very attention-grabbing and lots of people want to share it because it does not just show lots of gory and scary videos of animals being abused and killed. Instead, it draws similarities with social tragedies such as the Holocaust which if you really think about it is the same thing. One particular race overpowers another. The Germans with the Jews. The humans with the cows. The humans with the chickens. The humans with the turkeys. The humans with the elephants. The humans with the pigs, etc. etc. etc….
Some people might say that us humans and animals are different. We all bleed, we all feel pain, we all suffer. Does a dog smile and willingly step into a gas chamber? No living being in their right mind would ever choose to live in captivity if given the option of freedom.
Even between humans, ‘those who are powerful treat the less powerful as if they were mere objects’… with the slaughter of animals, we allow the interest of our own species to ‘override the greater interest of members of the other species’. This is described as speciesism. We see this more familiarly in modern-day racism and sexism.
By eating meat you take away the option of freedom for the animals. By eating meat you allow the bloodshed to continue behind concrete walls. By eating meat you send the message that it is okay for people to grossly profit from killing animals.
Do the three photos below look like one big party or the Holocaust? They are cows ready for slaughter.
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Please do not run from reality. Watch the film and share your thoughts with other viewers in the comments section. Thank you.
Tsem Rinpoche
EARTHLINGS
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Earthlings.mp4
The film’s official website: http://www.earthlings.com
To watch video in high resolution: https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/EarthlingsHighRes.mp4
Transcript
Introduction
The images you are about to see are not isolated cases. These are the Industry Standard for animals bred as Pets, Food, Clothing, for Entertainment and Research. Viewer discretion is advised.
The Three Stages of Truth
- Ridicule
- Violent Opposition
- Acceptance
Earthlings
earth·ling n. One who inhabits of the earth.
Since we all inhabit the earth, all of us are considered earthlings. There is no sexism, no racism or speciesism in the term earthling.
It encompasses each and every one of us: warm or cold blooded, mammal, vertebrate or invertebrate; bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, and human alike.
Humans, therefore, being not the only species on the planet, share this world with millions of other living creatures, as we all evolve here together.
However, it is the human earthling who tends to dominate the earth, often times treating other fellow earthlings and living beings as mere objects. This is what is meant by speciesism.
By analogy with racism and sexism, the term “speciesism” is a prejudice or attitude of bias in favour of the interests of members of one’s own species and against those of members of other species.
If a being suffers there can be no moral justification for refusing to take that suffering into consideration.
No matter what the nature of the being, the principle of equality requires that one’s suffering can be counted equally with the like suffering of any other being.
Racists violate the principle of equality by giving greater weight to the interests of members of their own race when their is a clash between their interests and the interests of those of another race.
Sexists violate the principle of equality by favouring the interests of their own sex.
Similarly, speciesists allow the interests of their own species to override the greater interests of members of other species.
In each case, the pattern is identical.
Though among the members of the human family we recognise the moral imperative of respect (every human is a somebody, not a something), morally disrespectful treatment occurs when those who stand at the power end of a power relationship treat the less powerful as if they were mere objects.
The rapist does this to the victim of rape. The child molester to the child molested. The master to the slave.
In each and all such cases, humans who have power exploit those who lack it.
Might the same be true of how humans treat other animals, or other earthlings?
Undoubtedly there are differences, since humans and animals are not the same in all respects.
But the question of sameness wears another face.
Granted these animals do not have all the desires we humans have; granted they do not comprehend everything we humans comprehend; nevertheless, we and they do have some of the same desires and do comprehend some of the same things.
The desires for food and water, shelter and companionship, freedom of movement and avoidance of pain. These desires are shared by nonhuman animals and human beings.
As for comprehension, like humans, many nonhuman animals understand the world in which they live and move. Otherwise, they could not survive.
So beneath the many differences, there is sameness.
Like us, these animals embody the mystery and wonder of consciousness. Like us, they are not only in the world, they are aware of it. Like us they are the psychological centers of a life that is uniquely their own.
In these fundamental respects, humans stand “on all fours,” so to speak, with hogs and cows, chickens and turkeys.
What these animals are due from us, how we morally ought to treat them, are questions whose answer begins with the recognition of our psychological kinship with them.
So the following film demonstrates in five ways just how animals have come to serve mankind … lest we forget.
Nobel Prize winner Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote in his bestselling novel Enemies, A Love Story the following: “As often as Herman had witnessed the slaughter of animals and fish, he always had the same thought: in their behaviour toward creatures, all men were Nazis. The smugness with which man could do with other species as he pleased exemplified the most extreme racist theories, the principle that might is right.”
The comparison here to the holocaust is both intentional and obvious: one group of living beings anguishes beneath the hands of another. Though some will argue the suffering of animals cannot possibly compare with that of former Jews or slaves, there is, in fact, a parallel.
And for the prisoners and victims of this mass murder, their holocaust is far from over.
In his book The Outermost House, author Henry Beston wrote, “We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals. Remote from universal nature, and living by complicated artifice, man in civilisation surveys the creatures through the glass of his knowledge and sees thereby a feather magnified and the whole image in distortion. We patronise them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren; they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.”
Part One: Pets
For most of us, our relationship with animals involves the owning of a pet or two.
So where do our pets come from? Of course, one of the most obvious ways animals serve man
is as companions.
Breeders
For these pets it starts with a breeder, though not all breeders are considered professional.
In fact, in this profession, just about anyone and everyone can be a breeder.
Pet Stores and Puppy Mills
For pet stores, most of their animals are acquired from puppy mills, even if they may not know it. Puppy mills are low-budget commercial enterprises that breed dogs for sale to pet shops and other buyers.
They are often backyard operations that expose animals to filthy, overcrowded conditions with no veterinary care or socialisation.
Dogs from puppy mills often exhibit physical and psychological problems as they grow up.
Strays
Strays, if they are lucky, will be picked up and taken to a shelter or pound, where they can only hope to find a new home again. An estimated 25 million animals become homeless every year. And as many as 27% of purebred dogs are among the homeless.
Of these 25 million homeless animals, an average of 9 million die on the streets from disease, starvation, exposure, injury, or some other hazard of street life. Many others are strays, some of whom were presumably dumped in the streets by their caretakers.
The remaining 16 million die in pounds or shelters that have no room for them and are forced to kill them.
Sadly, on top of all this, almost 50% of the animals brought to shelters are turned in by their caretakers.
Many people claim they don’t visit shelters because it’s depressing for them. But the reason animals are crowded into such dreary places as these, is because of people’s refusal to spay or neuter their pets.
Several pet owners feel, particularly men for some reason, that neutering a pet emasculates the owner somehow … or they may just want their children to someday experience the “miracle of life,” so to speak.
Euthanasia
In either case, pet owners like these unknowingly take part in the euthanasia of over 60,000 animals per day.
Euthanasia, generally defined as the act of killing painlessly for reasons of mercy, is usually administered by an injection in the leg for dogs, and sometimes in the stomach for cats. It is a quick and painless procedure for the animals, and by far the most humane, but not always the most affordable.
Due to the increase of euthanasia in shelters, and the growing, constant, demand for drugs like Euthasol, some shelters with budget constraints are forced to use gas chambers instead.
Gas Chambers
In a gas chamber, animals are packed very tightly and can take as long as 20 minutes to die.
It is, by far, less merciful, more traumatic and painful. But the procedure is less expensive.
Perhaps some of the tough questions we should ask ourselves about animals that we keep as companions are: Can we keep animals as companions and still address their needs? Is our keeping companion animals in their best interest, or are we exploiting them? The answers to these questions may lie in the attitudes of the human caretakers and their abilities to provide suitable environments for companion animals.
Most human beings are speciesists. This film shows that ordinary human beings (not a few exceptionally cruel or heartless humans, but the overwhelming majority of people), take an active part, acquiesce in, and allow their taxes to pay for practices that require the sacrifice of the most important interests of members of other species, in order to promote the most trivial interests of our own species. The hope for the animals of tomorrow is to be found in a Human Culture which learns to feel beyond itself.
We must learn empathy, we must learn to see into the eyes of an animal and feel that their life has value because they are alive.
Part Two: Food
What happens in slaughterhouses is a variation on the theme of the exploitation of the weak by the strong.
More than ten thousand times a minute, in excess of six billion times a year, just in the United States, life is literally drained from so-called “food animals.” Having the greater power, humans decide when these animals will die, where they will die, and how they will die.
The interests of these animals themselves play no role whatsoever in the determination of their fate.
Killing an animal is, in itself, a troubling act. It has been said that if we had to kill our own meat, we would all be vegetarians. Certainly very few people ever visit a slaughterhouse, and films of slaughterhouse operations are not popular on television. People might hope that the meat they buy came from an animal who died without pain, but they don’t really want to know about it. Yet those who, by their purchases, require animals to be killed, do not deserve to be shielded from this or any other aspect of the production of the meat they buy.
So where does our food come from?
For those of us living on a meat diet, the process these animals undergo is as follows.
Branding
For beef, the animals are all branded … in this instance, on the face.
Dehorning
Dehorning usually follows, never with anaesthetic but rather a large pair of pliers.
Tranportation
In transportation, animals are packed so tightly into trucks, they are practically on top of one another. Heat, freezing temperatures, fatigue, trauma, and health conditions will kill some of these animals in route to the slaughterhouses.
Milking
Milking cows are kept chained to their stalls all day long, receiving no exercise. Pesticides and antibiotics are also used to increase their milk productivity.
Eventually, milking cows, like this one, collapse from exhaustion.
Normally, cows can live as long as twenty years, but milking cows generally die within four. At which point, their meat is used for fast food restaurants.
Meat
At this slaughterhouse, the branded and dehorned cattle are brought into a stall.
Captive Bolts
The captive bolt gun, which was designed to reduce animals unconscious without causing pain, fires a steel bolt, that is powered by compressed air or a blank cartridge, right into the animal’s brain.
Bleeding
Though various methods of slaughter are used, in this Massachusetts facility, the cattle is hoisted up and his or her throat is slit. Along with the meat, their blood will be used as well. Though the animal has received a captive bolt to the head, which is supposed to have rendered him or her senseless … as you can see the animal is still conscious. This is not uncommon. Sometimes they are still alive even after they have been bled, and are well on their
way down the assembly line to be butchered.
Knocking Boxes
Kosher Slaughter
This is the largest glatt kosher meat plant in the United States.
Glatt, the Yiddish word for “smooth,” means the highest standard of cleanliness … and rules for kosher butchering require minimal suffering.
The use of electric prods on immobilised animals is a violation.
Inverting frightened animals for the slaughterer’s convenience is also a violation.
The inversion process causes cattle to aspirate blood, or breath it in, after incision.
Ripping the trachea and oesophagi from their throats is another egregious violation, since kosher animals are not to be touched … until bleeding stops.
And by dumping struggling and dying steers through metal chutes onto blood soaked floors, with their breathing tubes and gullets dangling out, this “sacred task” is neither clean or compassionate.
Shackling and hoisting is ruled yet another violation, nor does it correspond to the kosher way of treating animals. If this was kosher, death was neither quick nor merciful.
Veal
Veal, taken from their mothers within two days of birth, are tied at the neck and kept restricted to keep muscles from developing. Fed an iron-deficient liquid diet, denied bedding, water, and light, after four months of this miserable existence they are slaughtered.
Pigs
Sows in factory farms are breeding machines, kept continually pregnant by means of artificial insemination.
Large pig market factories will “manufacture,” as they like to call it, between 50,000 and 600,000 pigs a year … each.
Factory Conditions
Tail Docking
Tail docking is a practice derived from the lack of space and stressful living conditions so as to keep pigs from biting each other’s tails off.
This is done without anaesthetic.
Ear Clipping
Ear clipping is a similar procedure, also administered without anaesthetic.
Teeth Cutting
As well as teeth-cutting.
Castration
Castration is also done without painkillers or anaesthetic, and were supposedly produce a more fatty grade of meat.
Electric Prods
The electric prods are used for obvious reasons: handling.
Electrocution
Electrocution is another method of slaughter, as seen here.
Throat Slitting
Throat slitting, however, is still the least expensive way to kill an animal.
Boiling and Hair Removal
After knife sticking, pigs are shackled, suspended on a bleed-rail and immersed in scalding tanks to remove their bristle. Many are still struggling as they are dunked where they are upside down in tanks of steaming water, where they are submerged and drowned.
Poultry
In regard to poultry, Americans currently consume as much chicken in a single day as they did in an entire year in 1930.
The largest broiler companies in the world now slaughter more than 8.5 million birds in a single week.
Debeaking
Debeaking prevents feather-pecking and cannibalism in frustrated chickens, caused by over-crowding in single areas, where they are unable to establish a social order. Today, done with infant chicks, the procedure is carried out very quickly, about 15 birds a minute. Such haste means the temperature and sharpness of the blade varies, resulting in sloppy cutting and serious injury to the bird.
Living Conditions
As for their living conditions, anywhere from sixty to ninety thousand birds can be crowded together in a single building.
The suffering for these animals is unrelenting. It is a way of life.
Although their beaks are severed, they attempt to peck each other. For hens, they live in a laying warehouse, crammed inside so-called “battery cages.” Many lose their feathers and develop sores from rubbing against the wire cage. Crowding prevents them fro spreading their wings, and the hens cannot even fulfil minimal natural instincts.
Transportation
During transportation, all animals suffer, and many die. And they suffocate when other animals pile on top of them in overcrowded, poorly loaded cages.
Slaughter
Chickens and turkeys are slaughtered in numerous ways. Some may be clubbed to death or have their heads cut off.
But most are brought through the assembly lines of factory farms.
Dangled upside down on a conveyor belt, their throats are slit, and they are left to bleed to death.
Others may be placed head-first in tubes to restrict their movement while they slowly bleed to death.
Surely, if slaughterhouses had glass walls, would not all of us be vegetarians?
But slaughterhouses do not have glass walls. The architecture of slaughter is opaque, designed in the interest of denial, to insure that we will not see even if we wanted to look. And who wants to look?
It was Emerson who observed more than a hundred years ago, “You have dined, and however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity.”
Seafood
And for those who think eating seafood is “healthier” than land animals, just remember how much irretrievable waste and contaminated sediments are dumped into our oceans. In the past … oil … nuclear … and chemical industries have done little for the protection of marine environments … and dumping on or under the seabed has always proved a convenient place to dispose of inconvenient wastes.
Commercial Fishing
Today’s commercial fishers intensify this situation on massive scales. They use vast factory trawlers the size of football fields and advanced electronic equipment to track and catch fish.
Huge nets stretch across the ocean, swallowing up everything in their path. These factory trawlers, coupled with our increased appetites for seafood, are emptying the oceans of sea life at an alarming pace. Already, thirteen of the seventeen major global fisheries are depleted or in serious decline. The other four are overexploited or fully exploited.
Disease
The recent outbreak of Pfiesteria, a microorganism 1,000 times more potent than cyanide, spawned from millions of gallons of raw hog faeces and urine, poured into rivers, lakes, and oceans, turning their ecosystems into unflushed toilets, is proving the most alarming.
Threatening sea life and humans alike, Pfiesteria has killed over 1 billion fish, the southeast’s largest fish kill on record, and it’s spreading.
Traces of Pfiesteria have already been found from Long Island to the Florida Gulf, at distances of up to 1,000 miles. In fact, this water-based Pfiesteria invasion stands as one of the worst outbreaks of a virulent microorganism in U.S history. It is a Level Three Biohazard. Ebola is a Four. AIDS is a two. And this bug mutated as a direct result of our mass consumption of animals, particularly pork.
With hog farms fattening millions of pigs for slaughter, grain goes in and waste comes out. This waste finds its way into our oceans and water-supply systems, contaminating the animals that live in it, as well as those that eat from it.
Whaling
Finally, whaling. Though the International Whaling Commission prohibited commercial whaling in 1985, many countries continue to kill whales for their so-called “exotic meat.”
They use harpoons, firearms, blunt hooks, even explosives, or drive them into authorised whaling bays where they are made to beach and can be killed with knives in the shallows.
Dolphins
Every winter, between the months of October through March, thousands of dolphins are confined and brutally killed in small towns across Japan. Sounding rods beneath the water’s surface interfere with the dolphin’s sonar.
Once disoriented and enclosed within the nets, the dolphins panic. Fisherman often injure a few captive dolphins with a spear thrust or knife slash … since dolphins never abandon wounded family members.
Mothers and babies call out in distress as they are separated, hoisted up and dragged off … soon to be mercilessly hacked to death.
These are benign and innocent beings … and they deserve better.
Yet here, as they lay stricken and needful, wreathing helplessly on cement floors, they are cut open with machetes and left to slowly suffocate … convulsing and contorting in the throes of agony … while school children walk on by.
Such images of slaughter and bloody red water clearly show the Japanese government has little respect for the state of the world’s oceans with their inhumane methods of fishing … often in violation of international treaties, laws and conventions designed to protect over-exploiting the oceans … and the creatures that live in them. Dolphin meat is later sold in markets and restaurants, though often mislabeled as “whale meat.”
But as though cruelty toward animals raised for food wasn’t enough, we’ve also found ways of making use of them for all our clothes. Jackets, shoes, belts, gloves, pants, wallets, purses, and so on, the next question is obviously: where do our clothes come from?
Part Three: Clothes
Leather
The demand for leather comes primarily from the United States, Germany, and the U.K. Just about everybody wears it, with little or no thought of where it came from.
Thousands of India cows are slaughtered each week for their skins, purchased from poor families in part of rural India who sell them only after the assurance that the animals will live out their lives on farms.
Shoeing and Roping
To relocate the animals to a state where they can legally be killed, since cattle slaughter is forbidden in most of India, the animals must be shoed and roped together in preparation for a harrowing “death march,” which could last for several days.
Transportation and Fatigue
Forced to walk through the heat and dust without food or water, coupled with the sheer stress of this terrifying experience for them, many of the animals collapse and are unable to continue. Bear in mind that most of the cattle are being placed in a truck for the first time in their lives and are likely to be frightened, especially if they have been handled hastily or roughly by the men loading the trucks. The noise and motion of the truck itself is also a new experience; one which makes them ill. After one or two days inside the truck without food or water, they are desperately thirsty and hungry, especially since it is normal for such cows to eat frequently throughout the day.
Tail Breaking
But when the cattle become weary and grow faint, the bones in their tales are broken in an effort to get them back up on their feet. This is done by repeatedly pinching the tail in several areas.
Handlers
Handlers must constantly keep the cattle moving, pulling them by nose ropes, twisting their necks, horns, or tails. They lead, or rather force, the cattle down embankments and in and out of trucks without ramps, causing injuries like broken pelvises, legs, ribs, and horns.
Chilli Pepper
Chilli pepper and tobacco are also used to keep the animals walking. This practice is done by rubbing the pepper directly into their eyes, in order to stimulate the animal back onto his or her feet.
Slaughter
And all this before the slaughter. As many as half of the animals will already be dead by the time they arrive at the slaughterhouse. But to make the experience even more traumatic and terrifying, they are often killed in full view of each other. And instead of the required “quick slice” across the throat with a sharp knife, they are generally killed through hacking and sawing with a dull blade.
Tanning
Afterwards, the skins from these animals are sent to tanneries that use deadly substances like Chromium and other toxins to stop decomposition. Remember, leather is dead flesh. It is dead skin, and, therefore, natural for it to decompose and rot away unless treated with such potent substances as these. And for people, the health effects of such chemicals in tanneries, in lieu of the continued demand for leather goods, is yet another issue.
Retail
Ultimately, leather from Indian cattle make their way to clothing stores all around the world. Most major chains sell Indian leather … leather that comes from completely different cows than those we eat.
Fur
And what about fur? Over 100 million wild animals are murdered for their pelts every year, 25 million in the United States alone. These animals, obtained by hunting and trapping, are kept on fur farms in conditions like these.
Cage Madness
Naturally, these undomesticated, wild animals are not accustomed to being caged, and cage madness develops when frightened and frustrated animals are driven crazy from the stress of confinement. These wild, free-roaming animals, and their offspring, find themselves unable to live a natural life, can never take even a few steps or feel the earth beneath their feet. Instead, they are reduced to scratching, circling and pacing endlessly.
Injuries and Slow Death
The physical injuries these animals endure on fur farms … involve broken and exposed bones … blindness … ear infections … dehydration and malnutrition … exposure to freezing temperatures … lack of veterinary care … and slow death.
Killing
No laws indicate the killing of animals on fur farms, therefore, the least expensive methods are the most appealing. Carbon monoxide poisoning, Strychnine, suffocation, breaking the neck, and anal electrocution are some of the more common methods used. Removed from his or her cage with a heavy neck-pole, the animal is walked past the rows of bodies of slaughtered foxes, sables, raccoons and wolves, among others. Death by anal electrocution is a crude process that requires a probe to be inserted in the rectum while the animal bites down on a metal conductor. Often times this inept procedure must be repeated to actually kill the animal. And the skinned carcasses seen here will later be ground up and fed to the animals still caged.
Part Four: Entertainment
And so we move on to entertainment. Mark Twain once said, “Of all the creatures ever made he (man) is the most detestable. He’s the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain.”
Rodeos
In rodeos, bulls and broncos don’t buck because they’re wild, but because they’re in pain. A belt, called a flank strap or a bucking strap, is secured around the animal’s body over the genital area. As the animal leaves the chute, a tight jerk on the belt is enough to start him bucking in pain. Apart from other injuries animals incur at rodeos … such as broken legs … they are also worked up by being slapped … teased … given electric prods … and otherwise tormented … to bolt out of the chute in a frenzy.
Roping
Roping, as seen here, involves throwing a rope around the neck of a frightened animal running full speed, jerking the poor creature to a halt, and slamming him or her to the ground.
Gambling
Like any other business, dog racing and horse racing are industries motivated by a common denominator: profit.
Fair Grounds
At fair grounds across the country, animals are used to race, bet with, and spectate over. Training for these events is accomplished by withholding food and sometimes water. These animals … unfamiliar with their surroundings … the noise … the crowds … even what they’re supposed to be doing … are all-too-often injured and discarded … in pointless … trivial … outlandish contests … designed to make profits and entertain.
Hunting
Besides loss of habitat, hunting is the number one threat to wildlife today. Hunters kill over 200 million animals every year. Deer, rabbits, and squirrels top the list of desirable targets. There is no denying it, if hunting is a sport it is a bloodsport. The targets are living, and they undergo violent deaths.
Fishing
Fishing is also a death sport, wherein the nonhuman animal suffers. Researchers have distinguished that fish show pain behaviour the same way mammals do. Anatomically, physiologically, and biologically, the pain system in fish is virtually the same as in birds and mammals. In other words, fish are sentient organisms, so of course they feel pain. For those who think fish die “gentler” deaths, consider that their sensory organs are highly developed, their nervous systems complex, their nerve cells very similar to our own, and their responses to certain stimuli immediate and vigorous.
Circuses
When going to the circus, rarely do we stop for a moment and consider: What incites an animal to do something unnatural, even dangerous, such as jumping through flames, balancing on one foot, or diving into water from shaky platforms high in the air? Animal trainers would like for the public to believe that animals are coaxed into such behaviours with the promise of rewards. But the truth is that animals perform because they fear punishment.
In essence, circuses condemn animals who are wild by nature to live out their days isolated in tiny, barren cages, denied normal exercise and socialisation, shuttled around from place to place, and shackled in chains for up to 95% of their lives.
Training
Dominance, subservience, and pain are integral parts of the training process.
Hurt him. Don’t touch him! Make him scream! If you’re scared to hurt him, don’t come in this room. When I say rip his fuckin’ — you know how I am about touchin’ him, right? So if I say rip his head off … rip his fuckin’ foot off, what does that mean? Because it’s very important to do it, right? When he starts squirming too fuckin’ much – both fuckin’ hands – BOOM! Right under that chin! Sit … and he better back up.Then when he fucks around too much, don’t grab that leg … you fuckin’ sink that hook and give everything you’ve got … and when it’s in there go, ee-ee-ee-ee!!! And he’s gonna start screaming. When you hear that screaming, then you know you’ve got their attention a little fuckin’ bit! Right here in the barn. Can’t do it on the road. She’s gonna fuckin’ do what I want. And that’s just the fuckin’ way it is. Alright, let’s go. Becky! Becky!!!
You motherfucker. Get your motherfuckin’ — get up here! Motherfucker! Come here, Becky. Move up, Becky. Move up, Becky. Alright, tubs. Tubs! Hey, get loony. Hey, Becky. Go on, move up. Hey, I’m alive. I’m not a dead man. Move up. Come in line. Come in line, Becky. Motherfucker! Move, motherfucker!
Yeah, come in line. Come here, Tommy. Why do they have to go through that because you motherfuckers don’t want to listen?
Back up. You got a pussy-ass fuckin’ attitude, it’s just the way they die.
We know animals feel. They feel fear, loneliness, and pain, just like humans do. What animal would choose to spend their entire life in captivity … if they had a choice?
Retaliation
“On the count of three. One. Two. Three. Take him. You’ve got to shoot “Fuckin’ assholes!”
Zoos
Are zoos valuable educational and conservation institutions? Sure, zoos are interesting, but they are only educational in the sense that they teach a disregard for the natures of other living beings. Besides, what can we learn about wild animals by viewing them in captivity? Zoos exist because we are intrigued by exotic things, and to zoo-goers, zoo animals are just that: things. In both cases, at circuses or zoos, wild and exotic animals are captured, caged, transported and trained … to do what humans want them to do.
Bullfighting
At best, the term “bullfighting” is a misnomer, as there is little competition between the sword of a nimble matador (which is Spanish for killer), and a confused, maimed, psychologically tormented, and physically debilitated bull. Many prominent former bullfighters report that bulls are intentionally debilitated with tranquilizers and laxatives, beatings to the kidneys, and heavy weights hung around their necks for weeks before a fight.
Some of the animals are placed in darkness for 48 hours before the confrontation, then are released blinded into the bright arena. In a typical event, the bull enters and is approached by men who exhaust and frustrate him by running him in circles and tricking him into collisions.
When the bull is tired and out of breath, he is approached by picadors, who drive lances into his back and neck muscles, twisting and gouging to ensure a significant amount of blood loss, and impairing the bull’s ability to lift his head.
Then come the banderilleros who distract and dart around the bull while plunging more lances into him. Weakened from blood loss, they run the bull in more circles until he is dizzy and stops chasing. Finally, the matador, this “killer,” appears and, after provoking a few exhausted charges from the dying animal, tries to kill the bull with his sword.
And this bloody form of amusement … is bullfighting. The pleasure derived from all these activities and sports (a communion with nature, some would say), can be secured without harming or killing animals. The commercial exploitation of wildlife erroneously assumes that the value of wild animals is reducible to their utility relative to human interests, especially economic interests. But wild animals are not a renewable resource, having value only relative to human interests.
That perception can only be that of a speciesist. Nevertheless, these practices exist only because we do not take seriously the interests of other animals. In this light, are humans not the most callous speciesists of all?
Part Five: Scientific Research
The term vivisection is used to apply to all types of experiments on living animals and is said to be a form of medical science. The reason for experimentation of this type is to allegedly discover cures for human ailments and illnesses.
But those who hope to find remedies for human ills by inflicting deliberate sufferings on animals commit two fundamental errors in understanding.
The first is the assumption that results obtained on animals are applicable to mankind.
The second concerns the inevitable fallacy of experimental science in respect to the field of organic life. Since animals react differently from human beings … every new product or method tried out on animals must be tried out again on man … through careful clinical tests, before it can be considered safe.
This rule knows no exceptions. Tests on animals are not only dangerous because they lead to wrong conclusions but, furthermore, they retard clinical investigation – which is the only valid kind.
Just remember the fact that any disease deliberately provoked is unlike any disease that arises spontaneously.
Medical Experiments
Unfortunately, such methods still sail today under the flag of science – which is an insult to true science, as well as human intelligence. And so vivisection applies to medical experiments … done with the administration of noxious substances … electric or traumatic shocks … unanesthetized operations … burns … drawn-out deprivations of food and drink … physical and psychological tortures … that lead to mental imbalance … infections … and so on.
Head injury research involves partially or fully conscious baboons strapped down with restraints … and their heads cemented into a metal helmet, which will be thrust at a 60 degree angle at a force of up to 1,000 Gs. The purpose of this experiment is to simulate auto crashes … football … boxing … and other head related injuries. And this process is often repeated again and again on the same animals.
Military Research
And finally, military research. This one speaks for itself. From sending monkeys into outer space, and testing atomic blasts on helpless dogs, to exposing primates to nuclear radiation.
Twenty years ago, the number of animals dying of tortures through the practice of vivisection was astronomical, estimated at 400,000 per day world wide, and growing at an annual rate of five percent.
Today that number is almost beyond comprehension. 19,000 per minute. 10 billion per year. Some uneducated persons pretend to know that less intelligent animals don’t feel pain the same way we do.
In truth, we know very little about how specific animals may “feel,” except that they must also submit to the universal law that causes every organism dying by unnatural means to suffer greatly before that final release.
But it’s nonsense to say that the animals do not suffer because they have a lower order of intelligence. Pain is pain, conveyed by nerves to the brain, and there are other nerves than those of intelligence … nerves such as sight, smell, touch, and hearing.
And in some animals these nerves are much more highly developed than in man. We know that there has never been an epoch in which we could learn something about the physiology of man by torturing animals; we only learned something about animals.
And if there is something we can learn from them on the psychological level, it is not by means of steel or electricity, much less so through psychic violences. The systematic torture of sentient beings, whatever the pretext and in whatever form, cannot achieve anything more than it already has: to show us what is the lowest point of debasement man can reach.
If that’s what we want to know.
Conclusion
“As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields.” – Leo Tolstoy
Ignorance is the speciesist’s first line of defense. Yet it is easily breached by anyone with the time and determination to find out the truth.
Ignorance has prevailed so long only because people do not want to find out the truth. “Don’t tell me, you’ll spoil my dinner” is the usual reply to any attempt to tell someone just how that dinner was produced.
Even people who are aware that the traditional family farm has been taken over by big business interests … that their clothes come from slaughtered cows, that their entertainment means the suffering and death of millions of animals … and that some questionable experiments go on in laboratories, still cling to a vague belief that conditions cannot be too bad, or else the government or the animal welfare societies would have done something about it.
But it is not the inability to find out what is going on as much as a desire not to know about facts that may lie heavy on one’s conscience that is responsible for this lack of awareness – after all, the victims of whatever it is that goes on in all these awful places are not members of one’s own group.
It all comes down to pain and suffering. Not intelligence, not strength, not social class or civil right. Pain and suffering are in themselves bad and should be prevented or minimised, irrespective of the race, sex, or species of the being that suffers.
We are all animals of this planet. We are all creatures. And non-human animals experience sensations just like we do. They too are strong, intelligent, industrious, mobile, and evolutional. They too are capable of growth and adaptation.
Like us, first and foremost, they are earthlings. And like us, they are surviving. Like us, they also seek their own comfort rather than discomfort. And like us, they express degrees of emotion.
In short, like us, they are alive; most of them being, in fact, vertebrae, just like us. As we look back on how essential animals are to human survival; our absolute dependence on them (for companionship … food … clothing … sport and entertainment … as well as medical and scientific research), ironically … we only see mankind’s complete disrespect for these non-human providers.
Without a doubt, this must be what it is … to “bite the hand that feeds us.” In fact, we have actually stomped and spit on it.
Now we are faced with the inevitable aftermath. This is evident in health reports due to our over-excessive consumption of animals. Cancer, heart disease, Osteoporosis, strokes, kidney stones, Anemia, diabetes, and more. Even our food has now been effected … and at its very source.
With antibiotics used to promote weight gain in animals (who can’t gain weight under the stressful, overcrowded living conditions in factory farms); with the over-use of pesticides and insecticides; or artificial hormones (designed to increase milk production, litter size and frequency); with artificial colours, herbicides, larvicides, synthetic fertilisers, tranquillisers, growth and appetite stimulants … it’s no wonder that Mad Cow Disease … Foot and Mouth Disease … Pfiesteria … and a host of other animal related abnormalities have been unleashed on the human public.
Nature is not responsible for these actions. We are. So a change is inevitable.
Either we make it ourselves, or we will be forced to make it by Nature Itself. The time has come for each of us to reconsider our eating habits, our traditions, our styles and fashions, and above all, our way of thinking.
So, if there is any truth to the age-old saying, “What goes around, comes around,” then what do they get for their pain? Do we even give it a second thought? If what goes around comes around, what do they get for their pain?
They are earthlings. They have the right to be here just as much as humans do. Perhaps the answer is found in another age-old saying … and one equally true: We reap just what we sow.
So of course, animals feel, and of course they experience pain. After all, has nature endowed these wonderful animals with well-springs of sentiment so that they should not feel … or do animals have nerves in order to be insensitive?
Reason demands a better answer. But one thing is absolutely certain: animals used for food, used for clothing, used for entertainment, and in scientific experiments and all the oppression that is done to them under the sun, they all die from pain.
Each and every one.
Isn’t it enough that animals the world over live in permanent retreat from human progress and expansion?
And for many species … there is simply nowhere else to go. It seems the fate of many animals is either to be unwanted by man … or wanted too much. We enter as lords of the earth bearing strange powers of terror and mercy alike … But Human beings should love animals as … the knowing love the innocent, and the strong love the vulnerable.
When we wince at the suffering of animals, that feeling speaks well of us even when we ignore it, and those who dismiss love for our fellow creatures as mere sentimentality overlook a good and important part of our humanity. But it takes nothing away from a human to be kind to an animal.
And it is actually within us to grant them a happy life … and a long one. On the heath, King Lear asked Gloucester: “How do you see the world?” And Gloucester, who is blind, answered: “I see it feelingly.” I see it feelingly.
Three primary life forces exist on this planet: Nature, Animals and Humankind. We are the Earthlings. Make the connection.
Some reactions to share:
Watching this for the third time, it still doesn’t get any easier and it is still hard to sit through despite knowing the next scenes or what to expect. It also highlights how pervasive animal cruelty is in daily life and the severe consequences following such human exploitation of animals. Simultaneously, it further reveals how people have desensitized and numb themselves to such harsh reality. Ultimately, the problem lies in humans prioritising self over others, from satisfying own taste buds to pervadingly how we would feel. For example, despite being made aware of the uncomfortable truth about meat consumption, many still choose to close their eyes and block it out so they don’t have to feel bad or so they can continue doing it without the guilt. Thank you for this sharing which can serve as another reminder for us to be more caring and less self-centered.
~ CindyH
This movie is immensely graphic yet shows the brutal truth. More power to documentaries like these that shed light on so many disturbing issues. I would still be eating meat had it not been for interventions and education on awareness by Rinpoche. I would like to be more skilled in persuading others to make better choices.
~ Chandra
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks for the link! I shared this on FB this morning and plan to watch it with my husband and daughter this evening. She and I were talking about the fur industry this morning so I know she’ll be interested in this documentary. She’s only 10 and had no idea that animals were skinned for their fur, she thought they were shaved. Being from Louisiana she’s seen plenty of animal skins hung and dried, but she didn’t realize there was a whole industry attached to the practice.
Sincerely,
Jessi Bryant
Buddhism & Animals Documentary
Buddhist Teachings & Lifestyle Philosophy
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/BuddhismAndAnimals.mp4
Here is another documentary, this one being about Buddhism and animals. It is a must-watch documentary for any sincere Dharma practitioner.
Some reactions to share:
I found Buddhism at the right time in my life. This is very helpful. I’m going vegan from now on.
~ sky watcher
I am going to do the same, is there anything I should be aware of if I stop eating meat and meat by-products (dairy, cream etc.)? Is there certain nutrients I would need to substitute with something else if I don’t eat meat and it’s by-products?
~ tubbyrainbow111
Of all living beings on earth, humans have the greatest brain power, but greatest brain power does not equate greatest wisdom. For thousands of years, in fact since stone age, humans have been killing other animals for food, but back then survival was extremely precarious, so it is understandable. But at this day and age, technology is very advanced, food is aplenty, in fact in great surplus, farming technology is very advanced which produces crops that can sustain the entire earth population. Hence, there is ABSOLUTELY NO NEED to kill other animals for survival. Eating vegetables, beans, lentils alone can sustain the whole earth population. Hence to kill other animals for food has become a pure act of cruelty and greed, an act lacking much in wisdom. Animals are not here for humans to eat, but humans with their superior brain power exploit other species to the extreme. But there is karma, whatever humans kill and eat in this life, in the future they will be reborn as animals to be killed and eaten too. This is the truth, realizing and accepting is wisdom, hence stop exploiting and killing other animals for whatever reasons is the wisest option.
~ Pastor Loh Seng Piow
Quotes About Animals by His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche
Quotes About Animals by Famous People
Reputable Animal Rights Organisations
The following are several reputable Animal Rights organisations that consistently campaign and work to protect animal rights in accordance with their visions and missions.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
In March 1980, animal rights activists Ingrid E. Newkirk and Alex Pacheco established PETA. Through their persistence and courage, PETA began to thrive. Today, PETA is one of the largest animal rights organisations in the world with approximately 6.5 million supporters and members.
PETA uses various methods to defend, protect and increase awareness about the importance of animal rights such as investigations into cases of animal cruelty, animal rescue, research, special events, campaigns, protests, celebrity endorsement, and public education. PETA’s programs focus on the following areas where animals suffer the most:
- The entertainment industry
- Laboratories that allow animal testing
- The clothing trade
- The food industry
In addition, PETA looks into the killing of animals that are classified as pests and domesticated animal related cruelty.
To learn more about PETA, please visit their website at https://www.peta.org/about-peta/
Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM)
In 1976, a Holocaust survivor, social justice organiser and an environmental consultant established the Vegetarian Information Service (VIS) to promote environmental integrity, animal protection and the benefits of a plant-based diet.
In 1981, VIS transformed into FARM after the organisation decided to embrace and defend the rights of animals not to be used as food products and to promote veganism.
Since FARM’s establishment, they have initiated various awareness campaigns for the public including organising the largest annual animal rights conference in the world. Currently, FARM runs various animal rights initiatives in East Asia, the United States and Israel.
To learn more about FARM, please visit their website at http://farmusa.org/
Mercy For Animals (MFA)
In 1999, an animal rights activist, Nathan Runkle decided to formalise his passion for animal welfare and established MFA. MFA focuses their activism on the protection and the prevention of animal farm cruelty. They use various methods that include undercover investigations, legal advocacy and corporate outreach to expose animal abuse, bring the responsible parties to justice, and inspire mass consumers to make wise food choices by appealing to their sense of compassion.
To learn more about MFA, please visit their website at https://mercyforanimals.org
Animal Legal Defense Fund
In 1979, a group of attorneys in the United States who were passionate about animal protection and worked to shape emerging laws regarding animals established the Animal Legal Defense Fund. The mission of the Animal Legal Defense Fund is to:
- Protect animals from harm
- Provide training to prosecutors to be successful in their work to bring animal abusers to justice
- Provide legal assistance
- Fight legislation that causes harm to animals.
Today, the activism and consistency of the Animal Legal Defense Fund have drawn support from over 200,000 supporters and members.
To learn more about the Animal Legal Defense Fund, please visit their website
at https://aldf.org/
The Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet
The number of people today who adopt a vegetarian lifestyle continues to grow. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine defines being vegetarian as “avoiding animal flesh, including fish and poultry.” There are actually several types of vegetarianism:
- Lacto-ovo vegetarians – are people who avoid animal flesh, but do not abstain from consuming egg and dairy products
- Lacto vegetarians – are people who avoid animal flesh and eggs, but do not abstain from consuming dairy products
- Vegans – are people who avoid animal flesh, eggs and dairy products
According to scientific research, there are many benefits of following a vegetarian diet, these include:
Preventing cancer
A vegetarian diet is rich in fiber and phytochemicals that could prevent cancer and are low in saturated fat. Studies performed in Germany and Britain have indicated that compared to meat eaters, vegetarians are 40 percent less likely to develop cancer. Analysis of the blood of vegetarians revealed that the blood contains special white blood cells that have the ability to attack cancer cells. These blood cells are also known as “natural killer cells”.
Lowering the Risk of Heart Disease
Vegetarians do not consume animal products that are high in saturated fat, and a plant-based diet is generally rich in fiber. Fiber helps to reduce cholesterol levels dramatically. Studies show that a high-fiber, low-fat vegetarian diet when combined with regular exercise, not smoking and stress reduction techniques could help to reverse the hardening of arteries, the common symptoms of atherosclerosis or heart disease.
Lowering Blood Pressure
Since the early 20th century, nutritionists have noted that those who adopted a vegetarian diet have lower blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are usually rich in potassium, a mineral that helps to lower blood pressure.
Preventing and Controlling Diabetes
A low-fat vegetarian diet, when combined with regular exercise, can help to control or prevent non-insulin dependent diabetes.
Reducing the risk of Gallstones and Kidney Stones
A vegetarian diet reduces the risk of gallstones and kidney stones. Usually, animal proteins often result in the body excreting uric acid, oxalate, and calcium, which are the main elements of urinary tract stones.
For those who are interested in starting a vegetarian diet and enriching their collection of vegetarian recipes, you can visit the following articles:
- 50 Incredible Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes!
- Mrs. Patel’s Pav Bhaji
- Dr. Jiang’s DELICIOUS HEALTHY RECIPES
- Recipes: Breakfast
- Recipes: Gluten Free
- Recipes: Grilling
Addendum
More examples of extreme animal cruelty for various human profit. It’s important that we create awareness of what’s happening to these animals because they are not able to talk. It’s important that we watch these videos and share these videos, and what’s happening in the animal world to many other people. It’ll be nice to live in a world that’s cruelty-free.
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/AnimalCrueltyVideo1.mp4
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/AnimalCrueltyVideo2.mp4
For more interesting information:
- The Animals, Vegetarianism and Environment category on my blog
- If slaughterhouses had glass walls…
- 10 Superstar Athletes Who Don’t Eat Meat
- Guess What Paul Tried?
- Where Does Leather Come From?
- California Says Pet Stores Can Only Sell Rescued Animals
- Do you know what Gucci did?
- Rabbis Urge Jews to Go Vegan in Global Campaign
- What to Order on the Menu? | 今日菜单
- 66 Million!
- The Vegan Prince and Clean Energy
- US Health Experts Call on Hospitals to Serve Vegan Food
- You Cannot Believe What This Man Gave Away!
- Do you know what is killing us slowly?
- Books That Are A Must-Read!
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
I’m Vincent from Sunday Beginner Buddhism English Class 5/5/24 by Ani Lobsang Chokyi. My thoughts on watching Earthling & Slaughterhouse Has Glass Window: Stress ah. Hard to watch.
I actually attempted vegetarian for a few months, although at that time my family seems to be against it and they tend to give a lot of comments about it. It’s also not the most convenient, and I started losing a lot of weight and got really tired after workout so eventually I stopped. I didn’t have the discipline to get good vegetarian protein alternative.
Although now after rewatching the video, I guess the above act, to sum it up simply is creating more suffering just in the name of my own convenience and lack of discipline eh?
For now, I’ll give myself a transition period to keep all meals vegetarian as much as I can. If I find myself tired/losing too much weight I’ll check in again with how I can adjust my vegetarian diet to make things work instead.
Hi Vincent, thank you so much for taking the time to watch this very insightful documentary and I am glad you now came to a realisation. I am glad you will continue to try being vegetarian and to do it properly, gradually and also do take on the vows because, on the day you are vegetarian, even for 24 hours, you will collect merits. So why waste it since you are already putting the effort for not eating meat? Then when you do the dedication you seal the merit and that’s very powerful for your practice to develop further.
I hope you will try being a vegetarian again and explore/learn many different foods that can strengthen your body because trust me I am not malnourished LOL. There are really so many options and recipes out there, from Chinese to Indian to Western foods. Also being vegetarian, we also must not forget to take our supplements such as your multi-vits (vegetarian friendly of course) and whatever your doctor advice you to take to maintain a healthy body.
It’s never easy to finish watching Earthlings. It was too sad to continue but this is homework given by teacher Ani Chokyi on 5/5/24, for English Buddhism class for beginners.
I need to stop for so many times, it’s just too cruel.😭
I do not eat meat at all but still eat frozen fish occasionally thinking it was okay due to it’s difficult to get vegetarian food at my workplace.
After watching this, my perspective change.
Will be taking vegetarian vow on this Wesak day ( for the rest of my life)
Thank you Ani Chokyi for have given this ‘homework ‘.
May all sentient beings be happy & free from suffering.
Thank you so much Elise for watching! I know it is hard to watch, so can you imagine if you were the animal being abused? So thank you for being kind enough to open your eyes to see the reality of the meat industry and what it is doing to our whole environment. Bless you for thinking of becoming a vegetarian for life! Congratulations and I rejoice for you!
You are really creating an impact, you are creating less demand in the meat industry. You are one less person demanding their meat and this is a drop in the ocean and a start to your practice of loving-kindness and gross compassion. Thank you for truly trying to practice the Dharma and my good wishes and prayers for you. May you gain great realisations, have a good healthy body, long life and may you one day achieve bodhicitta! See you on Wesak day!!!
I have finished watching earthlings as part of my homework from 5 May 24 Sunday Buddhism for beginners class conducted by Ani Chokyi.
It took me awhile to watch because it was too intense i had to break it up into parts.
The amount of suffering that i saw of each individual animal in the video was a short time for me but definitely a very prolong duration of suffering for the sentient being, the fear helplessness, the stress, the pain. The unimaginable amount of human cruelty we humans have and inflict in the interests of Financial or economic gain.
The film covers way more aspects than just the meat trade and is very comprehensive.
Still, I cannot align myself to vegan idealogy. For myself I will eat less meat which I have been trying to cut down in preparation for Wesak 2024. I will still drink milk and take milk products. I will still eat eggs and when possible buy eggs labelled cage free. I will also reduce reliance on leather animal products. However for my dogs I will still be feeding them meat.
Samsara is vicious, and animals will eat other animals, fish will eat other fish. This suffering is part of karma, and If we do not practice virtues and avoid negative actions, we will not only affect our own rebirths but also be encouraging the humans in the video to continue to practice non-virtues and accumulating extremely negative karma which will affect their rebirth. The animals sadly to say we never know what sort of negative karma they have committed to be able to receive so much suffering and I pray that their negative karma has been purified.
Thank you so much for watching Johnathan and being kind enough to open your eyes to see the reality. Yes, the documentary is very comprehensive. And bless you for thinking of cutting down your meat intake. This is a huge step and it is a start, better than so many out there who are oblivious. One less person demanding for less meat is still a drop in the ocean and a start to your practice of gross compassion. Thank you again and my good wishes and prayers for your kindness.
I’m attending the 2024 English Buddhism for Beginner and today’s class is about Vegetarianism / Plant-based diet (merge with Saving the Earth and Loving Animals). Our teacher today, Ani Chokyi has explained so much on this topic and asked us to watch Earthlings.
I could not even watch it for more than 30 mins of the documentary. i saw a sick dog being dragged and thrown into the garbage truck just like garbage to be crushed to death. How the animals were slaughtered in such inhumane way. i couldn’t stop crying… This has definitely made me think again if i should consider being a vegetarian for life.
Thank you Rinpoche and Ani Chokyi for sharing and teaching us on this topic.
May all sentient beings be free of pain and suffering
Thank you so much for watching Evon and being kind enough to open your eyes to see the reality. Bless you for thinking of becoming vegetarian for life, it is okay to start small, do it for a short period until you can do it for life. One less person demanding for their meat is still a drop in the ocean and a start to your practice of compassion. Thank you again and my good wishes and prayers for your kindness.
Watched this powerful, heartfelt and painful video again . Earthlings is a American documentary film about humanity’s use of other animals as pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and for scientific research. There is a strong and insightful message in this documentary film which took SIX years to make. Not an easy task after all but managed to obtain through hidden camera. More people will be aware of those sufferings of those kill for the human greed exploitation of animals. It also shed light the truth the very truth of the sufferings of those innocent been exploited. Interesting read and great video to watch.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
My thoughts on the documentary “Earthlings”
The documentary “Earthlings” made me aware of the pain and suffering of animals caused by humans for a variety of things such as food, clothing, entertainment and science. I felt sad and sympathetic towards the animals who have to undergo such horrible things. I also felt angry towards those who treated the animals disrespectfully and as objects. It seemed inhuman when they just killed the animals ruthlessly and continue their life as if nothing happened. It also made me very angry when they tortured the animals and teased them. The documentary also made me aware of the ignorance of people who don’t want their meal to be ruined by the explanation of how their meal was made in the first place. I think everyone should at least know how their food was made so that they atleast have the awareness of the making of the food they’re eating. That’s all I have to say about the documentary. I liked the documentary and I hope more people see it for it gives alot of awareness of the suffering of animals caused by us.
Shocking after watching the videos…. Sad how can they be so inhuman , the poor and frightened dogs are helpless cramped in the cages waiting to be slaughtered. Could hear those dogs either screaming and beg for mercy or crying for help. I could not bare to watch feeling disheartened , it is such an extreme animal cruelty just for human consumption . May more people create the awareness of such cruelty happenings and sufferings of those dogs have to endure. Even famous celebrities like Sir Paul McCartney, Joaquin Phoenix , Moby have decided to use their celebrity status to being the awareness for a good cause. That’s wonderful indeed.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Your Next Meal!
Yummy? Tasty? Behind the scenes of the meat on your plates. Meat is a killing industry.
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559986650.mp4
This is Daw
This is what they do to get meat on tables, and to produce belts and jackets. Think twice before your next purchase.
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559986627.mp4
Don’t Take My Mummy Away!
Look at the poor baby chasing after the mother. Why do we do that to them? It’s time to seriously think about our choices in life and how they affect others. Be kind. Don’t break up families.
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559986609.mp4
They do this every day!
This is how they are being treated every day of their lives. Please do something to stop the brutality. Listen to their cries for help!
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559986591.mp4
What happened at Fair Oaks Farm?
The largest undercover dairy investigation of all time. See what they found out at Fair Oaks Farm.
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559988165.mp4
This is my fifth attempt to watch the Earthlings. It is still an attempt because it is still unbearable to watch how the animals are being treated for humans selfish wants. The following 10 points expressed the thoughts after watching it today.
1) Chaining and caging of beings in slavery and farming to control, confine, constraint their movements to a system that was set up to cost them great pain and suffering for as long as they are held captive or until they die are all pure evil deeds and cruelty. If a being is happy to be kept, he/she/it would not require such an extreme act of torture. To what extent does one had to go to harm others before they understand every single being has the right to live their lives until death arrives? Every being come to the earth to fulfil a purpose, instead, they are being treated worse than a mere object because they were born with less intelligence.
2) Racism, sexism, specism are all labels given by humans with extreme wrong views with full intend to protect their personal interest and benefits. They see it as a form of power and self-fulfilment due to their wish to harm. When intelligence and ignorant come into play, the few in power would achieve their goals at the expense of others suffering.
3) Power is a very addictive feeling one finds difficult to let go. Most of the time, it was being used abusively to exploit others who are seen as lower and less intelligent. The wrong use of power, therefore, caused unwanted and inconvenient waste to be dumped into our ocean, disturbed the ecosystem and as a result gives rise to global warning and slowly destroying mother earth and wasting unnecessary natural resources that are so precious for our future generations.
4) Generally, humans are born into a meat diet. It never occurs to them that someone has to die in before the meat is being packed in the market. As technologies grow and moving into civilisation, instead of finding alternative and sustaining diet, human beings increase their desire for meat and therefore resulted in animals farming that is unnecessary. We are no longer in the stone age, there are much more alternatives and healthy choice we can take other than taking meat. There will be no overpopulations of chickens, pigs, cows and etc. because they will not be farmed to meet the high demand that was solely fueled by greed and desire.
5) Animals are born with a living environment that suits them. However, many of them are denied their natural habitat due to deforestation, palm tree farming, mass meat and dairy productions. Many had to live in filthy conditions with no care, limited space, no socialisation and lacked sunlight. A chick is now born to see the sun on the day it is being sent to the slaughterhouse. Same goes to calves, hens, pigs and etc. If humans do not make a living out of harming those who are deemed lower and worse than an object, finding the balance in the ecosystem and adopt an alternative holistic diet, the animal farming and slaughterhouse hell would end forever!
6) Keeping animals as a pet would deny their freedom to roam. However, they can be a good companion and a friend provided if humans take care of them as if they are our next of kin. They can feel just like humans. They should not be abandoned or put to sleep just because humans find it inconvenient or decided not to keep them anymore. Adopt a pet from the pound help decrease the demand for pets from the puppy mill and reduce the rate of animals having to be euthanised due to lack of space at the pound. Serious considerations must be taken into measures as an animal is a life and its life is as precious as a human’s. Therefore, adopt and not purchase, care and not abandon. It is a commitment and responsibility on the human side when it comes to keeping a pet who is like a child.
7) Slaughterhouse will not have glass and people prefer not to know where their food comes from. They wish to continue to pacify the three inches short tongue and moments of satisfaction of their taste buds. As long as there is supply, there will always be a demand. It is really not the other way round as the economist would like to stress. If no one supply meat even seeing people love them, there will never be a huge supply of meat and the slaughterhouse can be transformed into a greenhouse.
8) If there is no demand for meat, there will no need for branding, dehorning, ear clipping, depeacking and etc. to be done and the animals would not have to go through those process without anaesthetic. All these acts of cruelty are created due to mass animals farming. The source of the problem is the greed for meat and using it as the source for wealth. In addition to the pain and suffering of farm animals have to go through, them being exploited constantly also reduce their lifespan from 20 years down to just 4 for a milking cow, for example. If humans wish to have a long life, they should really adopt a cruelty-free diet. Causes resemble effects, killing others and shortening their lives create causes to have a short life.
9) Due to the need to speed up the production line in a slaughterhouse, many animals were still conscious and alive while being butchered. They watch themselves being skinned, cut open, boil to remove hair while seeing their peers going through the same pain as they are. Because the business of animal farming focuses on the returns and income, animals would never be treated properly and at least to be killed mercifully. This is the most unfortunate industry that exists strongly today.
10) When it comes to suffering and pain, humans would justify that animals do not have feelings. But when it comes to experiments, they would rely on the animals’ reactions to decide the effectiveness of the experiment. Humans are hypocrites. They will do whatever that convenient them instead of doing beneficial works for others. Science is not great at all with regards to this aspect where another being is harmed in the name of discoveries and advancement.
It is most unfortunate that I was born a meat eater and lover for almost 30 years. I took up vegetarianism due to religious belief. It never occurs to me how much sufferings I have contributed towards for keeping a meat diet for so long. So many lives have been killed to feed me, to clothe me, to nourish my skin, to clean my hair and etc. It was 30 years of living on harming and killings animals deliberately due to my ignorance of where my food and the products I use come from.
I am very glad that I have come across Buddhism and practice it somewhat to reduce all acts of harm for a meat eating and self-preservation lifestyle. It has been over 10 years that no products that use animal testing, no meat, no bags and accessories that are made from animals’ body parts have been part of my life. It is a meaningful and light way to live without any animals being harm to my existence. I am nothing and no animals should be harm because of me. Even if I am ‘somebody’, I will make sure animals are not being exploited with my influence because a day without harming others, is a day of peace closer to spirituality.
Animals are living beings. When I look into their eyes, I see a life within. This never occurs to me before I adopt a cruelty free lifestyle. I can relate more to the animals and see them as equals instead of food and mere objects. They should be left alone to live the life they deserve without being harm just because they have less intelligence compare to me. And precisely because of that, they are to be protected from harm instead.
10 things that bothered/affected/shocked/disgusted me are after watching Earthlings:
1. Our disregards and disrespect for others
We have to stop our prejudice or bias in favour of the interests of members of one’s own group and embrace a more encompassing or inclusive approach to other race, gender, species or gender as we learn about interconnectedness and the Butterfly Effect. We are in the age of cloud-based artificial intelligence and living as citizens of the world, we cannot operate on the mindset of Paleolithic hunter-gatherer bands. In fighting racism and sexism, we need to also consider adding speciesism onto our list of things to eliminate.
2. We are not animal lovers
I realise how we humans are such hypocrites! We teach our children to love and care for animals, yet at the same time, meat consumption has increased despite awareness of organic food, vegetarianism, veganism, and clean eating or compassionate eating. It is confusing for kids that we love our pets (animals), yet we eat them too?! Sharing this viral video of how a girl refused to eat after finding out the truth about animals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnEFpUpf-9c
3. Animals are objects
Another better, wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals is definitely needed. The documentary introduces a different perspective on animals. Animals are other nations, they have their special talents, and are strong, intelligent, industrious, mobile, and evolutional too. We must not pass on this concept of animals that they are things for us to utilise and exploit in the forms of pets, food, clothes, entertainment and for scientific experiments. We cannot watch National Geographic and admire animals as divine creatures of nature, and the next minute we chew on a hamburger while wearing our leather shoes and jacket.
4. “Fate of many animals is either to be unwanted by man … or wanted too much.”
This is such a sad statement. We really do enter as lords of the earth and other beings are at our mercy. Just because we are more intelligent, or are at the top of the food chain doesn’t mean we have the right to make other animals suffer for trivial purposes. They are truly trivial, because we are capable of inventing or creating inventions that replace these animals in terms of food, clothes and entertainment, and hence, we must spare them from going through suffering unnecessarily.
5. “Don’t tell me, you’ll spoil my dinner”
Claiming ignorance cannot be our defense, because we all know too well where the steaks, fried chickens, and sashimi come from. We must create the awareness so that those who refuse to make a minor change in lifestyle will eventually conform. We cannot continue to harm animals, which we now know that its negative impacts harm the environment and ultimately harm us. Pfiesteria, Mad Cow disease, cancer and so on are the results of our harm that return to haunt us.
6. Causing suffering and pain to others
There is no moral justification for ignoring others’ pain, or causing others pain. Apart from killing the animals, we can see clearly in the video that some of the workers are actually abusing or torturing the animals. Even if they were to be killed for food, it doesn’t mean we have the right to further torture or abuse them. I am shocked to see circus animals retaliate, they really had enough.
7. Greed
Human has the capacity to create a Utopian society, but out of greed and for profit, we would rather show our power through harming and abusing animals. Big companies that focus on profit have taken over smaller farms, they exploit not only the animals, but also the farmers/operators.
8. For our convenience and benefits, anything can be forsaken, even lives
With more and more cases of animal cruelty highlighted in the media, I wonder if the cases have actually increased or it’s because news travel faster due to popularity of social media. We must educate and create mass awareness of respecting animal lives and support law enforcement to prevent animal cruelty and killing of animals.
9. Religious killings that violate the principles/rules
I am appalled to learn that slaughterhouses who claim to operate based on religious principles are violating their religious rules, just to ensure killing of animals is faster or more convenient. They operate to appeal to certain religious group’s practice, but in reality, they are deceiving the public by not adhering to the rules, crooked and evil.
10. Why are people not making that choice?
We have a choice to stop their suffering. Why are we not making the decision? I believe this is due to lack of mass awareness and no urgency to create the culture of not harming and killing. Hence the documentary started with the Three Stages of Truth. Ridicule, Violent Opposition and then Acceptance. We have to work hard to drive this message of non-violence across.
These are the 10 points that bothered/affected/shocked/disgusted me after watching the Earthlings video for the 5th time.
It is so shocking how the animals are cramped into their “living” spaces which are sheer torture for the animals, especially smaller animals like chickens. They live in their own filth and some of the young fall through the slates and drown in their sludge. It is also very shocking to see how rampant the diseases/sickness that the animals are sufferings from,,,,and these are animals to be eaten by humans. No wonder the studies had shown that cancer patients are now at 1 in every 4 persons.
It is also very shocking that the fur of the foxes are peeled off when the animals are fully awake and aware of the intensity of the pain. Even getting a slice from paper cut hurts with such intensity, so skinning through all those nerves is just unimaginable. Looking into the eye of the fox, the shock of that pain is reflected so intensely.
What disgusted me terribly is how the men in the video took so much glee in unnecessary torture of the animals already in suffering. Some of the men were stomping on the chickens on the floor and fully enjoying it. It is really scary how cold-hearted these men are. They had total disassociation with the living beings beneath their feet.
It’s really a shock on my awareness and painful to watch how the animals have their throats slashed. Often few times before as the initial is not deep enough and then they are “processed” before they are dead. It is just endless cruelty and these stock animals’ very existence are to feed humans. No justifications are good enough for this type of existence.
Human is ingenious with discovering so many things to continuously feed our senses which has become very fickle nowadays. The endless search for interesting challenges. Even game hunting is a commercial industry. Seeing those people gloating over their prize, I just don’t see what courage or even sportsmanship is there in the kill. After all, “company” won’t be so stupid to let you lose your “catch” and everything had been conditioned for your “triumph”.
Human cruelty or indifference are trained from young. The image of the dolphins contorting in pain from their throats slashed and the young boy on his way to school greeted the elders in a happy tone, totally oblivious to the pains of the dolphins. The children are being trained to be the next generation of killers. The dolphins are such highly intelligent beings that had only helped saved human lives throughout history. It was mentioned that dolphins do not leave their wounded family which is why it is so easy to corral them for the easy kill. It is just so painfully sad to see the colour of the sea turning red.
And humans have such capacity for stupidity. What intelligence is there to lasso a calf, jerk and tie his feet up? Even with the Matador, the bull never had that “fair game” from the start. You can see the fear in the Matador when the bull was “lucky” enough to gain an advantage. So what makes the Matador’s life so much more valuable? The pomp of his costume? His facade of “bravery”? His skills at extracting the maximum amount of pain from the bull? To see the crowd cheering on and seeing how disconnected they are to the fact that the bull is a living being and very much wish to live his life in the pastures.
And the laboratory animals being experimented on to find cures for the many diseases we now have rampantly. If humans did not have such insatiable need for meat, then there may not be so many mutations of diseases and no need to test on the animals in the first place. And why are beer companies testing their beer on the animals? I thought that beer required natural ingredients Are there something detrimental to humans in consumption that it needs to be tested in another living being? You see how the animals cringe or looked so fearful.
Then we see how badly the Indian cows are being treated, all those suffer the torture in transportation or travel to their point of kill. So exhausted when the knife cuts through their throat, their eyes rolled up in pain. I had seen pictures of how their legs were severed to immobilized before they skin the cow alive. Apparently with the lifeblood flowing, its easier to skin and the skin becomes more pliable. Always choosing cruelty over compassion.
Seeing all these mass killings, I do wonder at our existence. Why do we continue going through the process of sufferings and why do other beings need to suffer for our cravings. Meat is not a need with so many alternatives around but meat is a choice. A choice that will eventually come back to us for us to suffer. The law of karma that is inescapable
It was by watching this “Earthlings” documentary that I became a vegetarian, a decision that I am happy I made as I had never found wanting or lacking during meals, at home or out. It is basically our denial that conditions our mind to ignore animals as our equal. Animals live in tune with Mother Nature and take only what they need for their survival whilst human ravage and plunder just from pleasure.
This video is an invaluable source of awareness to bring us closer to kindness / compassion that we are capable of. Thank you Rinpoche, for your care in so many ways.
Dear Rinpoche, thank you for sharing this video because it is very important for us to know where our meat comes from so that we will be able to wake up and not continue to indulge in a diet that supports and causes other beings to suffer. It is not right for us to exploit another sentient beings just because they are lower or weaker than us. We are the stronger species should be the one protecting them instead of harming them. In Buddhism, we practice kindness and compassion that extend to other sentient beings too and not just the same kind of our own. This video showed us raw footage straight from the slaughterhouse to reveal the dark secrets that are hidden away behind concrete walls because they know that it is not right to do things like that.
This is the 10 things that bothered/affected/shocked/disgusted me are after watching Earthlings again are as follow:
1. The way we slaughter the animals are brutal and cruel. The most common way to slaughter an animal is bloodletting. Bloodletting is the practice where the animal’s throat is sliced and the animal will eventually die from the loss of blood. This is by far the cheapest way to do it and hence it is the most popular. However, this is also one of the cruellest ways because the animal will be fully aware that he is dying and it will cause tremendous suffering mentally and physically. There are a lot of slaughterhouses claimed to be doing humane slaughter but ironically, slaughtering the animal is not humane already. It is never okay to take the life of another being just for the sake of our stomach as there are plenty of other choices that do not require the sacrifice of any sentient being.
2. The workers in the slaughterhouse have no mercy or hesitation when they slaughter the animals. This is disturbing to know that the workers in the slaughterhouse had come to a point where they do not care about the lives of the animals that they murder and they just treat it as a job. The negative karma of this is so strong that it numbs them from having sympathy for the animals before them.
3. Some of the workers in the video can be seen PURPOSELY create cause more suffering to the animals. One of them can be seen jumping on his way to stomp the chickens on the way in and the building. In another example, a pig has collapsed on the floor and unable the move. The worker keeps hitting the pig repeatedly to get him to move. We can see the workers really do not have any care in them for the animals. To them, that is just a job for them.
4. Some humans are very creative and they and find ways to inflict more pain and abuse the animals. An example will be foie gras. They invented a force-feeding machine with a long tube just to create more suffering in the animals by directly inserting food into the stomach of the geese via the long tube of the machine. The inventor of the machine is sick, and he does not take into consideration the abuse of the geese will go through. It is just like the machines that will tip the cow upside down just to make it easier for the worker to slit their throat. All these machines are built to create more suffering and it is very disturbing.
5. In the entertainment industry especially circuses, wild animals are kept chained up for so long that most of them will have some mental problems. They are not meant to be confined in a small space for a long period of time, and most of the wild animals in circuses will be in that small cage for the rest of their lives. This further demonstrates the selfishness of humankind for forcing these animals to go against their natural instincts and forces them to entertain us for the rest of their lives. On top of that, they suffer beatings and tortures when they perform the stunt wrong or get beatings simply because their handler had a bad day.
6. In the slaughterhouse, even the young ones are not spared. As a normal human being, we tend to be softer with young animals. However, young animals are equally abused just like their parents. Young piglets will have their teeth removed, ears clipped, tails docked, teeth clipped and castrated under no anesthesia. Imagine the pain that they go through. Young chicks are debeaked without anesthesia, and male chicks will be thrown into a grinder or fed to larger animals.
7. Due to a large number of animals being farmed, the waste will be of a huge amount as well. Poor management of the waste matter due to cost saving had contributed to the emergence of Pfiesteria which is much more toxic than Cyanide. This is yet another selfishness of the farm owners. In some cases, these waste matter found their way into rivers or watercourse and contaminate the whole ecosystem. Other humans that rely on that particular water source will be affected. This is very irresponsible of the industry.
8. Countless of India cows are being slaughtered each day just for their skin. Leather has a huge demand In the fashion industry. From the video, we can see that India cows that most of our leather comes from having to travel for quite a distance on foot or transportation to be transported out of India because cow slaughtering in India is illegal. The cows are tied together, and they are forced to endure harsh conditions without food or water. Most of them are not used to travel on a vehicle will get sick and eventually die before they even reach their destination. When the cows collapse and refuse to walk, the handler will either break the cow’s tailbone or rub tobacco into the cow’s eye to stimulate them to continue walking.
9. Animals are being farmed in such massive scale now compared to 1930s due to increase in demand. It was said that the number of chickens that are being consumed now in 1 day is equal to the number of chickens consumed by Americans in 1 whole year in the 1930s. Can you imagine how much more lives we are talking about now? It is countless.
10. Many know about the killings and the cruelty in the slaughterhouse. However, they chose to turn a blind eye on it and continue to consume meat which contributes directly to all the killings and cruelty. That is why slaughterhouses are able to get away with it when they conceal their operations well within concrete walls. Most people will not want to deal with it because they are unable to let go of their attachments. It was said that if everyone will need to hunt for their food, most of them will go vegan.
I really regret all those years that I am not a vegetarian. I can’t imagine the harm that I had created from contributing to the meat industry. They are just another sentient beings like us that require care and love. They too are afraid of death and sufferings. It is unnecessary for us to put them through all those pain because we can change our diet to a more animal-friendly one such as vegan. Why do we have to make another being suffer just because we are hungry? Now that I know what the meat industry does the animals, I know that my choice is being a vegetarian is correct. Luckily I had a Guru that taught us to love and care for animals and choose the diet of compassion which is vegetarianism.
Earthlings is a very powerful documentary on how cruel human being can be to the weak ones and how we are destroying ourselves.
10 things that bother me in the video are:
1. Human is the only species that take more than what we need from mother nature. Animals hunt to feed their stomach, once they are full, they stop hunting. Humans take up hunting as a hobby and they enjoy seeing animals suffer and cheer for the death of a life.
2. Just because animals cannot speak to express their feelings, it doesn’t mean we can ill-treat them or they feel no pain. How the workers in the animal farm kick, step on and tease the animals is very disturbing, they treat the animals so lowly. They throw the piglets to the wall and let them suffer and die slowly. Imagine if we are being beaten and left to suffer the pain and then die slowly?
3. The chickens suffer since the day they are born. Not long after they are hatched, they have to be de-beaked, which is a painful process. Then they are put in the cages for the rest of their lives with not much of space to move around. They are locked up and never see the sun outside. It is as if their lives are worthless.
4. The baby cows are separated from the mothers since birth. The milk produced by the mother is consumed by humans while the calf will be slaughtered after a few months for its meat. The love of a mother for a child, human or animal are the same, but we disregard their needs and emotions.
5. Human is a very cruel species that finds joy in torturing another life. This is the case of the bull and dog fighting. Bulls are kept in a horrible condition to make them disoriented and then they are teased and killed. They also die slowly but painfully, while humans are cheering happily for the victory. This is really disturbing.
6. Humans keep animals in captivity and train them for entertainment. Humans inflict so much pain on the animals during the training process. The trainers kick the animals and swear at the animals, there is no respect to the animals at all. The animals are treated as an entertaining object, no love or care is given to them. Most of the animals in the circus are very distress and mentally not well. When the animals start to attack people, we kill them claiming that they are harmful to us but it is us who harm them in the first place. Why is human life more precious than the one of an animal?
7. The sick and the dead animals on the farm are left unattended, some of the animals are really sick but no one cares about them. They are treated like a piece of rubbish.
8. How the fur is taken from the animals is so horrible. The animals are skinned alive, their blood is dripping and their eyes are still blinking. They don’t die immediately and have to suffer from the pain before they die. This shows how much greed humans have, and we continue to take away lives for our indulgence.
9. We use animals for testing of various products, especially for medical tests. Animals are injected with diseases or viruses on purpose and they have to suffer. It is painful to see how animals suffer from great fear. We can feel the suffering of our own kind but we ignore the suffering of another.
10. When the animals are sent to the slaughterhouse, they know where they will end up. Many of them refuse to walk, so the workers poke, hit or push them violently to the slaughter area. The animals are so scared and there is so much fear in them. It is so sad that the workers or the farm owners can ignore the screaming and tears of these animals and continue to kill. They ignore the fact that these animals have feelings too.
Before I was exposed to vegetarianism, just like everyone else, I think eating meat or seafood is normal and I enjoyed it. It didn’t occur to me that I should find out how the meat ends up on my plate, I just ate and enjoyed it. It was pure ignorance thinking it was normal to eat meat because everyone else is doing and thinking that cows, chicken, fish etc. are meant to be our diet.
The first time when I watched the Earthlings I feel very disturbed by how cruel we are to the animals and so I decided not to eat meat anymore. The sufferings the animal has to go through to end up on the plate is just too much. I also remember Rinpoche said before if we want to be a Buddhist practitioner but yet we are still eating meat, how do we develop compassion? It is against what we wish for. Besides, we have no right to take away someone’s life. The animals are also a resident on this planet, they have the right to enjoy freedom, to feel safe.
We have a choice to what we eat, I choose not to have a diet that involves the killing of another life. Besides, the vegetarian diet is better for our health, environment and our spirituality too. Apart from the diet, I also try not to use leather products.
The things that bothered/affected/shocked/disgusted me are after watching Earthlings again are…
1. How the stronger always dominates those who are weak. We see this everywhere. We humans dominate over the weak on our planet. Humans do this to humans and also to all other species on this planet. Those who dominate treat the less powerful as mere objects, using their power exploit it for their own gain and would do whatever it takes, even if it means hurting other species to make a profit.
2. It is very sad to see how we humans treat our pets as just mere objects to please ourselves, to keep as our companion because we are board, lonely, etc. Basically, most of the time it is all based on our selfish desire. And when we do not need them anymore they are being thrown out to shelter homes, abandoned or thrown out just like old socks. This is so irresponsible of pet owners and we see this happening all the time up until today.
It is also horrible that many are unaware or could not be bothered to care where their pets come from. Most the time, people buy their pets from pet stores, which take these pets from the breeders. And from the video, we can see clearly the horrific conditions these breeder keep their pets and how they are being treated. And when we keep on buying our pets from pet shops, we will keep on supporting this horrific and illegal industry.
3. The process of how our meat is being produced is the most disgusting scene in this video. Humans being too lazy to find out more about where our food (meat), come from is due to our selfish desire, to give them the excuse to indulge in eating meat. From the horrible conditions of how they are kept to how they are fed, beaten and mistreated all the way, tortured until their final death of being slaughtered unmercifully. I do not understand how people could work in such an environment, I guess their negative karma is so heavy from slaughtering so many animals that it has numb them from having any feelings. The sound of pigs and piglets screaming when they are being hit. Teeth pulled, ears and tail cut and castrated all without any anaesthetic is painful. If people were truly able to see how their ham, bacon and “bak kut the” come from, I believe a majority will be vegetarians.
4. The way Kosher meat is being produced is not only disgusting, but so inhuman. The so-called Kosher slaughter house on the video, which was the biggest in America then violates everything about Kosher and how those cows are supposed to be slaughtered. This sacred task is neither clean nor is it compassionate and definitely NOT sacred.
5. Whaling and dolphin killing is just heart breaking. Why do we even have to consume it at all? To what end will we humans go through and do to kill another for our own desire. It is ridiculous to eat all these animals, thinking it is exotic, or has some kind of special health remedy or that it would bring us closer to “god” but in the end it all just turns out to be nothing but faeces. Yet we will kill and torture these beings for our stomach.
6. How cows for leather are tortured all the way until they reach the slaughter house. Killed in full view of each other. Never support or buy leather as best as you can. How cows and wild animals are tortured for their skin. It is so cruel and gruesome to watch them pull the fur off a fox and after the skin is pulled, the animal is still alive!
7. Seals being clubbed are really so painful to watch, and so heart breaking to watch a mother seal crying over the dead body of probably her babies who was murdered probably in front of her. She cries but no one cares. How can humans think that these animals don’t feel? Why do we need to use and wear someone else’s dead skin and think it is glamorous or cool. All this is just totally wrong view and disgusting and I used to have such views as well.
8. Humans are the only creatures that enjoy inflicting pain for sports. Animals used to race, bet and made as a spectacle for humans to be entertained is another disgusting and inhuman activity. These sports are really just pointless, trivial, and designed to just entertain stupid humans. Humans are truly ignorant to think that animals do not feel pain and think they are of lesser intelligence. Maybe we are not as intelligent as we might think we are.
9. Hunting is another disgusting form of sports. It is basically a blood sport, a death sport. We are basically killing someone for our own pleasure and getting thrill from killing means we really not human and it is confirmed we will go to the lower realms for this action. Yet so many are so proud and they rejoice their actions.
10. After watching this video, I told myself I will never go or support circuses. It is extremely sad to see how these giant gentle creatures – elephants are beaten and hurt day in day out in their training, to tame them and make them do what we want and perform. So much pain is inflicted on them and some of them shake their heads due to so much stress and so much pain they have to experience daily. It is no wonder some of them go crazy and went wild and attack humans. Never support any form of entertainment using animals. No animal would ever spend their life in captivity if they had a choice. I felt really sad when the mad elephant escaped the circus and people shoot him and ended his life. The elephant must have had enough and all I can hope for is that at least at his/her death, this poor elephant may finally have some peace.
11. It really so sad that how all these innocent animals, who trusted us humans betray them. We use them as objects to test on various experiments which in the end is inaccurate and must still be tested on a human. It was horrible to watch how the chimp was waving at the human which he thinks is his friend, while he was being exposed to radiation was really cruel. I will never ever buy products that is being experimented on animals. We must be more responsible as consumer and be conscious and watch the labels to ensure no animals were used to test in the products/toiletries we buy daily.
Basically, this is how we humans destroy our planet/nature/forest due to our ignorant desire and greed. I used to think all this was okay and would probably have the same wrong views if I had never watched the Earthlings which Rinpoche gave us to watch a few years back. After watching it, everything I buy, eat and shop for, I questioned where it comes from and made better choices. I think anyone would after watching this video. And if we say we love animals, it is definitely our responsibility to watch this video, share it with others and promote it to educate as many people as possible. If it helped me rethink my selfish ways and give up eating meat, then it could probably affect someone else too and in this way, perhaps maybe we can try to help save some animals, reduce the demand for meat and killing them. This is the least we can do. Studies have shown that they are a decrease in the meat industry due to many people turning into vegetarians and vegans as more and more such videos are being released.
Like us, these animals all want comfort, happiness and they are surviving on this planet just like us. Our absolute dependence on them for companionship, for our food, clothing and more is amazing yet it is so ridiculously ironic that we treat them with so much disrespect, completely disregarding their right to live and be on this planet just like us humans. As the video mentioned, we literally “bite the hands that feed us”. Are we humans that insensitive, that barbaric? Watching the video it seems like so. And we will be like so if we were not told or shown how animals are being treated in these slaughterhouses.
We are like God on this earth. We can protect these beings or we can harm them. It is our choice. We should be protecting them, being the most intelligent species on our planet that should be our duty because we are all living under one big roof – earth, hence we are earthlings. We are connected with them, and it is our self-cherishing mind that has disconnected with nature and animals. It takes nothing for us humans to be kind to animals.
Dear friends,
These are powerful videos to be watched and shared. I agree it’s very difficult to watch. It’s painful to watch, but you cannot create awareness if you don’t see what is going on with these poor innocent animals.
Please find below 10 links to graphic animals slaughter videos below:
1) Animal slaughter 2016 : PETS DOGS CLUBBED TO DEATH FOR CHINESE RESTAURANTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C406IVEPqF4
2) Export Dairy – Pregnant Cow Slaughtered in Turkey with Newborn Calf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU_gINvXtZA
3) Gruesome whale hunts in Faroe Islands exposed by activists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mOEXlX7TPw
4) Feel Their Pain & Fear. Stop Animal Cruelty!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU3iYhAsscc&has_verified=1
5) WARNING! – Most Graphic Animal Cruelty Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pO1eOWJtEY
6) 18+ Graphic -Animal slaughter the cruel way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxmPs_PI4tM
7) Slaughterhouse of dogs in China – Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc-Zo15BJFU
8) Slaughterhouse of dogs in China – Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc-Zo15BJFU
9) Anonymous for the Voiceless Animal Cruelty Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E_mxL0yLaM
10) Animal Equality investigation in chicken hatcheries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2y3vLwrF6s
Thank you and please help spread awareness. We have to do something about the sufferings of animals.
Tsem Rinpoche
For the first 23 years of my life, I was a meat eater. Just like many people, I also owned leather branded bags, shoes, leather jacket, fur top, leather skirt. Although during that time, I did not watch any slaughterhouse videos, I often wonder what happened to the animals that produced these things. Some of my friends tried to reason with me that God created animals to serve the needs of humans. But somehow I did not agree with this idea. So at 23 years old, I made a decision to become a vegetarian. However, by that time, many animals have been killed to satisfy my taste palates and fashion sense, and I am indirectly causing their death.
After watching Earthlings, it became apparent to me how much we owe the animals, and how we should strive to not be the cause for their further suffering. I feel a for all the years I happily bought and consumed animal products. I do not want to be the cause of their suffering any longer.
The followings are the ten things that disturbed/ bothered me the most
1. Animals were skinned alive for their fur. I was mistaken to think that the fur coat were made from shaved animal fur, but from the Earthlings video, I found out that they were skinned alive and in so much pains.
2. I used to go to the pet shop and look at the beautiful puppies and kitten. I did not know that the breeders who produce pet animals are often unprofessional and caused population imbalance. I knew for a fact that many pet owners too discard their pets once they are not cute anymore or when they are old and sick. As a result, many pet animals were killed either by injection or in the gas chamber.
3. Unlike what is believed, Kosher animals is paralized with electric shock and then inverted to ensure that they are at the best position for slaughter.
4. Bullfighters tortured the animal before the fighting day. The animals are confined for days without lights and some are actually injured. So by the time they are released to the arena to make sure that the human opponents are at full advantage to win.
5. The meat and leather industry treated animals like a commodity and for-profit with full disregard for the animals feeling and welfare.
6. Before they are slaughtered many animals were treated poorly, their beaks were cut off, they are confined in an overcrowded space, they are made fat and bred with artificial insemination and hormones.
7. The animals without exceptions are in so much pain when they are killed. Some of them are burned or boiled alive.
8. The methods in which whales are killed to produce exotic meat is causing a lot of suffering. After the whaling session, the sea turned red from their blood.
9. Our ocean is polluted and as a result, the animals living under the sea is affected. As shown in the documentary, many fishes are ill, and these are the fishes that may be consumed by human
10. Most animals are sick before they are slaughtered. So human beings are actually consuming the sick animal corpses, which resulted in all kinds of health problems.
The above are the ten things that bothered me because all these sufferings are unnecessary. Humans do not need animal meat to survive. I wish the day will come when humans will treat animals by taking into account their feeling and welfare.
Thank you, Rinpoche and the team for sharing this powerful video about the reality of our world and the truth behind speciesism. I understand why they called it the “Vegan maker”. Anyone with a conscience will change and transform their view on consuming meat or using leather after they have seen the video. The cries of those animals are painful to listen to, and their pain can be felt from their cries. Even the butchers who are in the video can kill the animals without a moment of hesitation.
These are the five things that I learnt from this video:
1. It is common that humans will mistreat one another because of our selfishness. Our selfishness had caused us to do destructive actions, and it is quite scary to see the extent that we are willing to go to satisfy ourselves by exploiting those who are below us or weaker than us. It is not just the simple act of killing anymore. Humans actually came up with devious plans to further exploit these animals in any way that might benefit us. An example will be foie gras. They force feed the geese to fatten up their liver and literally torture the geese for their whole life and kill them in the end for their liver. We are totally ignorant of their suffering and what these geese go through. It is not even a necessity for us to have foie gras in our diet but we do it to just to satisfy our craving for something with a unique taste. It shows that humans are willing to sacrifice or do anything to satisfy our desires at the expense of those who are below us or weaker than us. We should be kind to each other and even animals too because everyone deserves happiness and to live freely on this planet.
2. The reinforcement of negative karma is absolutely scary. As the Buddha has said, we all have the Buddha nature within us, which do not wish to harm others. However, when we look at those people who are involved in the killing and torturing of animals, they can do it so mercilessly without a pause. This shows me that their negative karma is so heavy that they see nothing wrong in torturing and killing those animals. Some of them even rejoice in their actions in torturing these animals before killing them. The simple fact that they rejoice in something that is so wrong is a statement of how much negative karma they have accumulated for themselves to further reinforce their wrong views. This will lead them to be reborn in the three lower realms such as the animal realms, the spirit realms and the hell realms. This is why being in the Dharma is so precious because we can learn to purify our negative karma. These purification practices are so important for us to purify and lessen our negative karma such as wrong views.
3. Eating animals is supports the killing of animals and this would create the causes for us to be reborn as an animal. When we take rebirth in the animal realm, we will suffer tremendously depending on our karma. The suffering in the animal realm is tremendous on a daily basis. The conditions of the environment that the animals are living in are horrendous, and it is literally hell on earth. We don’t have to astral travel to hell to know what it would be like. We have to realise that our situation can change at the blink of an eye. The only thing that is between the animal realm and us is just one breath. If we drop dead the next moment, where will we go? Without Dharma practice, we probably will end up in one of the three lower realms, and the animal realm is one of them. Can you imagine the pain that we will feel when someone slices our throat and rip our trachea out? What about being skinned alive? All of these are not as far as we think because we never know what will happen next when our karma manifests.
4. The nature of samsara itself is suffering, and this can be seen from the video. Both humans and animals are suffering. For the farm animals, they suffer the fate of their freedom taken away from them. They have to suffer a life of living in very bad conditions and being abused constantly. For humans, they suffer the wrong view of thinking that killing of animals is natural and some even rejoice in doing it, thinking it is fun and their right to do so. The negative karma that they created will come back and eventually send them down to the three lower realms where they will suffer for aeons. Everything in the video is suffering and there is no one that is free from suffering and the cycle continues.
5. The preciousness of human rebirth with the correct conditions to practice the Dharma. When we are born into the animal realm, there is no chance for us to learn the precious Dharma or even be near it. The humans in the video will have a hard time connecting with Dharma because of their heavy negative karma. Even if they meet the Dharma, they will have a hard time to absorb it because of their negative reinforcement from their past imprints. Hence, if we are able to practice Dharma, it is a very fortunate rebirth and we should treasure it.
When I was watching the video, I thought of what Rinpoche said. It is not hard to know where we are going by just looking at our actions currently. Those who are attached to pleasure such as food, sleep and sex will probably be reborn as an animal because this is what the animals do all day. Then, I looked at the people around me and including myself, the thought of my family and friends who are still indulging in these pleasures with little or no spiritual practice frightens me. Imagine we all end up in the slaughterhouse next to each other waiting to have our throat sliced. Time is short, and we have to start our spiritual practice and not procrastinate anymore. I am fortunate to be in Dharma and have the chance to practice the little Dharma that I can, thanks to my Guru the 25th Tsem Rinpoche. I hope that my family and friends, as well as myself, can have the merits to be connected to the Dharma and have a chance to practice and purify our karma and to eventually get a higher rebirth in our future lives.
Earthlings is a documentary that has inspired many, at the very least, to believe and to convert to vegetarianism. It is something that everyone needs to watch at least once in his/her lifetime, preferably early in life so that less pain will be inflicted on the animals stemming from their consumption. That is if they watch the documentary in its entirety.
These are the five points that I understand from the documentary:
1. Often, people will just shut down at the initial part of the movie, turn off the video and remain in the comforts of their own reality that their choices have no direct effect on the animals’ pain and sufferings nor their deaths. Their twisted view of reality is that the animals will be killed anyway whether they eat meat or not. Humans have the greatest capacity for compassion as Buddha Sakyamuni had shown and yet they also have the greatest capacity for inflicting all sort of cruelty to satisfy their selfishness. Humans are the only species that could inflict such pain and cruelty for sports and entertainment.
2. After watching Earthlings for the 4th time yesterday (the 1st and 2nd time many years back. On the first occasion, I only watched 1/3 through as I couldn’t stomach it all the way), the image that stuck to my mind was the dolphin contorted in pain after its throat had been sliced. Dolphins are such highly intelligent beings that had only records of helping humans throughout history. It is said that dolphins do not abandon their wounded family members. This shows clearly their level of intelligence, and they feel, just as we do, love for their family. And the scene where a young boy walking by on his way to school laughing his casual greetings is disturbing. Another generation of cold-hearted killers is already in the making. My mind keeps going back to the dolphin and what it could have been thinking in the pains of death. The dolphin scene reminded me of Namkar Barzin’s death.
3. Another thing that struck out was the attitudes of the slaughterhouse/farmhouse workers. They revel in the pain of the animals. They would go out of their way to inflict more pain and enjoyed it. The thought that came up was that they are already in hell without knowing it. What karma that they have created and will continue to create. Such coldness that the fur pelts of the foxes were stripped off while the animals were still alive and fully conscious (that reminds of me Methar’s suffering when similar incident befall him). Look at the pain in the eyes of the animals.
4. Research had already proven that meat consumption has a direct impact on our health due to the diseases that arise from the unethical practices of the farmers and also from environmental pollution from industrial waste. Today, one of four persons in our population is cancer patient, and the ratio will increase to 1:1 before we realize the choice to be kind is entirely in our hands. Schools should make this documentary compulsory throughout the world to watch as the future generations of hope begins with the children.
5. Ultimately, every living being shares the same wish, that is to be in a state of no sufferings and happiness. Just like every mother, who wish to be able to watch her children grow and survive a “good” life. Watching the seal giving birth to her baby and how she immediately turned around to nestle him, it’s the same as humans. Even some fishes take care of their young. So why does human have that misguided superiority of entitlement? It is actually the humans who are barbaric while the animals had assimilated into the environment they live in, no indulgence or attachments, they let go of their young for them to live their own lives. Humans are “lucky” to be given the chance of being the “Pack Leader” and as such we should care for our charges.
Thank you Rinpoche for constantly sharing these videos/stories to help us reach out within ourselves. Otherwise, we will never realize the pain of others and forever be creating more karma for causing their sufferings and death.
I’ve seen this video before, while I was watching it I felt pain while the animals were brutally killed while being filmed. The people in some fun fairs use animals for fun and some are in a lot of pain. just from watching that video i felt sad. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Rinpoche for writing this post. It hurts to see that human beings, the most intelligent earthlings to roam this planet, hurting other beings like animals through killing, punishing them and more way that I wouldn’t want to imagine.
This documentary made me rethink on what do I want on my plate when I have meals next time. I really think that this documentary should be shared through out the world to spread the word on this crisis. And this is the place that readers should come to learn about this.
Earthlings
This is a documentary video that everyone should watch at least once in their lives. It creates and brings our awareness to another level. Unless we realize within, then this sufferings will be never-ending. Please watch to be the kinder person that you are.
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/earthlings.html
A few years ago, I was directed to this particular post when I was doing some research on vegetarian diet. At that time, I wasn’t sure if I want to take on a vegetarian diet as I have been eating meat in my whole life!
Then I ended up in this page so I clicked on the Earthlings video to start watching the documentary. It was not pretty at all, I almost wanted to just stop the video but I forced myself to continue watching it because I know nothing in this video is staged and I wanted to know the truth about the meat and animal stocks industry.
After I finished watching the documentary, I wanted to puke so much. The screaming of the animals when they were being slaughtered, the bloody slaughterhouse, the dead bodies that were left together with the living animals, the filthy and congested living environment of the animals, made me feel so sick. And I told myself that’s it, no more meat. I have been a vegetarian since then!
This is a very eye-opening documentary and one that everyone should watch. Even for those who have already seen the documentary, they should watch it over and over again occasionally to remind them about its powerful message. As humans have become the dominant species on this planet we really need to learn how to live with other animals and not to use them for food or other means. Not only are humans torturing and killing animals for their own selfish ends, but the processes involved are also slowly killing off entire eco-systems, and this will negatively impact our future generations.
Just think about the world how it exists now, with high rates of cancer, radiation, environmental poisoning, atmospheric changes, etc. These were not so common during the time of our grandparents or great-grandparents. But as human technology has evolved, things have become worse. In fact we are using technology to further the suffering caused by animals. But we must show them our compassion instead by adopting either a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, not just in diet but in all products we use. This way we relieve the sufferings of the animal nations and ensure the survival of mother earth for future generations as a whole.
Of all living beings on earth, humans have the greatest brain power, but greatest brain power does not equate greatest wisdom. For thousands of years, in fact since stone age, humans have been killing other animals for food, but back then survival was extremely precarious, so it is understandable. But at this day and age, technology is very advanced, food is aplenty, in fact in great surplus, farming technology is very advanced which produces crops that can sustain the entire earth population. Hence, there is ABSOLUTELY NO NEED to kill other animals for survival. Eating vegetables, beans, lentils alone can sustain the whole earth population. Hence to kill other animals for food has become a pure act of cruelty and greed, an act lacking much in wisdom. Animals are not here for humans to eat, but humans with their superior brain power exploit other species to the extreme. But there is karma, whatever humans kill and eat in this life, in the future they will be reborn as animals to be killed and eaten too. This is the truth, realizing and accepting is wisdom, hence stop exploiting and killing other animals for whatever reasons is the wisest option.
I have watched Earthlings few years ago, watching it for the second time the images still make my stomach churns. I have no regret of becoming a vegetarian.
Whether we are human or animal, we don’t want sufferings. If we have the right and freedom to choose to be happy, what right do we have to take away animal’s right to be happy?
It is hard to watch this movie, without feeling sympathy for the creatures that are born to be exploited. The message in this movie is strong and insightful. . Using undercover footage, the film shows what the animals go through to give us the products that the human race uses every day. The Documentary attempts to show the viewer why we should become vegetarians by means of graphic scenes of animal cruelty What makes Earthlings so powerfully convincing is actually quite simple if you believe that inflicting pain and suffering on an innocent living being is wrong.
we have a lot to learn about how to treat each other, let alone the animals that share our world. Earthlings gives voice to those that are powerless and cannot speak out on their own behalf. animals are ignorant and don’t deserve to be treated humanely.
Animals are ignorant and do not deserve to be treated so badly.
Shaun Monson did a wonderful job spreading a powerful message .
With any luck ,hopeful those people who watch this film and be inspired to reject and prevent this kind of cruelty from occurring in the future.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing these documentary video with us .
谢谢仁波切的分享。
多年后再次看整个视频， 震撼程度还是不减。
大家同是住在地球上的生物(Earthling), 为什么人类还是为了自己的私欲一直在侵犯其他动物生存的权利？从食物生产链、皮草、娱乐， 人类把动物当成一种“工具”， 而不是把他们当作生命来看待。
其实对我来说最震撼的就是杀害动物提供我们肉类食物的过程。 很多动物活活被割喉、电击致死、乱棍打死、甚至最残忍的就是活活被丢进绞肉机搅碎。
看过这些视频过后试问下自己， 还敢吃肉吗？
从我开始成为素食者到现在已经接近四年。 从刚开始身边的人冷言冷语， 到现在一些人都认同以不伤害动物为前提吃素， 我觉得不吃肉对我来说一点遗憾都没有。 我也会继续吃素， 直到我离世为止。 也会鼓励别人吃素。
谢谢
Animals deserved a chance to live. It is very sad to see how human ill treated them.
When i first watched Earthlings a few years ago, it impacted me beyond words – last time, I did not even think or wonder how meat ended up on our plates, how animals feel in zoos, how animals in the circus are tormented, or how a abandoned pet will have its heart broken, I took it for granted because of my selfishness. But watching Earthlings exposed me to much more than what goes on in abattoirs. It exposed me to the cruelty of mankind, the coldness some individuals have to not cringe while hearing the piglets, cows, veal, chicken, elephants and bulls scream, that the only animal capable to inflict so much torment and pain onto another being are the human kind. Animals are not made to be for human consumption, contrary to the believe of many. If they were, then we would not cringe and their struggles and pains, their screaming and their bleeding.
Because of the drive of consumers to continue to demand for meat, demand entertainment, and pets for company, it continues to feed this industry of cruel torture and abuse. Animals have every right, just like us, to live. Over the centuries, they have evolved, and shared the planet with the evolving human kind, and it does not entitle us to be more superior over animals.
I cannot imagine how heartless people can be, and how numb they are to the pain of another being. As we feed the underprivileged and homeless through KSK, there are 25million animals out there who are homeless too, with not many to care for them. Cows can actually live for 20 years, but milking cows live only for 4.
I am glad that Rinpoche has shared this documentary with us, and propelled me to opt for a vegetarian diet that did not come from eating something that was screaming in terror and fright before it landed on my plate. If we can’t do what we do to animals to our human friends, why do we think we can do it to animals then?
I watched this video few years ago when i was not a vegetarian. This video does have great impact on me in terms of my views on killing animals for food, fashion and entertainment. It opened up my mind and made me think deeper that does animals really inferior than human beings as we have been instilled the wrong thought of animals are made for human beings to consume. That’s a big wrong idea instilled in people’s mind by selfish people who just wants to make money. No one is inferior than anyone, all beings are equal. I heard swearing, laughing while killing, making fun over the abuse of animals in some of the videos, these people are distorted and are committing very heavy negative karma. To kill other beings for livelihood is the worst job in the world.
“It seems eating vegetables and eating animals are both bad, in that case cut one out completely. Why do both. Our karmic ripening makes us take rebirth always in situations that we cannot avoid all situational karma as a natural by product. But we have a choice to make it less. No matter what we do or how we exist at our ordinary levels, we will accumulate negative karma. So we have to choose consciously to lessen them.” ~ Tsem Rinpoche
3 years down the road in being a vegetarian, I feel so much lighter and healthier, and most importantly, i have no guilt.
It is very sad watching this video and while watching I’m asking myself how can human be so cruel in handling other beings. We practically don’t care if the animals are in pain or not. No living beings deserved to be treated in such a way. We should not have the understanding that animals exist to serve human. We should respect all living beings and not have any discrimination. It is by having this right mindset that we will create a peaceful and harmonious world.
Animal deserved to be live freely and treated equal as human on earth. Being kind to nature is a must, in order to gain a harmonious and healthy living environment. We depend each others to survive. WE are NOT superiors than anybody else. Learn to LOVE, to understand, to be Kind, respect and understand. So, the being on earth can be healed from suffering.
Lest we forget! This video is a good reminder on why I became vegetarian in 7 years ago. It strengthens my decision. The suffering suffered by the animals and the nasty conditions that the animals in are unbearable. The cruelty by humans treating the animals for entertainment makes me sick. Reality strikes after watching this documentary cos animals are habitants of earth who has feelings and can feel pain just like humans. I do hope that more people will watch this video and change their mind on what they eat and use. Be more conscious in the choice we make so that the world will be a better place.
As we can see in the news recently, there are more and more disasters happening, from hurricanes to earth quakes, flooding and volcanoes eruption. I believe that this happens because of our disregard to earth resources. The more we destroy our resources, the more disasters will occur, what goes around, comes around. Karma is heavy when there is killing and are we able the bear the karma ourselves? The least we can do is not to contribute to the cause of killing.
I have watched this video several times. It was not easy to watch this whole documentary and is still not easy. as we see how much the animals suffer and how humans take animals for granted. So inhumane and so cold.
I was just reading a article a couple of months ago and the fact that around 53 billion chicken are slaughtered every year and it increases as we progress. 53 billions of lives going through the same slaughter inhumane methods portrayed in the documentary. And this is just one poultry type.
Many of us don’t realised the connection between our food intake with our health. People are still slow to make the connection, but chronic diseases today are almost all tied to our insane amounts of animal product consumption.
I am glad I watched this video again. It has refreshed and also reaffirmed my thoughts and action.
“You reap what we sow” ……and this is what Tsem Rinpoche has taught us which we called KARMA.
Watching and discussing the Earthlings again has even more an impact on me as I got more clear about “Speciesism” and we dominate other specism. We deny the suffering and cruelty that we inflict on so many animals, an unimaginable number of animals gets exploited, abused and killed daily! Who are we to do such tremendous abuse on them?
Is there a difference between their pain and our pain? Do our interests has priority over their interests? We know that our pets for example have a character, they show their feelings such as happiness, guild, care and so on, yet animals who we use for consumption, for clothing, for experiments, for entertainment are not perceived as someone but as something and they do not need to be respected!?
This discrimination by the “powerful”, by those who feel they deserve to get the fur from animals, to get their flesh to eat and leather to wear, is not right. We kill millions and millions of animals, we take their milk, take their babies, hurt and torture them for our palate, for our pleasure.
Even our pets are often coming from horrible conditions where the mother dog gets only used to breed and breed again and again. And all the money goes to the breeder. Why not rescue a dog or cat from the shelter? As on top so many stray dogs and cats get killed daily because the shelters cannot cope with the amount of dogs.
There is hope as there are people such as Marc Ching, https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/marc-ching-shows-us-the-way.html and Good News for Animal Lovers!, https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/current-affairs/good-news-for-animal-lovers-2.html for example but it is like the drop of water on the hot stone.
In the food industry, as we can see in the video, workers abuse the animals badly, beat them and torture them as they feel strong compared to the poor animal. The “normal” treatment of every animal is from getting stolen from their mother, to branding, to dehorning, mutilation, transportation in unbearable conditions, antibiotics, pesticides with no concern for the suffering of the animal is beyond what we can imagine.
Even the procedures for killing animals which are meant to reduce the suffering and enhance hygiene are as we can see in the video either not effective and/or not respected. The living conditions for chickens for example do not even allow them to spread their wings.
Do we want to eat food that is produced in such conditions? I don’t think that it is a healthy way to eat corpses and steal the milk of the babies. Even though we don’t kill the animals directly, we have a responsibility. There is no humane killing, killing is killing and no animal wants to die.
Diseases such as the Kreuzfeld Jacob disease and Pfiesteria, as mentioned, are man made. Our greed and non respect of animals and nature bring more suffering and more damage. Even the laws and conventions which do exist already, are not respected.
Watching the video makes me feel ashamed and I wish I could stop this immediately. Yet, eating meat, using animals, abusing and killing is so terrific habitual. Everybody should watch this and reflect on what we do to them!
I hope that people don’t say this is too horrific to watch but see it for what it is, the day to day reality all over the world.
May the suffering of animals be stopped as soon as possible. May their rights and needs be respected. Go vegetarian, go vegan, stop visiting animal shows and zoos, wear vegan clothes and shoes, promote no more animal testing …. this and more can be done by everybody. These are the immediate actions we can take and create awareness so that hopefully these horrible pictures become a memory of what people did, the nazis to the animals.
Human were brought up to exercise speciesism rather naturally because their contact with animals are narrowed down to food, company, entertainment, clothing and cosmetic. Generally speaking, unless they are told otherwise, human beings continue to live their lives exploiting animals.
In the Buddhist teachings, animals are seen as another form of existence which anyone can take rebirth in. They are not god’s given food but a living life we respect. To take advantage of their lower form of existence is not encouraged but to treat them equally without prejudice is. Just like what was explained in the video, animals are a different nation, they have every rights to live on earth without harm just like all living beings on earth.
The mistreatment that the animals are receiving is a clear sign of human selfishness and their silly ideas of superiority that arise from insecurity and fear – to harm others in order to feel a sense of control and power. This insecurity and fear cannot be pacified through harming others but through benefiting others. A sense of fulfilment and joy will slowly fill our mind through good starting from focusing on others’ needs and suffering instead of our hungry stomach and taste buds.
The only way to end this brutal treatment to animals is to relook the way we consume our meals and the things we use. As a consumer, we have the power to change how animals are being treated and to stop the giant players from manipulating us. We are in control and we need to be in control in order to live a life that is filled with sense of achievement, love and care.
This video changed my life after watching it for the first time in year 2009 and I am thankful I got to watch it due to the kindness of Rinpoche and being in Kechara. Otherwise, I would have stayed ignorant.
Watching Earthlings and videos such as this is a form of death meditation to me. Each time, it reminds that I do not wish to have the same fate after this current life. The only way for me not to have same fate is NOT to instil the same fate to other defenseless beings like animals.
I wish many more will watch this documentary and see the tremendous suffering animals had to endure for human’s desires and entertainment in hope the SWITCH can happen.
Thank you Rinpoche for this necessary post.
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for posting this eye-opening article and video. I watched Earthlings many years ago. Although at the time, I did not pay much attention to the narrative, I was amazed at the graphic presentation in the video about how animals are killed and tortured. It has helped me to understand about the animal sufferings and develop empathy towards them.
Recently, many years later, I watched the Earthlings again with the fellow Kechara writers where they explained about the narrative in the video that I did not notice before. Several things stood out for me:
1. Speciesism – or the idea that humans are superior and have greater rights than non-human animals and treat them as an object devoid of feelings.
2. All beings, humans and animals alike, have the same need and desire such as the need for food, shelter, the desire to be free of suffering, freedom of movement, etc.
3. Humans have the tendencies to see animals through a magnifying glass. Therefore, they failed to see the complete picture, and developed their opinion and looked down upon animals based on this distorted view. While in reality, animals may be endowed with features that are more developed than ours as it is necessary for them to survive in their environment.
4. Deception in the commercial words – The claims that are made by the meat suppliers are not always true. For example, Jews believed that Kosher animals died with minimal sufferings. However, as we can see from the documentary, it is not always true. Although the Jewish law forbids inverted animals to be slaughtered and the use of electric to immobilize the animals, these practices are still implemented in the Kosher slaughter house for the convenience of the butcher.
5. Human choose to be ignorant – It is sad but true, although the information about how animals are slaughtered are easily available, many people refused to learn about and acknowledge their sufferings just because they do not want to sacrifice their taste buds or their fashion sense. Again we are causing the suffering of animals for our convenience.
I do think that it is sad humans, including myself, have to cause the sufferings to other beings because we prefer our convenience or we choose to be ignorant of their suffering. We should help to reduce or eliminate unnecessary sufferings of animals by bringing awareness about what is happening to them.
Valentina
I first watched this video nearly two years ago, and this time around my impression of it is different. What I found powerful about the video this time around is that it tried to equalize our views about humans and animals, and to point out that on an ultimate level, there is no difference between the two groups. But the fact we see a difference between the two is in itself engaging in speciesism; because humans are generally the dominant species, we give ourselves the privilege of viewing ourselves as different and superior compared to animals.
It’s the discriminatory mindset that becomes dangerous because we constantly reinforce that we are in a position of power. When we place ourselves in a position of power, we then become in danger of creating suffering for others. So what I realized is that if you engage in speciesism, it makes it easier for you to discriminate against others, and suppress anyone. This is because there will always be someone lower down on the power spectrum for you to abuse and deny the rights of. Speciesism usually starts first with animals, thinking we are better than them, because animals are unable to talk back. Then because the seed of that discrimination has been planted, it may be extended to other situations, to discriminate amongst humankind itself.
So this goes back to Leo Tolstoy’s quote that for as long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields. A slaughterhouse arises from the discriminatory attitude that another being exists to serve our interests, that our interests override theirs and that we have the right to enforce this view whatever way necessary (violent or otherwise). It is the attitude that results in a slaughterhouse, which also exists within a battlefield…the idea that violence is a justified means to an end, that one party has the right to impose their view and interests on another. Hence a society that is kinder to animals, will be kinder to their fellow human beings and there will be greater peace, less war, less discrimination in general.
So although the video was to encourage vegetarianism and kindness towards animals, I also feel that the benefit of understanding what “speciesism” is is much wider than that. Its benefit lies in the universality of the term, and how beings from every level will benefit when we can identify speciesism and then act against it. Understanding how each and every one of us engages in speciesism, no matter how big or small, gives us the chance to do the opposite and take corrective measures. Hence understanding speciesism gives us the chance to view all beings as equal, to view their suffering as equally important and their need for happiness as equally urgent.
A really powerful video that people should keep watching and rewatching, to inform, change, improve their understanding of the world and all the creatures living therein.
today I have watched Earthlings, a 2005 documentary about humanity´s use of animals as pets, food, clothing, entertainment and scientific research.It is narrated by Joaquin Pheonix and directed by Shaun Monson and has won several awards. then always decided not to finish it, as most of the images are hard to handle.It surely belongs to the most violent movies ever made – with one big exception: It only shows the truth!It shows us what IS HAPPENING right now, right in front of us and BECAUSE of us.It shows us the relationship we as humankind have to animals and to the world around us.The world we are sharing with all the other species that have evolved over time.All the species that have just the same right to exist here like we do.We are all Earthlings!
I am rewatching the Earthlings again and this time, I felt I was ready as I recall rather vividly of the horrors that awaited me. When I watched it the first time many years ago, I had no idea of the horrific atrocities documented in this film and boy, did I cry like a school girl. I didn’t pay too much attention to Joaquin Phoenix’s narration. I was just overwhelmed with emotion. At that time, I still ate meat but after watching it, I could not stomach meat for a couple of weeks. All I remember were the blood and gore for quite awhile.
This time, I felt I was prepared and while watching, I got the chance to listen carefully to the narration and midway, I was even wondering if I had become desensitized to all the visuals of slaughter and suffering of animals. But midway, the tears came as I watched how even the circus elephant, deranged and angry from years of abuse and in a moment of fury and revenge, killed its captors in rampage and he in turn was killed tragically, ending a lifetime of pain and servitude.
I must say that the narration is excellent and delved deep into why people regard animals as mere objects, which stem from their view, dubbed speciesism and the explanation draws parallels between racism, sexism and so forth. It explains very well how our view of animals gives us the moral license to commit the horrific atrocities on an industrial scale, not unlike the Nazis.
At the end of the movie, it makes you feel that things should be different and how small efforts like being vegetarian doesn’t seem so daunting after all. I do recall that after watching Earthlings for the first time made me consider going vegetarian on a long term basis. I didn’t go vegetarian cold turkey but started being vegetarian for five days and gradually expanded from there till I got used to being vegetarian all the time.
在我第一次看这一部电影的时候是2010年，感恩因为这一部电影让我对自己生活中吃的，用的，穿对，喜欢的东西第一次感觉到罪恶感，因为自己种种的欲望，这些动物都在受苦。我开始吃素，因为我不要当杀手，不要当帮凶，也不要当买凶的那个人，我也不要其他人因为工作，天天要杀杀杀，我感觉自己的手都是血。
很多人会为自己找借口，但是我们是人，我们会思考，有智慧，因为我们愿意，所以改变世界，我们人类的伟大是在于我们的智慧，智慧不在于我们的餐桌上，智慧不是把自己的快乐放在第一然后其他众生都要为自己痛苦的牺牲。
很多人会问，不吃肉那要吃什么？没有好吃的做人没意思！? 那是因为你没吃过好吃的素食而已。吃素之后，就是少了医生的朋友，? 习惯是可以改变，为了自己，众生和孩子的未来，值得！
I watched Earthlings again today. It isn’t the first time I have watched the documentary. In fact, when I had the fortune of meeting His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche for the first time around 4 years ago, Rinpoche had gifted me a copy of the movie to watch. At the time I was already a practicing vegetarian and Rinpoche told me that it would give me a deeper understanding of why being a vegetarian was compassionate. And Rinpoche was definitely right.
I’ve watched a couple of documentaries on the reasons we should be a vegetarian, on showing compassion towards animals and protecting the environment, but what I loved about Earthlings is that it tackled the issue from a psychological view. Before getting into the scary and stomach turning scenes of how humans treat animals it first analysed the situation from how humans view animals, and does so by striking to the very heart of the problem – the view that humans are superior than animals and therefore can treat them as objects. But this is just a simple overview of what was explained. Basically anyone who has some form of power over another human or animal, can and does contradict morality by viewing them as objects rather than sentient beings, and therefore can engage in horrific acts without remorse. We view the world through the lens of our perception. As I sat there watching and discussing with my Dharma brother and sisters all I could think about was what the Buddha taught about – the mind and our false perception.
When we view the world through our mistaken perception, we create karma. And this is what happens when we deal with other sentient beings, humans and animals included. We all know from a Buddhist perspective that inflicting harm on other sentient beings leads to negative karma, but did we ever think about the frame of mind that causes us to do this – our perception of the world? Or even how modern psychology discusses this mistaken perception? The documentary talks about this perception as a self-centric psychological universe where one only thinks about the self in relation to other sentient beings. And this is what allows us to view other sentient beings as mere objects. Buddhism calls this the ego, or the self-centered “I”. Both philosophies are strikingly similar, if not the same, only termed and explained differently.
This is what leads to what most people here have commented about, the horrific way in which humans exploit the animal kingdom for their own selfish interests. In fact these small interests, such as wearing leather or having chicken for dinner outweighs the major interests of the animal such as the loss of life. Humans have a way to want and find ways to get without consideration about the other species. And what this documentary does is introduce the viewer to a new perspective to view the world, one in which we see just how much pain and suffering animals go through for our wants. While we all know that the foods we eat, clothes we wear etc, are animal products, the killing fields are so far removed from our every day lives that we don’t think about it. This documentary shocks you to the reality of it all and what humanity is capable of doing.
As Buddhists on the path of compassion how can we not be a vegetarian and strive to make the world a better place free of suffering after seeing the treatment and fate of the animals, members of a fellow nation on this planet of ours. If we want to develop ultimate compassion, we need to be able to develop compassion to the next realm closest to us first, which is obviously the animal realm. And if we are on the path of compassion, we are also on the path of wisdom. We need to meditate and realise that the pain and suffering binds us further to samsara, as well as the animals. We are bound to suffer again and again. When we realise that there is actually no difference between humans and animals on a worldly level, that we all want food/water, shelter, freedom of movement and freedom from pain; or on a spiritual level, that we are all sentient beings, we will see a real change in how we treat animals.
I have a lot of friends who find it extremely difficult to watch the documentary, they find it too graphic. But that’s precisely the point, why is it not okay to watch it but it is okay for us to eat the animals? My conclusion is that they ‘pretend’ to not know so consciously, there’s no guilt or whatsoever, most people find it easier to pretend and be in denial than to actually face the truths.
Joaquin’s narration was clear, not whiny and he managed to convey the important points to the audience strongly. One of the points that stood out to me was that all sentient beings have desires, we all want food, shelter, companionship, and freedom of movement. That alone indicates that animals DO feel love, they DO feel pain and suffering. The comprehension between an animal and a human being may be different due to the environment and individual capability, but it still leads up to a mutual conclusion which is, survival. All sentient beings even something as “small” as Swallows for example, they know when to migrate so that they can give birth to the next generation before the harsh cold winters hits and there’s no food. Therefore animals DO comprehend.
Another point that stood out strongly was the fact that we own a pet fits into the characteristics of a speciest. Animals are supposed to roam freely in the wild, by right none of us have the authority to own them, control their life and decide whether if they should live or not. The very fact that us owning a pet violates the principles of equality. This really blew my mind away, who would have thought about it that way? Keeping pets has been a practice that stems from more than 12 centuries ago, therefore it is safe to say that the concept of keeping pets (either for companionship or entertainment) has been rooted in mankind. After more than 12,000 years today, it is refreshing to know otherwise, which actually makes sense. Why is it not okay to ‘own’ a slave but it is okay to ‘own’ a pet? The word ‘own’ is very superior-sounding, so no matter what the subjects are, to own another species and to diminish their rights to live however they wish to is speciesism. This is a very powerful documentary indeed, will watch it again to absorb it better.
This is the second time I watch the video.Today once again look to see animals suffer every scene, I feel too uncomfortable. We have been trying to avoid, in fact, cause the meat to be slaughtered animals bear the pain. If not personally slaughtered, turn a blind eye. Selfish human behavior, lead to other life to bear the pain and the scourge!
To avoid killing animals continues to deteriorate, we should start from their own. Change their way of life, from clothing, food, and entertainment. the chance of harm to the animals is reduced to zero. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this video,let us know behind the scene how animals suffer because of human being!
It’s hard to continue watching the whole video. So much pain and sufferings human have incurred to animals. Human depends on animals for food, clothes, companion, entertainment and more, but with so much disrespect and greed. Only when human think they are more superior than other creatures on the Earth, they are the owner of this planet, therefore they can use and abuse in whatever manner and scale they feel fit and they like to.
This video was produced few years ago and most of the scenes in the video are still repeating, and can be seen in many other video clips produced or appear much later and recently. No doubt the awareness has increased but the killing is not stopping. However, with creating more awareness about animal sufferings, more people to be vegetarian and more aware of the beings or environment around them, world can be changed. Changes should start from us and it will change for better. We have heard quite many people how turn into vegetarian, more aware of the sufferings of animals, and realise about speciesism after watching this Earthling video. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the video.
This is not the first time for me to watch the video but it is still not easy to watch it. Every time I watched it, it just triggered me to look into certain facts that I have been avoiding or pretending not to know/see or pretending to forget for the sake of my own craving or attachment or pleasure. ?
The sufferings that animals has gone through due to human in the 5 parts of this video is tremendous – pets, food, clothes, sport/entertainment and science. It is human like us that think we are more superior than other species and the ignorance that causing us to ignore the pain of other species or animals.
I am thankful that Rinpoche has been exposing me on videos like this and let me starting to know, to feel and to start growing a little bit of kindness towards animals and started to be vegetarian for a few years and started to be a little bit kind to animals such as stray dogs, etc.
This time, from watching this videos, it also let me feel more about the pain and the sickness that I have been experiencing now are due to what I have done in the past like eating meat, dissecting small insects or animals during classes last time as well as causing harm to animals. It let me have deeper understanding of karma and to be kind to animals starting now and spreading the awareness to be kind to animals. All animals deserve to live happily and without sufferings and pains. They are just the same like us.
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I like what it says “When we wince at the suffering of animals, that feeling speaks well of us even when we ignore it, and those who dismiss love for our fellow creatures as mere sentimentality overlook a good and important part of our humanity. But it takes nothing away from a human to be kind to an animal. And it is actually within us to grant them a happy life … and a long one.
…. On the heath, King Lear asked Gloucester: “How do you see the world?” And Gloucester, who is blind, answered: “I see it feelingly”. I see it feelingly. Three primary life forces exist on this planet: Nature, Animals and Humankind. We are the Earthlings. Make the connection.”
This is definitely a must watch video for all.
Thanks Rinpoche and the blog team sharing with us this life changing documentary.
I first watched this in 2010, I was an occasional vegetarian back then, still couldn’t let go of my favourite KFC. I remember I watched this with my cat beside me, and because of the cat, I relate to the pains of all the animals in the documentary so well because I love my cat. I became a vegetarian after watching Earthling. And because of this documentary, I can really see the pain and hence take action on what should we do to not create further pain to the animals, as best as we can.
I understand that we human is the core of all these pains and destructions to the earth, everyone of us contribute to that even if we try not to harm animals. However, with the power of influence by one person to another, hopefully this force of empathy would spread far wide, cutting down the sufferings of the earthlings, as a whole.
Thank you.
I have watched the video before but it doesn’t become easy to watch the second time. This is a Must Watch for everyone who loves our planet, our future.
Earthings has opened my eyes to the behind the scene how animals suffer abuses from human entertainment, killed for clothing, used in medical experiments and most importantly killed as food. This is one of the main reason I gave up eating meating. With the knowledge that animals being rear (breed) and abused since baby until they’re killed, the solution simply is stop eating them. We can control our food intake and therefore one less demand for meat.
Giving up eating animals have many benefits not only for us ourselves but everyone living on this planet as pointed in the video, the environment ecology, and most importantly our inner peace and morality as a human.
After watching the video, it is clear that we must raise awareness regarding the inhuman ways we treat animals. There is so much suffering created for the poor animals who are helpless and are totally controlled by their human handlers. We can say that it’s their karma, but we are also creating bad karma through our cruelty. This reminds me of the Jataka tale called “The Brave Goat”. The goat in the story told the priest who was about to kill him for his sacrificial offering that he was sad because the priest would be reborn 500 times as a goat in his future lives. And he, the goat, would be reborn as a human. This made the priest decide not to go ahead with the sacrifice. If people believe in karma, they would certainly not kill any sentient being.
Watching this for the third time, it still doesn’t get any easier and it is still hard to sit through despite knowing the next scenes or what to expect. It also highlights how pervasive animal cruelty is in daily life and the severe consequences following such human exploitation of animals. Simultaneously, it further reveals how people have desensitized and numb themselves to such harsh reality. Ultimately, the problem lies in humans prioritising self over others, from satisfying own taste buds to pervadingly how we would feel. For example, despite being made aware of the uncomfortable truth about meat consumption, many still choose to close their eyes and block it out so they don’t have to feel bad or so they can continue doing it without the guilt. Thank you for this sharing which can serve as another reminder for us to be more caring and less self-centered.
I feel everyone must watch this video at least once and contemplate on it. I think this is my third time watching it and it is still very impactful to me. It is certainly very difficult to watch because the sufferings of the animals are “honestly” presented to in front of our eyes. There are many things which we do without thinking, that would harm so much animals, and this video presented it very clearly for us to contemplate.
There are certainly things we can do if we are educated about the facts. As parents, we can educate our children to be more kind to all earthlings by not eating them, by not wearing them, something which we can do on a daily basis. I strongly believe that if the demand goes down or is eliminated, then the supply will stop too. Also, the meat industry has done so much damage to the planet earth that eventually one day, the earth will not be able to take it anymore.
I wish this video Earthlings can be shown to every children in school, to encourage them to think, and to stop the suffering of other earthlings. ???
This is a very difficult video to watch because it’s so painful to see how the animals suffer. I think many don’t realize that in so many aspects of what humans take for granted, an animal suffered or died for it. It’s so extremely prevalent from food to clothes to pets to zoos that what Joaquin Phoenix said at the beginning of the video is true: in essence that humans are the most harmful creatures on the planet, that we feel we are more superior to animals thus we are entitled to do whatever we want with them including torturing and killing them, that we are no better than the Nazis who killed millions of Jews during the Holocaust.
Thank you rinpoche for sharing this moving video. I think anyone who watches it attentively and looks into the animals’ eyes as they are dying will immediately realize that they are no different from us, that they feel tremendous pain just like we do, and that we really must not do as we please with them, just for convenience, fashion or entertainment’s sake. And that perhaps it is time to adopt a more conscious, harm-free lifestyle that is kind to everyone and everything.
This is one of the hardest documentaries to watch but very necessary. Watching it again today is not any easier as the killing and cruelty are still happening. No matter what methods were used to reduce sufferings prior to slaughter, the fact remains the same – a life is taken. A life whose potential that has yet to be fully realised.
Many will not watch documentaries like “Earthlings” as they would prefer to still carry on their habit of ingesting exotic meat, buying luxury leather goods and enjoying animal sports, pleading “Ignorance is bliss”. But is ignorance really bliss? As Buddhists, we should try to reduce sufferings of other sentient beings, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. While we may not be able to change everyone in this world overnight, we should at least try to do our parts. Be it going vegetarian, buying products that are not tested on animals, adopting strays or boycotting zoo and circuses.
My children have asked to go to the circus when they were younger. But after showing them videos of how animals were trained, they have not asked since. I believe that by creating awareness through videos such as “Earthlings”, more people will see the real picture and stop the many harmful and highly unnecessary practices. As the saying goes, “When the buying stops, so will the killing.”
Aaaaaaargh humans! Y U Make the Mahayana Path so difficult!!!
Looking this video again has made me think that it is unbelievable how much we can deny that animals feel pain although it is very obvious. It is true as they say we are the Nazi’s to the animals, killing, making most cruel experiments, using, abusing and whatever cruelty, we human animals do it onto the “weaker”, the animal which is not so ill-minded as we obviously are.
I think it is very much because we don’t see what is going on and we get feel-well pictures from dairy companies for example in advertisments. But there is no feel-well for the animal having to suffer his whole life and later being killed and exploited to the maximum, for maximum profit.
Even bull-fighting gets glamourised yet the killing of these beautiful animals has nothing to do with a fight but there is no escape and not even the slightest chance for the bull to survive. This is called murder and not a fight in my eyes.
No matter what are the reasons, clothing, food, entertainment, research, science, medical … we humans think we are allowed to inflict this pain and suffering to animals. Well, I think we need to stop this and I am happy that there are many organisations, such as Peta, rescue teams, vegan and vegetarian organisations, which share daily on social media how cruel we are. https://www.peta.org, https://www.facebook.com/animalfreedomfighter/ and many more.
Please watch this powerful video from H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche on “What is on your Altar?” https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/whats-on-your-altar.html
A very sad video which sends a very clear message across. We must show compassion to all living beings on earth. Animals like human beings do experience pain and sufferings. They are so helpless and at the mercy of mankind just to satisfy their taste buds and desires for luxury goods and entertainment. Every mouthful of meat that we eat and every leather item that we possess just imagine the amount of pain and sufferings the animals have to go through. Even for entertainment and sports the animals also have to go through very harsh training in order to please the spectators. This video is a wake up call for me to ponder seriously how I can reduce the sufferings of other living beings and to make a difference so that this world will be a better place. If the demand stops so will be the supply. I hope more people will watch this video and benefit from it because it has definitely created a very strong impact on me.
Thank you Rinpoche for creating this awareness ???.
With much shame, I’m not proud to be human being.
Human kind is sick, we ‘re extremely selfish which we will do anything just to fulfill our desires and think that think that the world is under our control.
We should act now and save the world before everything is to late.. when the mother nature take ultimate revenge..?
Watching earthling video , it make impact for people think deeply about how human desire living in this planet are base to others animals suffering. No doubt human are not only species live in the earth. Due to human ignorant and desire, human using their power to get the food sourse, clothing, entertainment to hurt others animals. This is not the right way. Human suppose have more wisdom but we are like other animals have feeling of pain, fear and consciousness.If human can’t control their desire eating meat. More and more animals will suffer. Be a vegitarian and Vegan is not total solution. But we can lesses hurting another being unnessery. It important for human aware and not fall to the old habit without control like wild animals hunting another species in the earth.
This is a very powerful video that triggered many different thoughts. Yes, it’s cruel that those animals were slaughtered in that way to earn money for human beings. Treated in that way in order for human pleasure, and for their comfort. And, again, treated in that way for human to earn more money. But, out of all these, what is it about? Again, is for human beings. To me, this video shows the very ugly side of us, human beings. It very about SPECIESISM, even beyond that.
Human beings, they’re scared of things that they don’t know, they’re worried about things that beyond their control. Given a human a riffle, with a lion stand in front of them, they will shoot the lion. Without the riffle, they’ll be scared of the lion like a mouse meet a cat. In this video shows it all. Human beings like to dominate, like to over power, like to be in control of everything. From the world biggest incident, World War 1 and 2, to this video, controlling and over powering other species (animals), it’s all about taking control.
I hope more people watch this video, then to contemplate, what we, human beings, one of the species that live on earth, one of the earthlings, have brought benefit to the world that we’re living, rather than destroying, consuming, and talking control of what that benefits us. ?
Yes this is one video many would avoid watching, just like the rest of my friends, I do tend to shy away from watching videos of this nature but I am glad I did for the past few times. There are indeed a lot to be learnt from this video and one that strikes me the most is how cruel can someone be to take life away (or torture) life from another innocent being who also have the right to be staying alive untouched, live as peaceful like everyone one of us. It depicts the kind of dominance onto another species, just like another race over another, another religion over another. It clearly tells us the world that humans can be very cruel in order to get what they want regardless the cost even at the expense of another life and that itself is scary. We certainly can co exist and don’t have to kill in order to eat or stay alive as some might claim.
Earthling, 意思是地球上的居民。除了人类，这也包括所有动物在内。 这部纪录片阐述了人类为了宠物、食物、服装和娱乐而凌虐我们的动物朋友。
正如托尔斯泰所言：”只要有屠宰场，就有战场”。为了满足肉食者的口腹之欲，除了被宰杀以外，动物必须遭受烙印、剁角、剁尾巴、剪耳朵、切牙、去喙、小儿被掠走、长期住在拥挤的环境等痛苦。很多人都不懂，或者不想懂我们日复一日对生命的凌辱和糟蹋。
为了满足皮革的需求, 每周成千上万只牛在印度被屠杀以获取牛皮。牛只被钉上铁蹄、串上绳索地步上没有任何食物与水的死亡之旅。人类为了娱乐，把我们的“快乐建立在别人的痛苦之上”。美国西部的牛仔竞技、赌马、狩猎、钓鱼、马戏团等，这一些活动都呈现了人类自私自利的一面。
我们谴责纳粹，但是人类对别的生命的残暴行为与纳粹的大屠杀无异。动物朋友们所承受的煎熬、折磨和灾难还是持续着。纪录片旁白配音杰昆·菲尼克斯说道，“你不能掩饰眼前所发生的一切”。人类并不是这个星球上唯一的居民， 我们必须尊重其他动物种族。虽然我们在食物链上层， 但是我们有很多的选择，比如说我们可以成为素食主义者。我们可以抗议以动物为主的娱乐，停止购买皮革等。我们必须问问良心，做出明确的选择，不要再继续让动物们遭受卑劣残忍的虐杀。
看完这部电影。有几个镜头深深的让我体会到人类对别的生命是多么的残暴，看到了人类的自私、贪婪和愚昧而让动物承受巨大痛苦的可怕事实。
人类发展至今，自以为是强者。是主宰，认为自己拥有绝对的支配权于其他的众生，造成每天有成千上万的生命惨遭杀害，事实上每个有生命的动物都有感知痛苦的能力，佛说众生是平等的，我们有什么权利剥它的生命呢？
如果你看完这部电影之后，想改变这世界， 请放下口中肉，再从个个层面检讨自己的生活，包括吃的、穿的和用的，培养慈悲的第一步是持素，爱护动物。
爱默生说“我们优雅的享用我们的正餐，血腥的屠宰场被精心的隐藏起来”。
It’s powerful documentary of not sending message on animals suffering but to those human being like us. Due to strong attachments of our desire, greed, ego many sentient beings were tortured, suffered and death. What I think, these poor living thing are NOT worth to be treated this way. Many people think animals are different from human, but it is wrong. Animals have feelings just like us and the difference was animals can’t speak or talk like human. They are just vulnerable living organism that needed love, care and compassion. The act of greed on mankind was beyond limit. Animals have to sacrificed their lives in order sustained their material desires and egoism.
Besides, even among humans happened into fight, war and there’re no different. Similarity with racism, segregation, discrimination, where people were alienated because of differences of their religious believed and interest. People who mistreated animals like this will definite rebirth in animal realm. What go around, come around. This documentary is very meaningful. Thank you, Rinpoche ?
This article and video is very powerful to make us humans think deeper and to contemplate what we are doing and have done. Often times we do not even think of the process of how we get the meat and seafood on our plates or how the leather jackets were made. And sometimes just for entertainment for example circus, we never thought how much suffering the animals have to endure during training. Why are the animals suffering for human’s pleasure and comfort? They too have the rights to live freely in the wilds and mother nature. We humans must really sit down and contemplate on this and try to find ways to reduce eating or using products from animals.
Form this video Peter Singer said Speciesism …a prejudice or bias in favour of the interests of members of one’s own species and against those of members of other species. It actually spell out everything in the video. Human in general think that they that are able to think and over power non-human animals but didn’t realise that actually we have something in common and foremost we are living beings that live together on this planet.
Due to our self centred mind we become selfish and ignorance to others needs, feelings and even their existent but how if the other party think and did the same to us? How would we felt? We have not put ourselves in their shoes to feel the pain, worry, scared and etc but only focus on the desire which cause suffering to others. It’s a good video to open our eyes for some and also a reminder for me that we are not the only being living in this planet that others have to suffer for us but we can live together by respecting others, helping each other even though we are different species but the bottom line is we can share kindness to live for a better future.
This was a well made documentary video with good research, soundtrack, narration, script, filming, editing and educational. It was great to watch this again together with some friends and then after discussed about the video among ourselves. Each one of us has our personal view and comments and it was interesting to talk and debate among us. One thing in common is that humans exploit animals as pets, for food, use animal hide for clothes and fashion, for entertainment and sports, as well as experiment on animals in the name of science. Some humans even treat other humans as animals. Being kind to animals is good for us to practice loving compassion
Watching this video, makes me wonder what is the real lesson to be learnt. There are many lessons being taught in this video. So much pain and sufferings are created due to the greed and desire of the egotistic human race. Ignorance on the part of a so called more developed human beings, so much pain is created on mother nature like deforestation and the animals beings of our earth.
Besides using animals for many aspects of our lives from food to clothes including even the development of medical science, we do so without thinking that animals are just like us. They suffer pain just as much as we do.
Seeing this video again, makes me realise how unkind and cruel, the human race is. What is being done to the animals can be avoided if not for our greed, desire and profits.
The only way to stop this madness and cruelty is to develop compassion and respect for our fellow earthlings and whatever may be the reasons, pain and sufferings must be stopped. There is no single good excuse to inflicting pain and suffering.
We need to stop before we lose our senses and start to destroy our fellow human beings which have occurred in history like during the Nazi regime and slavery throughout times. The only way is to develop love and compassion.
Even those i has watched the video ( https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Earthlings.mp4 ) for 3 times ( this is the 3rd times ). And every-times after the group discussion, that’s make me think more deeper of Nature, Humans and Animals life.
Why? I brought up in Chinese family, as Malaysian Chinese tradition, eg : CNY, Wedding Dinner and even Birthday Party, we must cook Meats to celebrate on it. And i even thought that Meats can give me more proteins for Body. It’s all about Me, Me, and Me.
And PHO, DM, PAM, PC, PAR and Justin Cheah did make a very good explanation on what’s the whole video is talking about, it’s all ours human desires ( taste buds ), run a circus by making a money, and want to showing of the others that’s they ( the hunters ) are willing to pay lot of moneys to go Africa just for hunting to another living beings. As a Buddhist point of view, humans are ignorant ( included me )
I do appreciate for the sharing and Thanks to everyone ( KFR Blog discussion team ) opinions. _/\_
Yes, many people say the animal is not killed by them, they would say the animal is already dead, and when don’t eat it, it will gone to waste. But the fact is, because we keep eating meat, we keep creating the need to produce more meat, that’s why there is the existence of slaughter house, that is why the animals are being killed, watching the video, they don’t just kill the animal, they torture the animals so much that it went through tremendous pain and suffering before death, many of us do believe in hell, and this is hell for them.???
When young, I love to go to the zoo, I find it fun and it is really interesting to see so many animals, but after I get to know about the animals has to suffer so much to perform in the circus, it broke my heart and I really regretted that the enjoyment I had before, my joy is building over their suffering, this is so unwanted.
Sometimes I felt that human are really creative, we can always thing of so many ways to torture the animals and on using their flesh, skin, etc to make food, toys, fashion, etc… We have to be kind to the animals, not just to dogs or cats, but to all the animals.
I watched this video many years ago, I became vegetarian, and since then, I have been sharing this video to the people I met and I will continue to share this video until more and more people become vegetarian and to be a kinder person.
Such vicious cycles sentient beings live in. The amount of harm, pain and killing we inflict on everyone around us makes me believe we are no different than those beings who are less ‘smarter’.
Whether we are human or animals, we are selfish for ourselves. Humans do what they want in order to satisfy the ego while the animals do what they want to ‘survive’. Either way, we hurt others in the process of getting it. The desire for that feeling last only for a short period yet we still ignorantly do it.
Watching the video again (which was made very well), made me think of how I can and need to be a kinder person and also change my perception for others. Knowing that one can unlearn and relearn, I want to break and change that unkind habituation into something much more better for now and my ‘future’ lives.
I love this video and it was the very first video Rinpoche made us watch in Ladrang when Rinpoche decided to stop eating meat. Rinpoche did not force anyone to stop eating meat but simply shared with us WHY Rinpoche has decided to make this change and when we first watched this video, it really opened up my eyes and ignorant mind. After watching this video, one will realise that going without meat is the right choice, ethically, morally and for one’s own health wise.
It took awhile of getting used to it, not because of the cravings but it was more of the convenience of obtaining meat instead of vegetarian meals, but all it took was some creative thinking, and nowadays with so many vegetarian shops opened, there really is no excuses. Even the meat selling cafes and restaurants are accommodating towards vegetarians. More and more people are becoming vegetarian and vegan because more are realising that this is the right way to go if we want to live long and if we want our earth to live long too. And for those who are “spiritual” and wishes to practise what they preach – compassion for all, love all, then this is the least one can do; stop eating meat, stops the demands for meat, heat stop the killings!
Humans are the only species who are able to make a conscious decision as to what actions we take, yet we are the ones who constantly destroy ourselves and others purposely. We are the only species who eat another due to taste and not to “live”. This is why karma comes back hard on us, and this is why so many people easily get cancer these days, yet many still refuse and choose to be ignorantly blind from the truth. If you truly love animals, you will stop eating meat, because animals do not just include domestic pets. It is time for us to wake up and stop harming ourselves, others and the earth. The hurricanes America is experiencing now is proof that climate change is not a joke and one of the biggest contributing factors to this is animal farming. Hence, this is why it is extremely important for us to keep sharing and educating others on the harmful effects of eating meat, karmically as well as physically, and this is a good video to start with.
Thank you Rinpoche for always trying to bring out the kindness/compassion in us, especially with this video. This is my second time watching this video and it takes a lot to watch till the end as its so painful to see how the animals suffered and died. What was worse, during my first time watching, was knowing that I had created the causes for this suffering as food and products like leather goods, etc. Now watching it a second time does not make it any easier as animal sufferings are still very much in existence with human’s hunger and greed growing. Speciesism may be a relatively new word but characteristics of it is not. Many people just don’t associate themselves with steak, chicken chop, lamb stew, leather belt, leather handbag, leather sofa, etc. with the actual animals that suffered during their short lives until their gruesome deaths. I am glad that I became vegetarian and recently, as the steak in the hot sizzling plate was being served at the next table, I almost puked. It smelt like rotten meat masked by gravy. Yet I watch the girl enjoying each bite and every bite. Its no wonder that anger and hatred is on the rise as the weight of negative karma increases with every animal killed. I had shared this post with others and hope that it will bring reality to them to realise how the killings are related directly to them. Imagine if we were to reincarnate as one of these animals. How would we feel, trapped, helpless and scared?? I will always remember Rinpoche’s teaching where Rinpoche pointed out that we always have pray for kindness, for compassion from the Buddhas but at the same time how could we take the flesh of another through the same mouth. Thank you Rinpoche for your care and helping us to care.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing this powerful video of how the human treat other living beings, indeed is very sad to to watch the truth behind the doors on how animals been treated for human demand for food,fashion, waste and because of the demand the climate changed too.
I shared this video to my daughter (Janelle) when she was 8 years old. When this topic been picked for dharma sharing or blog chat discussion topic with Pastor Adeline and the rest of the volunteer teachers. I explained to Janelle, If she likes animals so much, we shouldn’t love another and kill indirectly another animal just to feed our hungry stomach and taste desire. I told her also, I am practicing as vegetarian and we do it together and i set an example for her to follow as proof to her that nothing is impossible although the age gap and nothing to do with the age as well. I told her also that is all about the understanding of the causes and effect.
After long explanation to her, she understands it and she practice the next day as vegetarian. At first, she was very hard to adapt into it as she was been taking care of by my aunties while I am working. She and my aunties having big time problem about the meal Janelle should eat. After awhile been struggling and she start to accept it, there is a day when I told her after a year did not consume meat, do you not feeling well? do you not growing up? do you feel sick? do your taste desire still urge you to eat? All she answer is “No” ? I am very happy to hear when she answered.
Hopefully this video can reach more and more people and to help them to understands that we as human do not need all the abuses and torture to other living beings for us to survive in this planet.
Thank you.
Victor Choi.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing the documentary with us. It really exposed the brutal truth about the cruelty we human do for money and pleasure. I watched it a few years ago. It has stopped me from eating meat and buying leather bags. What got stuck in my head was the bloodiness of the animal bodies after their hair and skin being striped alive. I would never want to take pleasure of wearing fur for what the animals had to endure. This further brought me to be more aware of many things used in our daily life are actually at the expense of other being having to suffer. We allow the pleasure we receive to overide us from knowing / accepting the truth. I hope by having the hidden truth exposed, more will be able to make a conscience choice for themselves.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you very much for sharing Earthling video. I have been brought up that eating meat is normal. Although I don’t fancy meat most of the time but at times I will still feel like having some.
After watching Earthling video, it really makes me think twice if I would want to eat or buy any meat or any animal product again. I couldn’t imagine the cruelty that mankind can do to others.
I will share this video with all my friends. I pray for a day that mankind will respect and be kind to all sentient beings.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing this video with us. It is indeed a powerful video about animal abuse. The abuse that the animals had been suffering is so bad that i bet that anyone that is sane would not had agrede to that. A quote from the video ” If anyone would need to kill for their meat, they would be vegan already”. Many people chose to eat meat but they are in denial of how the meat was harvested in the farms. They choose to be ignorant and to be in the not knowing so that they can enjoy meat without any sense of guilt. They are just being plain selfish.
Plant based diet is a diet of compassion because by not eating meat, we are showing compassion to the animal and also to the people who has to do the dirty deed to kill the animal. If we dont eat meat, there is no reason for them to kill the animal which will spare the animal from being killed and the person from negative karma of killing the animal. This is why plant based diet is a diet of kindness and compassion.
This is one of the most impactful video I have watched so far. Most of us (me included) are brought up to think that eating other animals as normal, and there is nothing wrong about it, and most parents would even encourage their kids to eat meat.
But this video really changed my perspective about other animals on our planet earth. The concept they presented really make sense when we think about it. Everyone should watch this video at least once and they will not give excuses to be unkind to other animals
Are we born to be cruel? To be cruel towards animals, cruel towards fellow human being, even cruel towards ourselves. Where does this cruelty arise from?
I’ve never heard of the word speciesism before but what this paragraph below stated is very true.
“Even between humans, ‘those who are powerful treat the less powerful as if they were mere objects’… with the slaughter of animals, we allow the interest of our own species to ‘override the greater interest of members of the other species’. This is described as Speciesism. We see this more familiarly in modern day racism and sexism.”
Simplistically put I think everything is just a manifestation of selfishness in one way or another. It’s encouraging that people are starting to be more aware and some famous celebrities are using their fame to promote this new awareness.
I have watched this documentary for more than 10 times now, each time I watched it, I learnt something different, it’s definitely the only documentary that I will never get bored of watching because the suffer of these animals are real. I think most of us by now knew about ugly truths behind slaughterhouses, but also, some of us have decided to ignore it or to live in denial so they don’t feel bad when they eat meat. Being a vegetarian is a choice and to be honest, the reason why I am a vegetarian today was because I watched this documentary and realised that I don’t need these animal to go through all the sufferings in order to satisfy my taste buds. It was quite an easy decision, I just had to switch my thinking and perspectives. It was not so easy at first but slowly I’ve gotten used to it and eventually stopped eating meat. Everything is not easy, but with determination and effort, we can do whatever we want, it’s our life and we are in control of it.
This video will always be very “special” to me because it is the first time I became firm in my mind that I will give up meat for good. I remember the exact moment – watching the dog being dragged off the street and crushed by the rubbish truck unleashed a torrent of tears from me. At the time, I was sat in Beng Kooi’s room in the e-Division office watching this and I had to pause the video and bawl for a good minute. It was just so completely unnecessary and such a pointless destruction of life. It wasn’t like the dog was being killed for meat or for fashion (as though that would make it more acceptable!) or anything like that. He was just being killed because he could be killed, because he was around people who are cruel out of ignorance, because he happened to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time. This being’s consciousness and pain had no value for the people engaged in the act; its life was as worthless as the rubbish they were throwing away.
If the dog’s life was precious, then why aren’t other animals’ lives being given the same consideration? That’s when I decided, no more meat. A few weeks later, I had a private teaching with Rinpoche that sealed the deal
This video is very important because it spells out factually the reasons why humans need to stop engaging in the exploitation of animals. The narration doesn’t come across as emotional, yet it’s easy to get an emotional reaction from what you witness. And the video is comprehensive too; before this, I had never consciously contemplated on the extent of speciesm via, for example, the exploitation of animals as pets.
If we want to develop compassion in our practice, it’s important that we continuously make ourselves aware of the suffering of other beings by watching videos like these. To say it is too painful to watch these types of videos, and it hurts us too much is actually (sorry) avoidance. We don’t want to watch the videos because we don’t want to know what’s going on. Why? When we know what’s going on, we are forced to do something about it so instead of having to do something about it, we would rather not watch at all.
Isn’t it strange to say we are Buddhist and practising compassion, when we avoid the sight of the suffering of others?
If that’s the case and that’s how we feel about these types of videos that document the sufferings of others, then all the more reason why we MUST watch these types of videos. We need to know, to learn and to push our Dharma practice along, to remind ourselves how fortunate we are to be reborn with the Eight Freedoms and Ten Endowments, to not take for granted our precious human life and start doing something for others and ourselves right now.
Dear Rinpoche, the 8 things that I have learnt in this video are:
1)If we want to have a world that is full with happiness, then we have to earn it starting by putting a stop to racism, specism and sexism.
2)It is true that some animals kill thousands of humans every year, but it is nothing compared to what we have done to their families and homes.
3)What do we get from slaughtering and killing animals? Is it worth it? If it bags, shoes, wallets, clothes, meat and etc then it is totally not worth it. Why? You will not gain anything buying and using those stuffs after your death, it will only create more Karma to drag you down to hell. Therefore, it is totally not worth it.
4)Most of the people in the world would know that dogs and cats have feelings but they never thought if other animals have feelings too. They wouldn’t mind to see other animals suffer but they cannot bare it when it comes to dogs and cats. Why? Because dogs and cats have been human’s pets for centuries and also because they are cuter. For an example, SOME people would ignore it if an ugly dog is being abuse but they would try to save a dog from being abused because they are much cuter. Same thing that happens to us humans, we prefer to look at people who are better looking and we despise the ones that are not so good looking.
5)hurting another being will not bring us happiness. Well it might for some maniacs but hurting a being in order for joy that will only lasts a while. It will only make you grow further away from Dharma than you already are.
6)If we don’t put a stop to hunting animals, then the some of the animals will extinct from this world. And the future generations will only be able to see those beings through social media and not real live.
7)Animals are definitely not here in this world for the sake of human beings
8)Never buy animals from pet stores, if you really want to get one. You should get it from the shelter or pick them up from the streets.
Earthlings is really a one of a kind video meant to show the world how mankind have manipulated animals to be our food, clothes and our experiment subjects.
It is through this video that I have learned a lot about how mankind has been so cruel and arrogant towards animals.
Below are a few points which stood out for me.
Despite how different they may be from us, we should treat all animals like we would treat our brothers, sisters or friends. No being in this world should be treated like how they are being treated today around the world.
We can’t force the whole world to be vegetarians in a short period of time but at the very least, slaughterhouse owners should think less of maximizing profits and minimizing spending and let the animals grow naturally and give them more space to roam instead of cramming as many animals in a small place. After all, these animals will soon be slaughtered to fill our palate. The least we could do till the whole world is vegetarian is to at least help them to suffer less.
Many people don’t have the slightest clue of where the food that they purchase and eat come from and this video really exposes how innocent animals go from birth to our plates while highlighting the inhumane practices of slaughter houses.
People often have this misconception that animals don’t suffer before they die and are given their natural diet and are free to roam. Thai video proves the contrary to their views. This is why I like how the team behind Earthlings have shaped their documentary to show the world what really goes on behind the leather, fur and meat products we consumers purchase.
The thought of seeing animal perform stunts and tricks at a circus has never struck me as an idea of a fun day out. Sadly however, Many people think likewise and enjoy going to the circuses especially those with families who think that it is a good bonding activity. These people don’t realize how the animals are trained to do what they are trained to do, again the misconception here is that they train these animals like how dog trainers train dogs by training them through encouragement, rewards and treats. What happens in reality is the exact opposite to what they think, and just imagine, when the animals decide enough is enough and hurt someone, what do you think of the image planted in to the minds of young children? It will teach them to be afraid of animals.
The leather and fur industry is practically booming which of course means big profiteering for companies who sell leather/fur products. In such times an age where the urge to stand out and own what others don’t, someone obviously has to pay the price and sadly it’s the animals such as cows and other exotic animals who are slaughtered unmercifully. There are now laws in some countries which prevent people from hunting exotic animals but what about the millions of cows who are slaughtered in a way that is so gross and inhumane.
If slaughterhouses allowed people to have a tour of how the animals are slaughtered, I believe it would help people realize how much suffering the animals go through and what a scary experience it must be for the animals they would stop eating meat, even those who are slightly stubborn would think twice.
As for the animals who’ve had to be “test mules” to the countless of useless cosmetics testing, I am truly angered at the fact that these companies had to involve animals in their labs. Some cosmetic companies have proved that good and effective cosmetics can be made without the harming of any animals.
This documentary is a true eye opener for me as well as for those who want to know what really happens “behind the scenes”.
My 8 points of what i learned from the video.
1. We take animals for granted because they don’t have a voice, but because they don’t have a voice it does not give us a reason to get killed. They should be treated just like us, not differently. They deserve to have the same rights as we have, they should be roaming the land without fear of getting caught or something else.
2. Animals were not put on earth to be food. And after all you can’t get much nutrients from meat, instead it might give you dome sort of disease like cancer….. This has been scientifically proven before and test show that we can live without meat. The news has spread but still people continue eating meat as if it could make them live forever or give you supernatural powers. So take note when you eat meat you don’t just kill the animals, but you your own self might get killed.
3. If you are thinking about getting a pet do not buy it from pet stores as most of them comes from breeding mills. So by supporting those pet stores you are encouraging them to torture the poor animals more because they are forced to breed, which can sometimes lead to problems. Once the animals is useless to the breeding mill they may put the animal down or do something worse. Instead adopt a pet from centers, as those are often strays or abandoned pets. That also means that the shelter won’t have to put down so many animals, as the shelters are often overcrowded..
4.We always say that the animals is already killed so you might as well buy it as it won’t harm anything. But by buying you are giving the seller good business that encourages him to slaughter more than ever, and the process continues. We are the reason for the animals getting killed, because we tell the supplier indirectly that people love his meat.
5. Even by supporting meat eating restaurants and fast food stalls you contribute to the killings. It’s now more dangerous that last time as now due to the rising cause of things people have to work longer hours, which means less time to eat, so they will go to fast food restaurants and buy their burgers as that is the easiest thing to get. Which means that the fast food restaurants would be piling with business causing the price to fall which means more and more people to buy. Do not support fast food as you tell them to order more meat from the slaughterhouse.
6. By buying leather handbags and suits you are also supporting the killing of animals, only difference is that it goes to the leather industry. There animals are killed and tortured from the beginning of the long trip to the slaughterhouse and then at the slaughterhouse. Not only leather but other sort of skins and pelts E.G. Goose feathers. But it does not end here, by buying badminton shuttlecocks you also kill geese for their feathers. As i said they are a lot of other animals that get killed for other reasons such as jackets and suits….
7. By going to circuses you are also supporting cruelty, as the animals don’t know our language. When the circus says that their animals are coaxed by treats and praise, don’t believe it. They are constantly punished, insulted and jeered at. As if that is not enough they have to perform for fear of punishment, not because they were coaxed by treats or have a natural instinct to do tricks. So remember circuses are not animals friendly, but the animals there are tortured literally to death and fear of punishment.
8. Animals testings is yet another way you support cruelty. No human would be willing to try a medicine that has not been tested. But the problem iswho will test it? Animals of course. These animals are forced to test all sort of things for us E.G. If the medicine will kill the person or the disease. Not just for medicine but also for the testing of machines such as things that could possibly kill a human, but no humans will test it so once again the animals are the test pilot, where they are often treated badly or suffer huge stress. There are lots of other things that animals are tested for such as facial stuff ,soap and even drugs. So the next time you think about buying things, research whether they use animals testing first before buying it.
Let us be compassionate and stop the killing of innocent animals directly/indirectly.
8 points I’ve learnt watching this documentary:
1. animals are just the same as us humans; they have feelings, emotions too. they should not be treated differently just because they look different or cannot voice out their opinion.
2. this documentary shows how cruel and selfish us humans can be, killing innocent lives just to satisfy our attachments and desires; taste buds or sense of fashion. how does this make us better than those prisoners who have committed crimes?
3. we always blame the producers or sellers for abusing and killing the animals for food or products but to be honest, if there wasn’t any demand, there wouldn’t be supply. the blaming part was just an excuse to make ourselves feel a little better about it.
4. we should create petition to, for example: stop scientists from using these animals as experiments or kill animals especially during festive seasons, etc. we should create more awareness on harming animals or even vegetarianism.
5. we often say we’re animal lovers but how does our move justify us when we kill them for our meals? or bags? or even accessories. it shows how ignorant we are when we don’t want to admit that the animals do suffer a lot before they die and we think that it is okay for pigs or chicken to die for us, when killing our own pet cat or dog is wrong. aren’t they all sentient beings? we shouldn’t look at them differently just because we’ve been accustomed to exp: dog beings our pets for many generations now.
6. there are people out there who cares and tries to create awareness on how these animals suffer. everyone who was involved in this documentary are one of them. these people are willing to take a huge step to help the animals and to educate more people especially the younger generation.
7. theoretically speaking, if there were so many livestock, they would take up more land space and thus there would be less land to grow crop. by having so many livestock, it is limiting the amount of oxygen in the air and disrupting the ecosystem.
8. people should be aware of what happened to their food before the ‘entrée’ is put in front of them. it is scientifically proven that without meat, we will still survive and have a much healthier life! it is all down to our mind. nothing is impossible and I truly believe that if we set our mind to anything, it can be done, so why not be more compassionate and stop killing innocent lives.
yes we should stop eating meat.
p
8 things I learned and realized from earthlings: ( with my touches in the messages )
1.This documentary reminded me of how precious life is and how it can be taken away so easily. I imagined myself being killed like that in those ways and I realized how there is no difference between our lives and the animal’s life because we are all lives that have needs and we obviously don’t want to be harmed. We are all living and we all share this planet, it showed me how we are the same with the animals and we are not different from them and we shouldn’t do this to them if we don’t want it done to us. We are the same
2. I realized how humans are such bullies especially in medical testing. first we kill for our taste satisfaction, why is a moment on out tongues more important than a LIFE. It doesn’t make sense how selfish humans are, how can we so brutally murder and kill other lives with so much pain for our own temporary needs and it is done is such large numbers, how can we do this? especially testing chemicals on animals, that is like wondering if a pinch hurts and then you test it by pinching your little brother, you are the same yet you do that because you want to know and you want to be better with the knowledge but others suffer. Others shouldn’t suffer for our own selfishness.
3. What gives us the right to do this? NOTHING, we do this because we can and we want things that are just temporary attachments and even if it costs things like lives. Humans are just so cruel, just because we can hurt that doesn’t mean that we have to kill others just because we are “better” than them. Especially in circuses, why do they have to go through so much pain to learn all these “cool” tricks. They are also beaten and treated terribly by ringleaders in circuses too. It just shows me how humans can be so uncaring that animals have to go through all that for our entertainment, it is like humans think of themselves as gods.
4. I thought about them. The animals never see daylight, they live in small places and they are killed so horribly. For milk farming in the cow farming industries for example humans actually artificially impregnate the cow so it produces more milk and the cow will stay like that for a very very long time and the cow’s life is affected as it always feels like it is expecting. This has a lot of strain on the cow too . The poor animals didn’t do anything wrong too, they are just under humans and the human brutality. You must think about them, how they feel with so many limitations and how much pain they feel because of us.
5. Thinking about the fur and skinning, why has cruelty fused into our cultures and into out lives that our clothes are made from animals and their bodies too. We are wearing other bodies! All the cruelty that went into making that fur coat or that leather jacket is immeasurable. Every animal is killed in a way without care, mercy and there is a lot of pain. So much pain. It has fused into our cultures and society and we have become addicted to cruelty. ADDICTED TO CRUELTY, how sad, we have become such monsters. In eating meat, wearing fur or skin, hunting, animal entertainment and testing in labs. We don’t even realize what we are doing too because it is so casual not in society that you don’t notice.
6. A famous quote is “if slaughterhouses had glass walls then everyone would be vegetarian” if I am not mistaken that is the quote and it is completely true. The sad thing is that nobody cares about the poor animals because they think it is normal and casual to say something about how they are eating a chicken and that they know where it came from and casually mention and teach that to the youths of the world and they grow up thinking that killing is normal and casual. but they don’t know anything until they see it. If they do then that is it. They will change unless their soul is as rotten as their eating habits with meat.
7. Also the major animal killing industry is of course the food industry, and this means the meat is mass produced meaning more animals are being killed and in terrible, unclean, painful deaths because they have to deliver more meat so they spend less time actually caring what they are producing and where it is from. Billions of lives killed, all the humans care about is how they make more money with more meat. Terrible. All for taste on the tongue in different meats and different variety of tastes. What matters, LIFE or taste buds, something meaningful and precious or something temporary. We can live without animal meat on our plates, but everyone eats them anyways because “it tastes good” why are we so ignorant and do not care about any other life but ours? Something so minor but yet more important than a life. I don’t get that.
8. Earthlings is what started me on my vegetarian path and it is the main reason why I am a vegetarian today. I makes us realize that we are wrong and there has to be change and they need help. There is only one way to help, Vegetarianism, and we need to spread the brutal truth behind that delicious steak, we need to teach others to help and then we can save them and then humanity’s name will be cleared with a real change for good. Realizing that we need to help them, that is the point of Earthlings. Education.
Dear Rinpoche,
I have tried to avoid this video for quite some time, from my sister’s feedback that the video is very brutal to watch.She has turned vegetarian with own personal motivation after watching this video. Thus, I did not want to go through what may possibly bring me night mares and sorrows. Yet, in the blog chat session in kechara today, we were required to watch the full caption of this video.
The video earthlings have shaken me deep within, having more and more questions towards myself, actions and cause. The film may be old, but the suffering is as raw as new. The screams that we hear in the video, if played loudly, may just sound like one of us crying in pain.
I am an idealistic person, where i often want to view things in a perfect manner,the video made a point to me that truth is indeed a part of life that we need to have conscienciousness to view the world, not being blinded by commercialization and conventional activities. Just like one of the videos that you have shared,‘being in a cell,painting the walls into wonderful colours does not mean that we are not in the cell or prison.’ This video have strongly touched me deep within, and needs me to have a long thought on what role do i need to play as a responsible earthling.
Lastly, I would also like to thank Pastor Adeline for placing time to give us a thought towards the motivation on how to perceive this video.
May all earthlings be free from suffering.
May the dharma spread to many more to make the right change in the world.
Sandra
The 8 points I have learnt throughout watching the whole documentary are:
1. All sentient beings should be treated with equality. No other being is higher than the other, we all may look differ from the outside, but we are all living beings who share the earth together, we are all the earthlings.
2. I find the amount of animals killed for consuming purposes too overwhelming. Please imagine, if they were humans and humans had to be killed for consuming purposes, how would you feel? You feel bad, don’t you? Why isn’t the same empathy applied to animals? Is it just because they are animals, and they don’t speak human language? No, then you are very wrong.
3. I think that if slaughterhouses were to built with glasses, many people will actually reconsider about their diets. If they don’t, I really do not know what to say. Everyone has their freedom of making decisions, but whether if the decision is going to hurt something or someone else I very important.
4. People often think that animals don’t suffer before they die, but in fact, they suffer the most. Imagine your throats being slitten apart while you’re still alive? And you’re just left there to die slowly until the blood in your body is completely drained.
5. What I cannot stand the most is the fact that people’s craving towards animal related clothing for example: fur, leather, feather coat etc. I think that these are completely unnecessary, animals have to suffer severely in order to fulfil your craving towards their body parts. I find this very disgusting, in order to keep their skins from attaching to their bodies, they literally had to be skinned alive. It’s so painful even to watch the process of it, can you imagine the amount of pain they had to go through before they die?
6. What I find most shocking is how milking cows have to live in order to satisfy our taste buds. Can you imagine yourself living in a super tiny space, all cramped up? And you’re not even given any form of exercise, how cruel can this be? You’re basically disabled and what you do for the rest of your lives is just eat and sleep and produce milk. And when you’re not needed, not useful anymore, you just die, that’s all you get after so many years of producing milk painfully and tirelessly.
7. As you can see, these animals are constantly being brutally beaten up before they actually die. Do you really think that in order to bring “ satisfaction “ to your taste buds, these animals should and deserve to be treated this way? You’re completely wrong, just because you don’t witness the process of slaughtering, it still doesn’t give you the excuse to ignore it and continue to do what you do because you have seen it now. The key word is our attitudes.
8. I urge that everyone should learn how to be more caring and less self-centered. Honestly speaking, we rely on these animals to survive, not in a form of food but on what they can do to the nature in order to provide us a healthier environment to live in. Moreover, we too are animals, it’s just the matter of perceptions and perspectives. From the animals’ perspectives, we could just be a bunch of carnivores who kill to get whatever we think is necessary.
Wow, this is such a strong documentary. This documentary has the ability to change the way people think, as it did to me. It has the strongest message out of all the other animal rights documentaries out there. Everyone has to see this. The world needs to know the truth.
Here are a few things that i have learnt from the documentary.
One of the first things i realised when watching the documentary is its ability to change people. The way the documentary is presentation is very informative and this means it can really impact peoples minds and send a memorable message. It sends out the truth behind all the meat that is served onto your plates. A truth that everyone needs to know before they decide to enjoy their dish of meat.
Secondly, I have learnt the cruel ways in which human being torture animals just to use their meat. One of the ways that really stood out for me and i have never forgotten it since the first moment i saw it, was the cow in the spinning barrel. This is when the cow is put inside a barrel-like machine and is spun around several times while its being sliced in the throat. This method of killing the cow is by far, the cruelest way in my opinion. It just shows how cruel people can be when it comes to a living thing they do not care about.
Thirdly, I have learnt that many many people around the world today still have no idea about what really happens in slaughter houses. They are clueless about how the meat gets into their food. And this is not a good thing. This means that it is the job of those who are aware of the situation to make others aware. This can be done by spreading new on social media, or by simply watching documentaries like Earthlings.
Another thing i have learnt is that we all have the ability to do something for these animals that are suffering. We all have the ability to help them even if its just spreading awareness through social media. When we make more people know about what really happens in slaughter houses, more people will be against the killing of these animals, and therefore less animals will be in suffering. We must all play a part in spreading the awareness, animals do not deserve this kind of pain. They have never done anything bad to us.
I have also learnt that becoming a vegetarian is the best possible way we can help these animals. Becoming a full time vegetarian reduces the demand for meat, and therefore less animal lives are sacrificed for our selfish needs. We are directly helping the animals in this way. I mean can you just imagine a world where everyone is vegetarian. The world would be so peaceful in a sense that animals will no longer be in suffering for their meat. Come to think about it, that would be the perfect would i want to live in 🙂
Also, from this documentary i have learnt there is hope for the animals. I have learnt that there are people who care about these animals. An example would be the makers of this documentary. These people restore the hope in humanity. They make me believe that there will always be hope for the animals and that someday, it may all end. People like this truly inspire me to do good things. In this situation, these people inspire me to become a vegetarian and to be kind to animals everywhere.
Through this documentary i have learnt to be kinder to animals, and so always love them with all your heart no matter what kind of animal they are. Some animals have gone through a lot. And it is our responsibility to care for them and comfort them. Animals are a part of our world too and they must be respected.
Lastly, i would like to conclude with the most important thing i have learnt from Earthlings, compassion is the key to harmony. When we are compassionate towards others the world will be at peace, and all sentient beings will unite as one. Including the animals.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing
This video really give me an eye-opening truth that occur in our daily life.
Some people may think that the meat from the wet market is just a product, but actually they were living beings.
After watching this video, i also knew that everything behind our food and entertainment are full of suffering.
All these are because of our attachment and desire.
The awareness is most needed to end the suffering of the animals. So what i am doing now is being a vegetarian, and share more vegetarianism concept to my friends.
Thank you
师父又再一次提醒我们，是时候了！是时候停止我们的欲望，去伤害其他小动物。
讲真的，我不敢直视整套影片，人类真的太残忍了，就因为我们的食欲，就牺牲了许多的小动物。
影片里面有好几幕，人类把狗，丢进垃圾车里，让它活活的夹死，丢进毒气箱里，让它们毒死。狗就是人类的朋友，我们既然这样的对待它们 ，人类呀！。。。。。还有一幕，狗狗很开心的摇着尾巴，但是不知道它们面前的那一块肉，是毒药。
试想想，我们是那些动物，被人抓去的那一刻，的恐惧，慌张，无奈。
该停止了，其实很简单，就从自己做起。吃素吧！
希望更多的人觀看這部影片後有所深思，影片让我有所感受，了解到人类为了食欲，大量宰杀動物，供应商为供应肉，以不人道和不卫生的方式不来养植所有动物，为了滿足人类食欲希求。
所有生物包括人类的是生存在这个地球，想想我们人类有对这些動物仁慈过吗？人类为了自己食欲，就用残暴方式杀害動物。
能成為素食者，就能挽救無数生命。動物就没有权利生活在这个地球上吗？
我们人类不吃肉就活不下去了吗？人类!!!有听到動物的凄惨哀求声………………。
不要为了满足自己的食欲，而伤害動物………….。动物不会说话，当面对死忙也会恐惧害怕！！！生命是无价的无论是谁都有权利活下去………。
一切有情众生都有情，无论我们彼此之间存在的“业”有着一个怎样的联系，关系，我们学习佛法就应该拥有菩提心地对待一切有情众生，无论对方在此生以一个怎样的形体投生在这娑婆世界里，在佛教里我们相信轮回，每一位众生都与我们自己本身有过一定的连接，我想“如母有情”这句话的意思就是说每一位众生都曾经当过我们的母亲，即使此世，我们因着自己本身的业力而受生，我们也不应该忘记伟大“母亲”的恩
佛家相信轮回转世，无论我们此生因着自己的业力有着一个怎样的受生，然而不争的事实是，其实我们都还在并同在一个一样的滚滚红尘的娑婆世界里，在这里我们即使受生的形体不同，但是“业”的关系是一样的，倘若我们此生不顾一起的伤害任何的有情众生，肯定的我们会累积下不好的“业”，当不好的业果成熟的时候，我们谁又可以肯定，我们将如何受生，我们会不会一样受生为无法自我防御的形体或其他，并因业力的关系，任由他人随意的伤害或杀害我们
我们此生能够以人身来到此娑婆世界，我们可以做的，不是继续建立不好的“循环”的业，我们应该是努力的累积功德，并回向给一切有情如母用情的众生，祈愿一切有情众生都不在掉入，那自伤伤他的娑婆大循环里，无论对方是以一个怎样的形体而受生，他们都是拥有着生命，我们不应该试图帮彼此以自己的定义来“分类”或“标签”觉得他们应该得到怎样的一个遭遇会是理所当然的，这都是源自与我们“自私”与“无明”的心，在累积“业”的过程里我们是平等与没有分别的，无论当下您我他是以一个怎样的形体而受生，怎样的一个行为还是会累积下一个怎样的“业”，我们都是有血有肉的众生，当我们被刀割上或被暴力对待的那一瞬间，我们都会“痛”，也许有些人能够比较忍耐“痛”，但是不都是一样会“痛”吗？而我们受承受的“伤”不都是一样的吗？
祈愿我们都能够视对方与我们是一样的心态，放下“我”这个习性上的定义，去看待一切如母用情的众生，祈愿我们不会再接下不好的“恶性循环”，祈愿一切有情众生都能离苦得乐，倘若我们此生有足够的功德而受生于人身，祈愿我们都不要浪费我们的生命与功德，而好好的使用我们的身体去帮助与利益一切如母有情众生
感恩尊贵的上师詹杜固仁波切您的教诲，与苦空婆心的教导我们佛法，祈愿我们都能向您学习佛法，总之从今乃至菩提藏，尊为师、天、护法普集身，昼三监护夜三巡视者，防护事业任何时无怠！
Animals can feel the pain and suffering like we do. When the animals lined up in the slaughter house, they can sense that they are nearing death. The smell of the blood of their kind horrify them. The excruciating pain from the tip of the blunt knife cause the same deep pain on them as on us. There is no reason to believe that animals are born to be butchered by human.
The saddest part is the lack of compassion on our (human) part. We take their lifes for granted, we abuse our ability as human form and treat the animals as if they don’t deserve to live; we kill them unnecessarily, for sport, for their skin, for their body parts. I hope more and more people come to their senses, and let’s start by stop eating meat, perhaps one day a week? Cut down on leather products. If half the world population eat 2 chicken less a year, that’s about 6 billions chicken saved in a year.
Thank You very much for sharing this video to remind us of the pain and suffering we, human, bring to the animals. We cannot now pretend we don’t know.
With folded palms, humbly,
Stella
It became very clear to me that animals provide for many things in our life (food, clothes, medicine from their body parts, etc), they are also used to test products that we consume & use (medicines, vaccines, skin care, cosmetic, surgery, etc), as well as being an object of our entertainment (dog/horse race, cock fight, hunting, rodeo, bull run, bull fight, fishing, etc) and an object of affection (pet). Yet, we are the ungrateful species that continuously find ways to exploit them only because they are weaker and helpless in comparison. Humans bite the hands that feed.
As a species, I am ashamed of what humans had done to animals. Someone can argue that animal is a threat. Perhaps that is true in the medieval times, but not anymore. Since we are far more superior in terms of intellectual development & machinery modernization, we should be mindful of the harm we are creating for animals & the environment through our lifestyle.
The right thing to do in my mind, would be stay away from meat (& food that are produced from causing distress to the animals) and any products that are tested on animals. By reducing demand, we send a clear message to the suppliers. Meat industry, fur / animal skin fashions and the testings on animals are a product of the over-developed consumerism in recent decades, as human’s desire had evolved & yearned for all things easy. In our grandparents generation, meat is consumed in a limited quantity because many families had to slaughter their own chicken.
Therefore, we should exercise our rights as consumer to do the right things and be mindful of our over-indulged lifestyle.
Thank You very much, Rinpoche, for sharing this video with us. By showing compassion to animals who cannot repay our kindness is a good way to train our bodhicitta & compassion. And it is a right thing to do. Thank You very much.
With folded palms, humbly,
Stella
I am ashamed that the mankind is indoctrinated by a very wrong ideology; Speciesism. Due to this, mankind freely exploits animals for selfish gain. We mask our conscience even though what is clearly wrong happened right in front of us. We only see animals as a pet, a piece of meat, fashion clothing, entertainment and, no, we don’t even see them when we use our cosmetic/skincare/medication because we pretend we don’t know the animals are being tested on before the products are ready for our consumption.
We have a choice; we can do something about it. Please do not let our lifestyle be the cause of pain, suffering, torture and inhumane abuse for the helpless animals.
The first thing that we have to do in order to save the animals from facing extinction is to stop the hunters from hunting any more animals down. Hunters normally kill elephants just for their tusks, tigers for their fur and etc. What is the point of killing animals just because of some parts of their body? The body belongs to themselves and we humans have no rights to claim it. Second thing we have to do is to punish those people who hurt animals(Not by death sentence) so that in the future, they will understand that hurting animals is bad. Third, we have to stop the scientists from experimenting the animals so much that is harms the animals or kill them. And lastly, we have to start spreading news about how and where every items that is animal comes from and make people realize that buying items that are made out of animals is bad.
This movie is immensely graphic yet shows the brutal truth. More power to documentaries like these that shed light on so many disturbing issues. I would still be eating meat had it not been for interventions and education on awareness by Rinpoche. I would like to be more skilled in persuading others to make better choices.
我是通过每个星期六的Blog Chat 所探讨的题目之一而接触这篇文章。
感谢Rinpoche想尽办法来带引我们，尤其是我们这些初学者，帮助我们增长智慧。
看完这篇文章与记录，真的让人很伤感。人类为了满足本身的吃欲与身上用品的执着，而无形中鼓吹伤害动物。这已经触犯佛陀所说的五戒之一～杀业。由于人类的执着，造成杀业更多。其实它们也是众生之一呀！
我不能控制他人的一切。但我可以控制本身的欲望。唯有我本身的改变，才能带动与影响身边的人减少这一切的杀业。
祈愿这些所受到伤害的动物可以早日脱离苦海，离苦得乐。。。Om Mani Pad Me Hung 。。。
再一次观赏这录影片，还是依然的觉得很心痛。虽然我的人不在当时的现场，但可以感受到动物们的呼喊声，感受到他们的痛苦。
不过很庆辛的，我已经选择成为一位素食者。每个人都有责任保护比较弱小的生命。而我先从本身的饮食方面的改变，希望可以带动其他身边的人发起慈悲心，一起吃素。
除了吃素，我们也可以尽量避免用动物制作的皮包，衣服，美容保护品，日常用品等等。而且也不鼓励人们去观看动物表演。因为，这一切的一切都会造成与加重动物们的痛苦。简单的说，没有需求就没有供应。没有供应，就不会有生命的牺牲。
This is a good video should keep watching that reminds us to be kind to every living beings as we are not the only one in the world.
Generally, it seems that human and animals are not the same in some aspects. However, all living beings have the same desire for foods, water, shelter, companionship, free of movement, avoidance of pain and etc. We should know and understand that animals can feel fear and pain. They are helpless especially when the human want to harm or kill them due to human’s greediness.
I am grateful that I became a vegetarian 2 years ago. Thank you Rinpoche for teaching us about the suffering that we have now, are the result of our self-cherishing mind. We learned the cause and effect, believe all sentient beings have been our mother or father in the previous life. We own them kindness and therefore we should learn and practice dharma to liberate them from suffering by develop the mind as much as we can.
I sincerely hope that they are more people aware of nature, animals and human are the earthlings. Therefore, we should respect and take care of each other and be tireless in sharing for stop eating meat, ultimately it is beneficial to ourselves.
Watch this video again together with a few KSDS teachers and this time reminds me about our daily necessities, skincare products and cosmetics may involved in the animal tested which is also one of the causes of animal cruelty.
Wish to share here some of the brands that we might need to take note and not to buy or support for the animal cruelty. Thank you.
Thank You Rinpoche for share this wonderful documentary to the world. This documentary show the truth what we are eating daily and where it come from.If we think deeply it is actually got no point to eat meat/animals.Because it just simply not worth. End of the day our body get sick and we continue suffer from our sickness.I know there is still a lot of peoples talking about protein,nutrients .What i can say is encourage them to read more research or related book.
To work for the benefits of all beings, not only just for Humans but animals too, this comes from the realisation that all beings want happiness and not sufferings and pain! In fact, we all have compassion and want to free all others from sufferings. To all degree, we all love and want others, be it animal or human to be free and happy. These feelings may not be strong or extensive, but everyone has them in nature! How horrible, how terrible and heart-wrenching to see all those animals suffer in such awful, painful disasterous state in the video! It’s tuly abominable, sadistic and devilished! Has our World lost its human sense of compassion to allow such inhuman and uncivilised cruelty to happen so openly? All these atrocity should be stopped by the relevant authorities as they represent the protections of such cruelty. As H.H. The Dalai Lama has once said, “At every level of society – Familial, Tribal, National and International, the key to a happier and more successful World is the Growth of Compassion.” Om mani Padmi Hung.
Animals cannot speak human languages and tell you that “I AM IN PAIN” does not mean we as human can ignore them. Animals are exist for the earth eco-system. Not for the greedy businessmen to breed none stop, slaughter millions daily and put them on your plate to eat. So much of torturing, pain, inhuman and sufferings behind the scene. if you are a meat eater, i beg you do not choose to ignore the process. Please stop enjoying the corpse on your plate. The more meat your eat, the more souls you take, when you die, you will find no benefits of eating meat other than feeding your desire. Lives have been taken because of you. If you believe in karma, you have to return what you have taken. In this case is the souls of the animals that die for you.
This documentary made me a vegetarian because it showed me the sinister truth behind that piece of chicken or beef. Even seafood i don’t eat because it means i have taken away a life just for a little taste of something that is there for less than a minute because you eat it then it is gone then you do it again. Or you could stop and save a life everyday less lives are killed for humans if you are vegetarians.
The methods they use in this documentary is extremely cruel and horrible because imagine you being there being boiled, slice or stabbed while being laughed at by some of the workers there. It is horrible so if you can’t do it for them then think of you, if you were there and being killed in the worst ways. Even thinking about how it is kept behind those walls and the animals are sentenced to a life sentence for no crime is just sick.
A famous quote is that if slaughter houses had glass walls then everybody would be vegetarian so please share this documentary and share the knowledge of the animals that died behind those walls that never see daylight and become a vegetarian and try to tell your friends why it is good. If you cannot do full vegetarian then do 1 day a week or 2 then slowly move up to 3 then 4 then 5 then full. Please help them, it is not always about us.
It is true if every person who enjoys eating meat, watched this, they would stop eating meat. If every meat selling restaurant had this playing, they would probably convert all their customers to vegetarians. This is not my first time watching this video but it still bothers me when I see how we humans have allowed for these animals to suffer in so much pain and die for our own benefit. If people think the consumers are the least at fault, I beg to differ, it is the consumers who is most at fault for we are the one’s demanding the need for it and we’re the one’s paying for it all; the slaughter houses, the butchering, the puppy mills, the farm, pollution, entertainment, sports and science.
Yes we are all earthlings of this planet, it is shameful that we humans uses our intelligence to harm those weaker and do not have a voice. We definitely need to change the way we think, act, do and eat… for otherwise we will lose it all. We must share this and create awareness to people continuously as it says in the film “It takes nothing away from a human to be kind to an animal”.
I vow to be a vegetarian this life and all future lives!
看了這部影片讓我有所感受，了解實地情况，供应商为了供应人们吃肉，以不人道的大量宰杀生物，滿足消费群，希望更多的人觀看這部影片後有所深思,能成為素食主義者。這也將能夠挽救無数有情生命。如果不吃肉了，並不會導致我们生存不了。感謝仁波切的慈悲分享，提醒大家别为了满足食欲而直接或间接傷害動物生命。
Thank you Rinpoche, for sharing this wonderful, yet heart wrenching documentary / movie and article.
It is so true what the documentary was portraying. Everybody knows exactly how inhumane our food, clothing’s etc comes from… they just turn a blind eye to it and do not wish to know, hiding in denial.
It is so true that every person that watches this will tell at least three… and almost a 99.99% conversion rate to vegetarian.
I pray for a day that animals will be free from all these sufferings, and they could live as nations alongside with us… As Joacquin Phoenix so aptly put it.
Thank you.
Many people’s mind is really twisted. They think that eating cows, pigs, fishes, chickens and etc is okay but when people start talking about eating dogs they would saying that eating dogs is wrong. But what they never think of is that all animals are the same, they share the same pain and all of them also have feelings. If you think that dogs will feel pain then what about others? Please become a Vegetarian.
Dear Rinpoche, I’m not saying that I’m a better person than anyone but I felt really disgusted about humans when I watched this video about 2 years ago. I didn’t straight away become vegetarian after watching the video but I just can’t stop thinking about the video. I’ve also shared it in my facebook wall so that people can watch it and understand the feelings of the animals are having. I don’t want them to be unable to eat for a few days or any bad effects, I just want them to understand.
This video really did change the whole way I have looked at our interaction with animals. A friend had told me to watch it a few years ago but I didn’t, first because I was too scared to see the horrors that I knew would be exposed and secondly, more selfishly, because I knew that if I watched this video, I would probably give up eating meat – and I didn’t want to. So I avoided it until Rinpoche assigned it to us as a video to be watched as an individual assignment and also as a contemplation in the dharma classes. Then it changed everything.
I think it’s really quite fascinating that the documentary doesn’t just look at how animals are used as food, but also in the four other sectors that we often overlook or ignore – animals as pets, for entertainment, for science and for fashion. And really, the suffering and torture is just the same across all sectors. Being tortured, confined, driven by fear and eventually killed is the same, whatever the ends are.
I’ve recently also just seen this spectacular, shocking video done by PETA http://www.peta.org/tv/videos/skins-fur/2127760347001.aspx
which gives us a rather disturbing (and why indeed, would it be disturbing) look at how the world would be if the roles were reversed – if animals wore human skins and if humans were kept in cages for their body parts…. watch watch watch, and realise more than ever that every single one of us are earthlings with the equal rights to enjoy, live safely and be protected on this earth.
What??? I just can’t believe that every time people eat meat, wear fur coats, go to the circus to watch animals, abuse animals, kill animals just for the sick of it an animal has to go through so much sufferings.
My thoughts on Eating Meat.
1.When we order a burger, steak, anything that contains meat has to suffer through lots and lots of pain and even death, the thing is that most people don’t know how much the animal and how gross it is just to be delicious or make you look grand.
2. How gross can it get? Take the pigs we eat for an example, they have to be blow torched a few times, put in to boiling hot water and then they are just left there to rot, let the flies itch them and most of them are even left with holes and left to bleed to death. Do we really want this poor animals to suffer so much just to be your roasted, stuffed pig?
3. Look at the part where those baby chicks so yellow and cute, not knowing what to expect. Do you want people to kill these cute chicks just to be your food?
My thoughts on Fur clothes.
4. What do people want to Fur coats? Don’t they know that Polar Bears and other exotic animals have to go through just to make them look good?
5.Don’t they know that most exotic animals have to be killed just for their fur?
My thoughts on using animals for entertainment purposes
6. I feel that all this circuses, forcing animals to race, abusing animals for nothing is useless, animals should be left with freedom and peace.
These are my 6 thought on Earthlings
There are so many poor cows waiting to be slaughter in the three pictures. A lot of my favorite animals are killed in this video such as: dog, dolphin, seal and monkey. Whenever I watch earthlings I will pray for all animals that are being killed, may their take rebirth as a human being and receive Dharma practices. Please be a vegetarian to save the animals being killed and be kind to animals too. Thank you so much for reading
I’ve seen Earthlings more than thrice. It’s very heart-aching to see the animals being tormented then slaughtered. Especially when it comes to dog meat trade, I saw the dogs being skinned while their eyes were still blinking. I will never forget about that..
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
Love, beatrix.
i have seen earthlings and that is the reason i am a vegetarian. just think about how they feel, not everything is about us. please be a vegetarian and do not support slaughter.
This video makes me cry, but i still love it. I love it because this video is the reason why i am vegetarian. This video is the video which told me the real truth behind meat. And i hope that many people watch this video and they become vegetarian as well. This video has made me be able to save lives. By not eating meat anymore, i do not cause the reason of animals having to die so that i have meat to eat. Thank you for sharing Rinpoche.
After watching this film, I cannot bring myself to eat meat any more.
Behind each nicely packaged “food” in the supermarket, is blood, gore , pain and suffering of the animals who have just as much right to live as me. What right do I have to kill them because I like the taste of their bodies ?
If I really believe in compassion and kindness to all beings, I must put my belief into action – STOP eating these beings ! Otherwise I’m a hypocrite.
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[…] Earthlings | Tsem Tulku Rinpoche […]
I shared this video with my staff and it really hit them. One of my Myanmar overseas Chinese staff cried “Hen Kong Pu” (very scary). Reality did not hit them until viewing of this video.
Dear Rinpoche,
In my life (till yesterday – March 24, 2011), I have always been good at avoiding confrontation, matters and reality. I was given the DVDs “Earthling” by Tat Ming from the very first day I found KECHARA, as my spiritual home and have put it aside as not to watch it as I did not want to know about the suffering that is caused by us (human beings – myself included) to the animals. It is so selfness of me, as i do not want to watch and hear the crying and suffering, as i know i will be suffering when i hear and watch this video.
Last night, I brave myself to watch the video, and was crying my heart out. The killings and the torture of human to the animals is so horrible and inhuman. I was imagining that the animals (dogs, puppies, cows, chickens, fox, bulls, whales, seals, and sharks) were actual in human forms and the human form is in the animal, what will it be then? I can sense and feel the suffering of the animals in their eyes, hear their crying, the pain of being tortured alive, living in non-conducive condition that is so small, closed and dirty. When we read news that shark attack on human, crocodile eating human, human eaten by python, baby/children taken by monkeys etc. ….this is just a minor, comparing we human killing millions of animals for our taste pleasure, entertainment, making us warm and look good (clothing).
Before watching, I was told that this animal was killed without pain and very fast……how stupid and naïve I am….how fast it takes, it is still a life with flesh and bones, and are just like us. Just a cut on my fingers, I will be screaming in pain, what about a slit on your throat, and leave to bleed till it stops, tooth extraction (without pain killers), castration (the poor piglets), marking of trademark on yr ears, face (cows), cut the chicks beak….., tearing the fur/skin from the fox when they are still conscious and leave them exposed without their skin, just flesh, the bull rodeo….tie the genital parts so tight, the torturing and sufferings goes on….
It never occurs to me, and was also told that it is fine as long that we are not the one doing the killing….how selfish I am, passing the blame to butchers. I am actually the butcher, who has directly ordered the killing!!! We are like Hitler….the Jewish Holocaust, sometimes we were worse.
Now I know the true the meaning of being a “vegetarian”, as because of my own self pleasure to taste, the animals is suffering. They have the right to live in their own circumstances, and their society.
Now, I have a strong conviction to be a vegetarian. The crying sound, the images of the eyes of suffering of the animals is so clearly communicated to the viewers, and there is another being that is similar to us, who has flesh, feelings and consciousness, and pleading to us being to stop this act.
By eating animals, we human beings are speciesism, meaning that we are more superior to the other supreme on earth, just like someone being racist, gender dominant and etc. IF we are not, then we should stop this killings and sufferings.
If even it is not because of other beings, as a selfish being we should also stop, as if we think of ourselves only, because of health, we should stop too. As this situation of non-conducive habitants and food technology of fast production, lots of genetic modification, antibiotics are been put onto this food. In addition, the disposal of sick animals, the decomposition is thrown by human into streams/river and eventually flows into the sea, and then intake by the fishes. This phenomenon has occurred and millions of fishes have died. The new virus attacking the fishes is at level 3, whereas Ebola is at level 4. The situation is very serious.
Thank you Rinpoche for this teaching and showing your compassionate to us and all beings, and creating awareness. Rinpoche has consistently emphasize and persistently posting articles on this.
OM MANI PEDME HUM
I cry and cry my heart out watching this. Like my 6year old niece once said, dont kill animals, we eat biscuits. May Lord Buddha bless all the poor suffering animals.
For anyone who cares for animals with an opened heart and mind, should give up the consumption of meat after veiwing the above “award winning video tape”. Only for people who are somewhat “CARE-less” or perhaps are severely addicted to animals’ meat will not have the heart of compassion to turn Vegeterian. We are human-beings, not cannibals or fanatic meat eaters only confined to flesh and meat adoration irrespective. In accordance to Buddhist practice, the eating of meat is said to be the same as eating the flesh of our own kins or family people, that of our mothers, fathers, children, brothers and sisters. As can be view in the video, how horribly the animals were been abused, tortured, atrociously manhandled, and finally savagely killed and slaughtered for their flesh to satisfy our wanton desires for meat. PLEASE heed our Guru’s advice to, “PLEASE,PLEASE STOP EATING YOUR OWN CHILDREN, PARENTS, RELATIVES, AND FRIENDS FLESH IN THE MEAT THAT IS BEING SERVED TO YOU FOR LUNCH AND DINNER DAILY. GO VEGETARIAN, SAVE FELLOW SENTIENT BEINGS AND SAVE THE WORLD.” As in the golden wisdom words of H.H.The 14th Dalai Lama, “Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to a Man. Just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures.” OM MANI PADME HUM.
I have just finished watching earthlings on Rinpoche’s blog. What I thought before watching and what I thought after watching is different. To see how the animals were slaughtered and how they were being used for various purposes makes my stomach turn upside down. I feel i was the one that was tortured in place of the animals. I am glad I am a full vegetarian and have no regrets. I think its hard for most people to be a vegetarian straight away. It must be done slowly with time where they have to decrease intake of meat slowly. Thanks to Rinpoche I was instructed by Rinpoche two years ago to go vegetarian. And I have no regrets and no problem in doing it.
I hope people will watch and really consider to take up vegetarianism. I notice many people who will feel sad or sorry when they watch this types of videos, but the feeling fades away after that. There are two sides to this scenario: 1. we are compassionate toward others and ourselves, which is an inborn qualities we have, but only realized so until it is awaken; 2. we are too greedy, ignorant and addicted to meat products that it becomes a habitual food consumption which we are too attached to let go. So, in order for us to be who we really are and to deserve a happier and healthier life, it is as simple as making scenario 1. into a habituation and kicking scenario 2. away. We all deserve a better life without living in the consequences due to bad habits. Kicking bad habits is the only way to indulge ourselves in the priceless benefits that follow by “igniting” those good qualities we already have in us.
Just want to know whether your full name is Woon Lai Shan and are you from formerly Temerloh Girls School (SMK Jalan Temerloh). If you are please contact me through my email.
Thanks
Hi Cindy, sorry the late reply. I am not the person you are looking for. Thank you.
I’ve watched this a few times and have learned different things each time. I’ve been a vegetarian for a decade or more with the initial intention to stay healthy. The animals’ welfare or sufferings did not cross my mind then but not anymore.
This documentary shows the brutal truth with immense graphic of the real situation in the livestock farming industry. In order to meet the demand or rather the illusory needs, the meat industry do all they can to produce a variety of meat products in the market by cutting cost and multiply their income.
As a result of that, the Old McDonald farm is no longer the scene we might still want to believe in, thousand acres of land were cleared for industrial livestocks farming, to plant corn to feed these animals. Water system and sea were contanminated and pollutted from the faeces and inconvenient waste that was being dumb into the sea from the farm. The gas released by the cows badly destroy the mother earth’s ozone layer, creating higher possibilities for human to catch skin cancer.
The animals were denied the nature, fresh air and sunlight like the good old days. They are now born in dark and killed in dark, iving in badly or non ventilated farms and being ill-treated. The animals are living beings, they are no different from us, they can feel just like us.
The power of consumer have to be utilized fully and correctly now to stop this madness from continuing! Consumers are the buyer of these products, with no one buying them, there will no longer be animals product supply. Please have mercy for these animals, we can still live a good life without them.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks for the link! I shared this on FB this morning and plan to watch it with my husband and daughter this evening. She and I were talking about the fur industry this morning so I know she’ll be interested in this documentary. She’s only 10 and had no idea that animals were skinned for their fur, she thought they were shaved. Being from Louisiana she’s seen plenty of animal skins hung and dried, but she didn’t realize there was a whole industry attached to the practice.
Sincerely,
Jessi Bryant
In everything we do, there is positive and negative effects due to the nature of our existence. It is 100% correct you don’t eat meat. HH the Dalai Lama, the highest authority within Tibetan Buddhism recommends we do not eat meat, so that is all we need to remember. Buddha said, we should not lie, or get attached to drinking, singing, dancing, intimacies,entertainments and that we should spend our energies to become enlightened. Are we doing all die and not just the meat part?? People tend to pick what is convenient from the Buddha’s teachings to suit themselves. If we are going to follow Buddha’s teachings or quote, we may ask are you following everything Buddha says? If you are not, then rejoice when others follow the best they can and as much as they can. Since it is the right path for 21st century Buddhists to follow the no meat path, let’s do it. We have so much variety of food. Let’s eat the no meat diet and get on with our practice and basically compassionately go passed the criticisms. It is very simple, do not kill. So hence animals will not die in front of you to eat them…There is no good karma in eating meat..full stop, but definitely there is good karma refraining from eat. Many of the tantras when engaged in the practice prohibit meat as taught by Vajradhara. Many rituals we do in the great Monasteries prohibit meat so the rituals are more effective…..Many who are not monks or not living in the monasteries would never understand that. Reading from books, net or from dharma centres would never be the same as in the monastery. Again, eating meat does not gather good merits for our spiritual practice, avoiding does. Listen to some of wonderful Tenzin Palmo’s views on not eating meat. She is the great yogini who meditated for the longest time in the mountains.TR
Dear Rinpoche,
Here is the link to the Earthlings video with Japanese subtitle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thFyxG5_V4c