The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights [Paperback]

Norm Phelps (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 30, 2004

Buddhism ought to be an animal rights religion par excellence. It has long held that all life forms are sacred and considers kindness and compassion the highest virtues. Moreover, Buddhism explicitly includes animals in its moral universe. Buddhist rules of conduct—including the first precept, "Do not kill"—apply to our treatment of animals as well as to our treatment of other human beings.

Consequently, we would expect Buddhism to oppose all forms of animal exploitation, and there is, in fact, wide agreement that most forms of animal exploitation are contrary to Buddhist teaching. Yet many Buddhists eat meat—although many do not—and monks, priests, and scholars sometimes defend meat-eating as consistent with Buddhist teaching.

"The Great Compassion" studies the various strains of Buddhism and the sutras that command respect for all life. Norm Phelps, a longtime student of Buddhism and an acquaintance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, answers the central questions of whether Buddhism demands vegetarianism and whether the Buddha ate meat. He is not afraid to examine anti-animal statements in Buddhist lore—particularly the issues of whether Buddhists in non-historically Buddhist countries need to keep or to jettison the practices of their historical homelands.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Norm Phelps is spiritual outreach director of The Fund for Animals, where he works to encourage faith communities of all traditions to include animals within the scope of their compassionate ministries. He lives in Funkstown, Maryland.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Lantern Books (July 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590560698
• ISBN-13: 978-1590560693
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #909,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Norm Phelps is the former spiritual outreach director of The Fund for Animals, as well as a founding member of the Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians (SERV) and a contributing writer for Satya. His goal is for faith communities of all traditions to include animals within the scope of their compassionate ministries. Norm Phelps is author of The Dominion of Love, The Great Compassion and The Longest Struggle. Norm lives in Funkstown, Maryland with his wife, Patti Rogers, and their family of rescued cats.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Ground-breaking book!, August 20, 2004

By 

Bay Leaf Used & Rare Books (Sand Lake, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights (Paperback)

The Great Compassion: Buddhism & Animal Rights joins Roshi Philip Kapleau's To Cherish All Life and Bodhipaksa's Vegetarianism as the only readily available books on this subject matter. However, the breadth and scope of The Great Compassion mark it as a truly groundbreaking work in this field, indeed, in western Buddhism.

Compassion author Norm Phelps leaves no stone - or excuse - unturned. His book takes us through moving and horrific descriptions of the treatment of animals in factory farms, and the biological foundations of pain and pleasure - evidence of pain perception, including fish and amphibians - and on to the inseparable link between vegetarianism and compassion. He compares the compassion of Buddhism as it stands against other religions and philosophies and offers concise descriptions of compassion, loving-kindness, and the Five Precepts. Phelps dives deeply into the confusion over the transcribing and translation of the Buddha's words and thoroughly discusses the over-rated "three-fold rule" of meat eating. The author has a strong grasp of Buddhist theology and history, and he relates all this information, which is sometimes quite upsetting, with a sense of wit. He thoroughly and convincingly tears apart all the ridiculous arguments held by Buddhists that are attached to flesh foods, like the attachments to vegetarianism (how can one be attached to compassion?), "the Buddha ate meat, so why can't I?" (a claim that has now been widely discredited by historians), and other cloaks behind which meat-eating Buddhists hide.

Compassion's complete dismemberment of all the myths and arguments regarding vegetarianism in Buddhism can only be ignored by the blindest of practitioners. The simple truths contained in these pages can not be discounted, even by the teachers Phelps takes to task for their disparaging remarks on vegetarianism and compassion.

Above all there are two resounding, important ideals that emanate from this work. The first is the ideal of ultimate truth, for which all Buddhists strive, vs. relative truth, in which we all reside. Not only has this been a stumbling block for Buddhists through the ages, but it has provided an excuse for people to defend their bad behaviors. The shallow understanding of Emptiness that says "there is no animal being eaten or person eating the animal" as a loophole to eat animals is as ludicrous as saying "there is no rape victim and no rapist" as a defense for rape.

The second ideal is that "It's not about us; it's about the animals." This statement is not only true in the context of vegetarianism, but in Buddhism as a whole. We do not help the homeless for ourselves, we do not save animals for ourselves, we do not volunteer and give money to charities for ourselves. We are offering service for those who are served. It is the Bodhisattva ideal.

The Great Compassion is thoroughly researched and extremely well-written and despite the descriptions of factory farms and my disappointment over seeing so many Buddhist teachers and students disparaging our precious scriptures with their anti-compassion remarks, it is, in fact, a pleasure to read. This book gives me renewed hope that western Buddhism will evolve into a religion of compassion, foresight and beauty that Buddhism has always been destined to become.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compassion for all, February 21, 2006

By 

Jane Easton "tofu queen" (Bristol, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights (Paperback)

I love Norm Phelps. Really. As a vegan who was drawn to Buddhism because of its philosophy of interconnectedness and compassion, imagine my dismay when I discovered that some Buddhists ate meat. Phelps has helped me to understand the social and historical context of the various forms of Buddhism, as well as the excuses of Buddhists when it comes to eating animals. Rather than throw up his hands in disgust, he encourages the reader to think 'OK,this is wrong - but that doesn't mean that Buddhism is to blame'. There is a phrase called 'idiot compassion' in Buddhism, but Phelps doesn't indulge in that. He is reasonable, fair but firm, pulling no punches when it comes to examining the ethical 'loopholes' that some Buddhists create to justify their diet. However, he offers hope also, in the form of compassionate alternatives. There is a better way, a way that liberates animals from suffering as well as liberating ourselves from cruelty and self-seeking behaviours. All animals, including us, deserve no less - so read this book, be thankful for this big-hearted, compassionate and inspiring writer - and hopefully you too will take a few brave steps towards a kinder way of life. There are a million and one good reasons to be veggie - or even better, vegan. With a wealth of great recipe books (and gorgeous food), benefits to the animals, your own health, the environment and the world's hungry, it's never been a better time to make the change.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The compelling case for not eating animals or animal products from a Buddhist perspective, January 9, 2007

By 

Bob Isaacson "Bob Isaacson" (Solana Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book about the direct connection between eating animals and products made from animals and the unimaginable suffering caused by the production of food and other consumer products made from the bodies of animals. For those who are curious about what the Buddha and the dharma said about these issues, Norm Phelps presents a thorough and compelling review of the Buddha's teachings. He also responds directly to the "justifications" offered in support of eating animals and products made from animals. A very important contribution to the "modern day" view of the dharma and animal slaughter. Very highly recommended.