If you have many ants in your house, and you’re careless, you will kill them. With a soft tissue paper, soft piece of cotton, broom, or feather, pick them up and put them in a plastic bag with some food in it.

Having ants in your house gives you your only opportunity to let them create the causes for enlightenment.

If you become part of an organization where humans can be killed, then that is more extreme than killing the animals, which is already so bad. Maybe it’s better not to be on the board. 

Rinpoche gave the following advice to center directors and students regarding animal sacrifice for a Hindu festival in Nepal.

Animals have feelings. They have the same mind as we have, and also want happiness, like we do. For example, if you suddenly touch them, they are immediately frightened. They get frightened if somebody beats or hits them with a stick.

My very dear Martin,I have something to talk to you about, heart to heart, dealing with the suffering of animals. I heard that you have a pet snake, and that you have to feed the snake with mice.

“Please don’t hunt the animals. They also want happiness, and do not want suffering. Just like you, they do not want to be hunted.” 

I’ve been meaning to mention to you that it’s best to avoid eating meat. Of course, sometimes people have no choice and have to eat meat. But, in your case, it’s best to avoid eating meat out of compassion.

A student wrote to advise that after hearing about Rinpoche’s stroke, he became a vegetarian.

A student wrote to thank Rinpoche for inspiring her to become a vegetarian. She said this had benefited her and she wished for it to benefit every other sentient being, particularly all the animals killed in a terrifying way for people to eat.