About Reverence for Life

“The First Training is about reverence for life: ‘Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction for life, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the worlds, in my thinking, and in my way of life.’ We may be killing every day by the way we eat, drink, and use the land, air, and water. We think that we don’t kill, but we do.”

Reference: The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy and Liberation by Thich Nhat Hanh