Famous Vegetarians

There are many famous vegetarians who have practiced compassionate eating. If they can do it, why don't we? We don't have to force ourselves too much but take a little step at one time. We can always start it from  once or twice a month, just like some of the Buddhists practice on the 1st and 15th of the Chinese calender. Slowly we can proceed to once a week. Then to twice a week and slowly we increase it. Do not underestimate your little step and effort of helping those innocent and helpless creatures being killed by human. You are making a giant step instead by making changes and making differences for them. Do consider this little effort to help save animals from being killed continuously. Do it now.

Follows are the list of the famous vegetarians in the world (from Do We Have a Choice? - by Chan Kah Yein) :

Peace-loving Vegetarians:
Mahatma Gandhi, Aung Sang Suu Kyi, Rosa Parks, Jane Goodall, Princess Diana, etc.

Pure Genius Vegetarians:
Albert Einstein, Pythagoras, Leonardo da Vinci, Socrates, Darwin, Plato, Sir Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Confucius, Nikola Tesla, Ramanujan, Leo Tolstoy, Albert Schweitzer, Rabindranath Tagore, George Bernard Shaw, Anthony Robbins, Steve Jobs, Kalpana Chawla, etc.

Sportspeople Vegetarians:
Martina Navratilova (nine time Wimbledon champion), Carl Lewis (nine time Olympic champion sprinter), Edwin Moses (Olympic champion hurdles), Billie Jean King (39 Grand Slam titles in tennis), Joe Namath (professional footballer), Stan Price (world record bench press), Bill Pearl (four time Mr. Universe), Dave Scott (six time winner Ironman Triathlon), Charlene Wong Williams (Olympic champion figure skater), Jack La Lanne (world-famous fitness instructor and swimmer), Tony Gonzales (All-Pac 10 footballer), Mac Danzig (boxer, martial artist, athlete), Salim Stoudamire (NBA basketball player), etc.

Actor Vegetarians:
Brad Pitt (above), Leonardo Dicaprio, Tom Hanks, Forest Whitaker, Jackie Chan, John Cleese, Dustin Hoffman, Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Pierce Brosnan, Richard Gere, Alec Baldwin, Robert Redford, Danny De Vito, Christian Bale, etc.

Actress Vegetarians: 
Natalie Portman (above), Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, Liv Tyler, Ashley Judd, Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow, Pamela Anderson, Kim Basinger, Alicia Silverstone, Alyssa Milano, Jennifer Connely, Reese Witherspoon, Daryl Hannah, Candice Bergen, Kate Winslet, Joanna Lumley, Brigitte Bardot, etc.

Singer Vegetarians:
Avril Lavigne (above), Leona Lewis, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, Sade, Tracy Chapman, Vanessa Williams, Annie Lennox, Justin Timberlake, Sir Paul McCartney and the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, etc.

The list above is not exhaustive. There are so many famous vegetarians in the world - then and now.

"If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty. I am a vegetarian because I realise that even little chickens suffer pain and fear and experience a range of emotions." 
- Sir Paul McCartney

The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism

I am so fortunate to be explored to unlimited knowledge and experiences in Buddhism from multiple organizations. Today, I have attended a Dharma Talk in T-Ritana, Klang, Malaysia. The speaker was Brother Kon Chee Min who spoke about "Dimension of Buddha's Teachings". Among all the spectators that attended the talk, he gave me the printing material of "The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism" - by Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. The name Thich Nhat Hanh was so familiar. When I did a research on the name, I remembered I read about him before in a comic version. He was from the Zen Organization (A Buddhist Organization from Japan) and made himself to Vietnam. Now he is locates in Plum Graden, France.  

The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism - 

by Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh (From the book Interbeing)

1. Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means, they are not absolute truth.

2. Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non attachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times. 

3. Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrow-mindedness. 

4. Do not avoid suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering, including personal contact, visits, images and sounds. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.

5. Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simple and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.

6. Do not maintain anger or hatred. Learn to penetrate and transform them when they are still seeds in your consciousness. As soon as they arise, turn your attention to your breath in order to see and understand the nature of your hatred.

7. Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing both inside and around you. Plant seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depths of your consciousness. 

8. Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

9. Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things of which you are not sure. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.

10. Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.

11. Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realise your ideal of compassion.

12. Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and prevent war.

13. Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others, but prevent others from profiting from human suffering of other species on Earth.

14. Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only an instrument. Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realisation of the Way. (For brothers and sisters who are not monks or nuns). Sexual expression should not take place without love and commitment. In sexual relations, be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world. Meditate on the world into which you are bringing new beings.

From the  book "Interbeing" - Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism by Thich Nhat Hanh

For more info, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thich_Nhat_Hanh 

Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist monk, poet, peace activist, and the author of "Being Peace", "The Miracle of Mindfulness" and many other books. He lives in a monastic community in south-western France called Plum Village, where he teaches, writes, gardens, and works to help refugees world-wide. He conducts retreats throughout the world on the art of mindful living, and has conducted special retreats for American Vietnam War veterans, psychotherapists, artists, environmental activists and children.