Picture this.
In the same block as I live, lives an older lady (say about 60...unsure, but lets assume that). She is already a grandmother and her entire immediate family lives along the block. So there are at least 4 sons/daughters/cousins and about 6 grand children.
And the family owns about 8 cars amongst themselves, employing 4 drivers as well. And they also have two dogs. One of which is quite literally adopted off the street (after an accident crushed one of his legs). So he has only 3 legs.
The key highlight, is the entire family loves dogs. So much so, that the matriarch (the lady I mentioned above) prepares about 12 boxes of food everyday (via her cook) and has her driver deliver it to junction (point)within the apartment complex, where about 20 stray dogs collect at the appointed time for this grub.
With me on this drift? She is appreciable, the intent is even more poetic, when you actually witness it yourself (like I have done innumerable times).
I love dogs, so I get it.
So yesterday I met the driver (who delivers the dog food), a muslim (that's incidental), and someone with whom I have a chatty relationship....as in quite literally, we chat when we meet.
So after the niceties, I smiled and asked him, in Hindi, "Dog food?". He smiled and nodded. And I said, "Daal Chawal Roti?", as in rice-lentil soup and wheat bread.....and he said...."No...no....".
And after a pause, he continued, he said, everyday about 2 kgs of chicken meat is cooked. And he said, "I know it because I buy it.".
Now comes the interesting bit. I am wondering what's going on in the driver's head. An average driver in India makes between 15k-25k rupees. A kg of chicken meat costs about 250-300 rupees.
The driver at best can afford 1-2 kgs per week for his three daughters, and that is if he really stretches.
And yet, he helps the matriarch, feed about 2 kgs of chicken to the dogs every night.
This whole story - brings two questions into the spotlight:
1) Is it fair that the matriarch feeds 20 dogs every night, versus her driver's children might not have access to the same quality of the food? (My answer is, its just a question of perspective - so this is a choice)
2) Is it ethically ok to kill about 1-2 chicken at night everyday (so about 500 chickens a year) to feed the 20 dogs? (That in my view, is the real ethical dilemma).
I am also wondering, what would the Buddha do?
Really...what would he do?
In the same block as I live, lives an older lady (say about 60...unsure, but lets assume that). She is already a grandmother and her entire immediate family lives along the block. So there are at least 4 sons/daughters/cousins and about 6 grand children.
And the family owns about 8 cars amongst themselves, employing 4 drivers as well. And they also have two dogs. One of which is quite literally adopted off the street (after an accident crushed one of his legs). So he has only 3 legs.
The key highlight, is the entire family loves dogs. So much so, that the matriarch (the lady I mentioned above) prepares about 12 boxes of food everyday (via her cook) and has her driver deliver it to junction (point)within the apartment complex, where about 20 stray dogs collect at the appointed time for this grub.
With me on this drift? She is appreciable, the intent is even more poetic, when you actually witness it yourself (like I have done innumerable times).
I love dogs, so I get it.
So yesterday I met the driver (who delivers the dog food), a muslim (that's incidental), and someone with whom I have a chatty relationship....as in quite literally, we chat when we meet.
So after the niceties, I smiled and asked him, in Hindi, "Dog food?". He smiled and nodded. And I said, "Daal Chawal Roti?", as in rice-lentil soup and wheat bread.....and he said...."No...no....".
And after a pause, he continued, he said, everyday about 2 kgs of chicken meat is cooked. And he said, "I know it because I buy it.".
Now comes the interesting bit. I am wondering what's going on in the driver's head. An average driver in India makes between 15k-25k rupees. A kg of chicken meat costs about 250-300 rupees.
The driver at best can afford 1-2 kgs per week for his three daughters, and that is if he really stretches.
And yet, he helps the matriarch, feed about 2 kgs of chicken to the dogs every night.
This whole story - brings two questions into the spotlight:
1) Is it fair that the matriarch feeds 20 dogs every night, versus her driver's children might not have access to the same quality of the food? (My answer is, its just a question of perspective - so this is a choice)
2) Is it ethically ok to kill about 1-2 chicken at night everyday (so about 500 chickens a year) to feed the 20 dogs? (That in my view, is the real ethical dilemma).
I am also wondering, what would the Buddha do?
Really...what would he do?
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