It’s customary for people in Hang Zhou to worship gods at year-end by sacrificing a lamb, a pig, or at the least a pig head, some chicken, and fish. I started upholding the precepts of nonkilling before becoming a monk; I offered only veggies and fruits.
All my family members, including young kids, felt quite uneasy about it. So, with lighted incense and candles, I reverently said to the gods aloud: “I offer vegan food because I uphold the precepts of nonkilling. If I were to sacrifice the animals, I would be breaking my precepts, and it would not benefit you gods either. Such practice is my personal choice and has nothing to do with my family – they would rather offer animals. Therefore, if the wise and upright gods are unhappy about it, please hold me accountable and do not involve others.”
All family members still felt anxious and fearful afterwards. But as it turns out, we all spent the whole year safe and sound. Therefore, I record it here as a proof that worshipping doesn’t call for animal sacrifices at all.
by Grand Master Lian Chi (蓮池大師), the Eighth Patriarch of Pure Land Buddhism
祀神不用牲 – 錄自明末蓮池大師《竹窗隨筆》(初筆)
杭俗歲暮祀神，大則刲羊蒸豚，次則用豬首雞魚之屬。予未出家時，持不殺戒，乃易以蔬果; 家人雖三尺童子無不愕然，以為必不可。予燃香秉燭，高聲白神云:「某甲奉戒不殺。殺生以祭，不惟某甲之過，亦非神之福。然此意某一人獨斷，其餘皆欲用牲，倘神不悅，凡有殃咎宜加予身; 若濫無辜，非所謂聰明正直者。」家人猶為予危之。終歲合宅無恙，遂為例。
Buddha Mind 