When you truly root yourself in a sense of responsibility and caring, then you will naturally act to ease the pain you see. Instead of being idealistic or waiting for the chance to have a big impact, you will be moved to act in small ways. And in the long run, this sense of deep concern will sustain your movements far beyond one single act.
Even in the short term, making a practical difference in just one person’s life is highly worthwhile. Ending the pain of an individual who is suffering is deeply meaningful. If you can make a difference in a few people’s lives, that is something major. The most important thing is to be sincere, and to remain sincerely conscientious about the responsibility that comes with the food we eat.
Then, you just have to start somewhere. You can stop eating meat. You can donate a certain percentage of what you earn to worthy causes. Educate yourself. Set an example for your peers. Open your heart. Share and give. Inspire others to do the same. This is how big things start.

17th Karmapa
from the book The Heart Is Noble: Changing the World from the Inside Out
translated by Ngodup Tsering Burkhar & Damchö Diana Finnegan
Read a random quote or see all quotes by the 17th Karmapa.
Further quotes from the book The Heart Is Noble:
- Protective Inner Wisdom
- The Wealth of Contentment
- Social action
- Life in Balance
- Boxing Love with Our Expectations
- Just Love
- There are no fixed starting points
- Nothing is intrinsically bad
- Difference without Division
- Breaking barriers
- Healthy relationships
- Take joy in your sincere intentions
- Just not been introduced before
- Finding our nobility of heart
- Authentic love toward others
- There are no fixed starting points
- Expanding our sense of ourselves
- Our life is vast
- Open-minded
- Greed is a recipe for dissatisfaction