In regards to eating meat

[BrownEye]

Another angle to look from. Ra mentions that trees are in a perpetual state akin to meditation. In other words they are not in a waking state. Smaller plants are much in the same state, not having much self awareness. Short lifespans, some only a single year.

How do you operate on a person without allowing them to suffer? You put them in a drug induced state away from wakefulness. Away from self awareness.

These are two completely different states of being/existence, which have a huge bearing on the amount/intensity of suffering.