Vegetarianism & Buddhism
From TheBuddhism.Net
Vegetarianism & Buddhism
We, at TheBuddhism.net are glad to say that we are Vegetarians. Some argue that Buddha accepted flesh eating and therefore it is not a sin. And, he too died of eating a pork curry offered to him.
First of all, we must stress the fact that it was not a pork curry, but a mushroom curry which made Buddha ill. Still, in some parts of India they have the type of mushroom that’s named “Sukara Mansha”.
Buddha didn’t put restrictions on the matter of eating flesh because monks of those days lived a very moderate life. They depended on the alms given to them and had to accept what were offered to them except ten types of meat; namely, Human flesh, horse flesh, elephant flesh, dog flesh, snake flesh, lion flesh, tigers’ & bears’ flesh, leopard & hyena flesh.
Human flesh because it was our own species; horse & elephant flesh because they were royal property; dog and snake flesh because they were disgusting, other five types because they could smell that you have eaten their own species and might attack you.
Buddha firmly said that nobody should eat the flesh of animals if he hears, sees or suspects that they were killed specially for the eater, himself; showing us the fact that killing for flesh is unacceptable. Buddha followed and taught us the middle path. Therefore, he didn’t put restrictions on anything unless it was absolutely necessary.
Let’s be logical; first of the five precepts a Buddhist should observe is, ‘not taking others’ lives’. Even if it was not us who had killed the being, of whose flesh we ate, we cannot avoid the fact that we have encouraged its killing. If we stop eating the flesh of other animals, the killing of those animals too would stop.
We strongly believe that one cannot do loving kindness (“Maithree“) meditation if one eats others’ flesh. How could one wish for health, happiness and well-being of others while eating them ?
We do not keep dead bodies at homes; do we? So, why should we make our stomachs cemeteries where dead bodies are buried?
Please consider this.
Buddhists, show that you are real Buddhists. Refrain from eating others’ flesh which would make you a walking cemetery.
May The Triple Gem Bless You!
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Excellent!
In Buddhism, the views on vegetarianism vary between different schools of thought which we know. As a Buddhist ,we are taught for its teachings of non-violence, even towards animals, be kind , caring and never hurt or harm all beings. The Buddhist philosophy is a teaching where minimal harm is made on the environment and compassion for all sentient beings. Good to be on vegetarian , to live a healthy life .
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
Insect and other animal also die in the cultivation of the lands and some of them decomposes and become the vegetables that you eat. So your justification to be a vegetarian is illusion-like, since you are causing suffering to other beings by being a vegetarian. It is impossible to disconnect from the cause of suffering to other beings, since everything is interdependent.
If we eat other’s flesh be prepared to be eaten too.
Rinpoche has advised a group of us to read “Food of Bodhisattvas – Buddhist Teachings on Abstaining from Meat” by Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol. It is a fascinating read – especially for Buddhists who have justified the eating of meat by saying that the Buddha had allowed it. In this text, it is said very definitively that the Buddha criticises the eating of meat in the Lankavatara-sutra and other Mahayana scriptures. In fact, far from endorsing the eating of meat, the Buddha condemns it in the strongest terms and forbids it under any circumstances. I quote from a chapter (pg 54-55) in the book below:
“”Mahamati, every kind of meat, whether that which I have allowed the Shravakas, who are dose to me, to consume, or that which I have not allowed, and· all meat that is said to be unexamined, is pernicious. In times to come, however, foolish people, ordained in my tradition, upholding the victory banner of the saffron robes, and claiming to be the children of Shakyamuni, will have their minds perverted by wrong thoughts. They lose themselves in speculation about the rules of the Vinaya. Their ego clinging will be strong, and they will have a powerful craving for the taste of meat. They will concoct all sorts of excuses for eating meat, and thus they will blacken my reputation. They will examine the histories of events in the past and say, ‘Since the Lord permitted meat to be eaten then, this shows that it is fitting nourishment.’ They will say that the Lord taught that meat was healthy food, and they will go so far as to say that he himself enjoyed its taste.
But, Mahamati, in none of my discourses did I ever give such general leave, and never did I teach that it was right to consider meat as wholesome fare.
“O Mahamati, you may believe that I have permitted the eating of meat; you may believe that Shravakas can eat it. But I say to you that I forbid it for the yogis dwelling in the charnel grounds who meditate on love. I forbid it for my noble sons and daughters who have embarked upon the true path of the Mahayana and who consider all beings as their own dear children. Mahamati, I do indeed forbid the eating of meat to all who consider living beings as their only children, the sons and daughters of my lineage who have faith in Dharma and are engaged in any of the paths of practice, yogis living in charnel grounds and practitioners meditating in solitude.
The precepts of my Doctrine were formulated gradually, and they are successive steps upon a single path. Accordingly, the eating of meat is proscribed in the precepts of the Mahayana. Even though the flesh of beasts that have perished from ten natural causes is not forbidden to the Shravakas, nevertheless, in the Mahayana, all meat is utterly prohibited under all circumstances. And therefore, Mahamati, I have not given permission to anyone to consume meat. I do not grant permission and I never shall. To all who wear the robe, 0 Mahamati, I declare that meat is an unfitting source of nourishment. Foolish people, benighted by their karma, who blacken my reputation by saying that even the Tathagata has eaten meat, will suffer, long and meaninglessly, devoid of every joy.”
I think Buddhism and Vegetarianism goes hand in hand. Being vegetarian is but a very simple way of practicing compassion.
If we Buddhist want to walk the talk, being vegetarian should come naturally!
I find this to be interesting but not enough to convince me to be vegetarian. Meat today is so well-packaged and so well seasoned that it makes it irresistible. I think the easiest way to convince people to be vegetarian these days is to show what happens to the individual animals that get slaughtered on a daily basis. The impact of how animals suffer and cry in pain would plant an indelible image of suffering in our minds. I read in the news once of a junior school teacher taking some of her students on a field trip to a slaughterhouse.
The experience left many of the kids in terrible shock that they needed counseling later. That’s what we need to get us connected back to reality of where the meat comes from. Also what the Buddha said about the smell emitting from the meat of animals makes ourselves become the prey of the brethren of the same animals. I think that would no longer hold true today as we live largely in cities and the chance for a close encounter with these animals can no longer occur. So, I am sorry but the reasoning for be vegetarian is a little loose and not suited for our time.
I always find the debate over whether to be vegetarian or not to be quite baseless. If we have the choice to eat meat or vegetables, why not choose vegetables?i Most of the people who want to eat meat are just finding excuses to indulge themselves because there is nothing to justify eating meat. If Patrik Baboumian – Germany’s Strongest Man 2011 – http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/patrik-baboumian-germanys-strongest-man-2011.html – finds that there is sufficient protein in a vegetarian diet to sustain him, i am sure all of us can.
Wow! this is such a powerfully written article about vegetarianism. It not only clarify the often misconception that people have about how the Buddha passed away (from eating mushroom curry, not pork curry – which apparently the name of the mushroom in sanskrit sounds similar to pork); but it also tells us the Buddha’s perspective about eating meat, why some meat is totally prohibited and why the monks are allowed to eat meat if the situation calls for it. Eg, if someone offers a meal that contains meat.
It is actually very logical for Buddhists to be vegetarian based on the Buddha’s teachings itself. In fact, vegetarianism is actually not foreign to Buddhists, which is why many lay practitioners within the Chinese community opt to be vegetarians on every 1st and 15th of every month. The fact that they be vegetarian during these two days is obvious that they believe in the goodness of being vegetarian. Therefore… isn’t it more logical to gain more goodness by being vegetarian full time???? Being in a country where we have an abundance of vegetarian sources as meals, I do not see the need to kill animals just to fill our own stomachs.
In this article, it was said that ‘why make our stomach into a walking cemetery?’ Which is so true because that is what it truly is… then now imagine, all the parties and weddings we have went throughout our lives… all these ‘happy’ occasions was celebrated with dead animals…