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Vegetarian

ClayTheScribeClayTheScribe Veteran
edited August 2011 in Buddhism Basics
Do you think it is a requirement to be a vegetarian if one calls themselves a Buddhist?

Comments

  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited August 2011
    Not according to most Buddhists, including the Buddha.

    However, we must bear in mind the Buddha was a monk dependent on alms food thus it is not appropriate for monks to dictate what they are fed or refuse what is offered. However, again, the Buddha did make a rule that if it is known or suspected an animal is killed specifically to feed the monks, that offering cannot be accepted.

    Vegetarism does accord more closely with principles of non-harming so having vegetarian intention can help us nurture compassion.

    Again, we must bear in mind all eating involves some killing. When Buddha refered to killing as bad karma, he was referring to killing with violent, merciless & malicious intent.

    Thus for religious people that must kill to eat, often they have some spiritual dedications, ceremonies, etc, because for many, eating meat is unavoidable.

    Regards :)
  • goshikigoshiki
    edited August 2011
    In my awareness now , whatever we eat , whatever we do have nothing to do with knowing or searching buddha . There should not have any requirement knowing purity , infact one should not limited themselve "being a buddhist" . Whatever I do , even if I kill for food in Buddha is always up to my judgement against my own awareness . If in my awareness of all my emotions / feeling / desire / compassion allow me to kill for food , then I kill for food BUT I MUST always make judgement after considering all my awareness NOT solely on my desire alone .If after I move to higher awareness perhap I will never regretted my action and moved forward and higher closer to purity as I understand is all part of learning process .
    Is WRONG to say ok to eat vege but not ok to eat meat in buddhism . In search of Buddha NOTHING should be or could be associated to Buddha including any action or food .
    In Buddha is all same and equal . The "life" of a chicken is same and equal to any leaf or vegetable .
    Infact in my awareness , vegetable show me more Buddha than any human alive including Dalai Lama or Mr Siddharta himself .
    Vegetable like human need food / water / air / space to survive but they far more pure than us . They never or seldom kill for food , take our waste CO2 and convert it into 02 for all living including themself , never need more space than required , never have extra need / desire like others living . They in theory FAR FOR Buddha than us . So on what ground any monk say is ok to eat vegetble ...simply they never scream ????
  • jlljll Veteran
    No.
    Do you think it is a requirement to be a vegetarian if one calls themselves a Buddhist?
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    That's as good a final word on the topic as anyone could wish for.

    Umpteen threads on vegetarianism on the forum. So many in fact that the topic almost merits its own subcategory.
    Plenty to read on here, with a little research.
    Thanks for the question, though. :)
This discussion has been closed.