Omnivore?

Jayjay

I'm sorry. I just can't give up meat. What should I do? Is it ok? I've been trying to incorporate more vegetables and eat less, only that needed to sustain, but I can't stop eating meat. Should I slowly try to integrate only eating vegetables? Idk what to do and I feel guilty knowing I am going against one of the main 5 Precepts and bc of the animals that are being killed to provide me with sustenance. Please leave your opinions and thank you all!

Dakini

Who said you need to give up meat? Most Tibetans and other Inner Asian Buddhists eat meat. I just read the autobiography of the Dalai Lama's oldest brother, who was a reincarnate lama. When the family moved to Lhasa, he organized a caravan for himself, took along a stack of rifles for hunting meat on the way, and moved to Lhasa to be with his family. Buddhists not only eat meat, they hunt. The family had a farm in Eastern Tibet/Western China, and they routinely slaughtered animals for food. So, don't worry about it. Enough guilt and hand-wringing already.

Jayjay

There's a lot of discussion of vegitarianism,all sanghas I know of don't serve meat, and I have read it technically goes against the first precept of reverence to life.

Dakini

But vegetarianism isn't working for you. You can either do what works for you, and not worry about what other people think, or you could study up, do some research on vegetarianism, to find a way to do it that does work for you.

Clue: it's not about vegetables so much. Find some recipes that use some type of beans, rice or other grain (those two elements will fill you up. Veggies only won't fill you up), along with veggies, and work a couple of dishes like that into your weekly menu. Ease into it. There are some great international recipes (veggie enchiladas, veggie chinese pot stickers, tofu w/rice + veggies, winter squash stuffed with rice and cooked sunflower seeds & condiments, veggie curries, and lots more) if you look around. Go to the cookbook section of the bookstore or look around online. Find some yummy stuff, and work it in slowly. Gradually expand. See if that takes care of your meat cravings.

vinlyn

There's a lot of discussion of vegitarianism,all sanghas I know of don't serve meat, and I have read it technically goes against the first precept of reverence to life.

Here we go again...but that's okay. Go visit a sangha in Thailand and watch virtually all the monks eat meat. To each his own.

Telly03

Don't worry about it... Just know that it may be a good thing, but that is not who you are, at least not right now.

I came into this with the same concern... There was no way I could give up meat, but after awhile, the thought of eating red meat became less appealing... I didn't push myself for the change, it just happened. And I didn't make a rule that I could not eat red meat, but the idea of it kind of turns me off.

Will there be more changes for me, such as chicken and/or fish? Who knows... Again, it's nothing I want to worry about right now

Dakini

Ha--it's a good point vinlyn hints at. Maybe it's just a matter of picking the right sangha. If you visit a Tibetan community in your country (they usually have a once-yearly event for the public), you'd see everyone eating meat, and being accepting of your meat-eating. Maybe you're just in the wrong sangha. In the sanghas I've been in, the issue has never come up. So maybe you need to find a better fit.

In any case, you've got plenty of suggestions here. You asked "is it ok", and we told you it was ok, then you said "but technically, it goes against the first precept". But you see, different Buddhists interpret that technicality different ways. I don't think you should be beating yourself up about this. Either eat meat and be happy, or research vegetarianism and experiment.

Bodha8

Ha--it's a good point vinlyn hints at. Maybe it's just a matter of picking the right sangha. If you visit a Tibetan community in your country (they usually have a once-yearly event for the public), you'd see everyone eating meat, and being accepting of your meat-eating. Maybe you're just in the wrong sangha. In the sanghas I've been in, the issue has never come up. So maybe you need to find a better fit.

In any case, you've got plenty of suggestions here. You asked "is it ok", and we told you it was ok, then you said "but technically, it goes against the first precept". But you see, different Buddhists interpret that technicality different ways. I don't think you should be beating yourself up about this. Either eat meat and be happy, or research vegetarianism and experiment.

Dakini is giving you excellent advice. Do the research. The 3 main facets are 1) Your Health. 2) Animal Cruelty. 3) Enviornmental Impact.

person

The first precept is to refrain from killing. Did you kill the animal you ate? If not you didn't break the precept.

Monks have a vow that says they shouldn't take meat that was killed, or suspected to be killed, directly for them. This is a monastic vow and isn't the same as the first precept.

There are many good reasons to adopt vegetarianism. @Bodha8 gave the best.

The buddhist path is one of personal transformation and not one of adopting a list of rules. Adopting certain rules can be done but the reason is to help us confront and deal with our mental habits that lead us to suffering.

Jayjay

Thank you all. I will look into vegetarianism and different Sanghas that serve meat lol. I might just integrate more vegetables, healthy things, and eat less! Once again thank you all for the great advice I can always rely on this community of beautifully minded people.

Mountains

Lower caloric intake is directly associated with longevity in most cultures. Western cultures generally consume a lot more calories than strictly necessary for life. That's why we're so fat (one of many reasons).

Jayjay

I myself (can admit) even though muscular, am overweight.