Diet

[Mr Orange]

Conivores, Vegetarian, Vegan, Fruitarian and so on...

Which one are you as a Buddhist?

All life is sacred and has feelings. Gautama, felt feelings to other beings and i hope you all do, like myself. So should we eat meat? Would it create negative Karma? What do you believe would be the result if a friend bought you meat and you ate it? Would this make a difference seen as though you did not buy the meat? Or is it fine to eat meat because H-H Dali Lama eats meat due to health issues. I hear that you can be Buddhist and still eat meat, to me this cannot be right.

Or do you feel that we should all eat meat because its only an animal and it tastes good?

Your views on the subject would be nice, even if your not Buddhist.

 

[Engyo]

Hello, Mr. Orange -

I think this is a personal decision for each individual, and not a religious one. Buddha himself ate meat, with a few conditions, and these conditions were the same he imposed on his monks.

If, as they went about begging, they were offered meat to eat, there was no problem as long as this was what was being served to everyone in the village, and the animal was not killed expressly for the monks (or the Buddha).

Different Buddhist schools and traditions have different takes on these teachings. That is why I recommend that this be an individual choice. We are each responsible for our own karma, are we not? If that is true, then it is not for me to judge another by the choices he or she makes, as I will receive the effects of MY causes, and not the effects of their causes.

 

[Mahacandra]

Personally, I strive to be vegetarian (although this is a practical problem for two reasons: redneck* parents and a severe shortage of money). By the time I'm on my own, I would like to be a somewhat strict vegetarian. However, I'm not unalterably opposed to the eating of meat, I just have a personal issue with it.
When offered meat by another (especially if they paid good money for it), then I believe you should eat it, out of respect for their compassion. Although, as with all things, this must be taken in context. If someone butchers a cow just for you, then I'd say "thanks but not thanks". At least with bought meat, an animal doesn't die just for you.

*For the record, rednecks usually don't consider the word "redneck" a slur (though they do take offense to "hick"). Thus, no offense is meant.

 

[wmjbyatt]

While I do not identify as Buddhist, Buddhist teachings influence my beliefs in a very profound way. Having said that, I personally do eat meat, and enjoy the living bejesus out of it.

Frankly, I understand animals to be just as alive as plants, and I don't understand how one can find animals to be worthy of our not-eating than plants. Plant life is as much alive as animal life, and I find a vegetarian diet rationalized by the sacredness of life to be... lacking.

Further, I recognize that the eating of meat does, indeed, happen. It is a natural process for which the human body is designed. Obviously, eating meat in excess can be an issue, but so can ALL excess.

 

[Master Vigil]

I am a vegetarian, in part due to my buddhist outlook... but mostly because of my own understanding of animal life.

While I do see animals as alive as I do plants... most times, plants are not killed completely to feed us. Unless you count roots, such as potato's. Eat a trees fruit, and you do not kill the tree, etc... There are of course exceptions to this, but you cannot eat any part of an animal without killing it. This is unnecessary.

 

[Smoke]

I hear that you can be Buddhist and still eat meat, to me this cannot be right.

Ever been to a Thai restaurant?

I recently quit eating beef and pork, but I still eat poultry, fish, and shellfish. And I'm not a fanatic about the beef and pork.

When offered meat by another (especially if they paid good money for it), then I believe you should eat it, out of respect for their compassion.

I agree. For instance, my nephew and I spent the night at my cousin's house recently, and my aunt came over at 7 a.m. and made us a breakfast of bacon and eggs. I didn't even consider not eating it. On the other hand, if someone serves a buffet-style meal, you can pick and choose without insulting them.

Frankly, I understand animals to be just as alive as plants, and I don't understand how one can find animals to be worthy of our not-eating than plants. Plant life is as much alive as animal life, and I find a vegetarian diet rationalized by the sacredness of life to be... lacking.

I agree with that, too. My reason for not eating beef and pork has nothing to do with the sacredness of life and everything to do with the inhumane practices of the meat industry. I don't see any problem at all with eating meat that hasn't been produced under those circumstance.

 

[Smoke]

While I do see animals as alive as I do plants... most times, plants are not killed completely to feed us.

Apart from fruit and tree nuts, they usually are.

 

[Mr Orange]

Smoke- Yes i've been to Thailand and to their restaurants...perhaps their images are for decoration for westerners.

Laypersons and 'some' Buddhists, practice vegetarianism. They invite Monks and groups to share a vegetarian meal. Which would create merit and for purpose to cure family members and welfare. Most places of worship offer meals - vegetarian meals, at weekends. Feel free to attend you local place of worship, education and meditation classes.

There was a hunter who one night became exceeding drunk. When he spied his young son he mistook him for a roebuck. He Sharpened his knife and prepared to kill him. His wife pleaded tearfully with him, but he would not listen. Finally he slit open the boys abdomen and took his intestines. When he finnished he went peacefully off to sleep. At the break of day he awoke and called his son to go to the market to sell the roebuck meat for him. His wife, weeping said, 'the creature you killed last night was your son.' The father flung his body to the ground and the five viscera burst into pieces (at the grief) Humans and animals different though they be.............. are united in heart by the love for their children. How then can one condone killing of animals for food.

When you know that creatures on your tray come, struggling and squealing, from the chopping block, then you are making their extreme anguish your greatist delight. You would never be able to get them down, even if you tried to eat them. Is it not the height of insensitivity?

The Sutra of The Medicane Buddha Says, ' If you slaughter animate beings in order to dispatch petitions to the gods or to involve lowly sprites, all for the purpose of seeking blessings and protection in the hope of extending your life, in the end it will come to naught'

:flower: Let the animals be free from the fear of being devoured by others, and let the hungry ghosts reach satisfaction equal to that of the humans beings in the land of Uttarakuru. :flower:

 

[Engyo]

Below is just a quick story about Buddha, which i copyied and pasted from a good source.

Mr. Orange -

Please edit your post to reference the source material you copied from. Forum rule #7 requires this. Thanks in advance.

 

[LuisDantas]

I'm lacto-egg-vegetarian, for not particularly religious reasons. I just don't want to give reason to kill animals - much less to raise them so that they may be killed - if I can reasonably avoid that.

As it turns out, I simply don't need any kind of meat to live. Nor is it at all difficult to go without.

 

[Mr Orange]

Thankyou, Engyo i have just deleted it for the time being :sorry1:

 

[Engyo]

Thankyou, Engyo i have just deleted it for the time being :sorry1:

No problem; I just didn't want you getting hit with an infraction, that's all.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I try to approach the issues over meat eating In the most direct manner that I can without having need for embellishing and dressing it up just so that I can somehow feel better or justified for it when I do consume meat, or undergo abstinence borne out of generated guilt as a result of shock values that portrays the extremes as to who and what we as humans are, how we act, and the manner and methods in which we obtain our food to eat.

As a person who views and regards the Buddha's middle path as ideal, rather than go to one extreme or the other as a result of this reason or that, I try to practice moderation and overall be mindful in regards to the consumption of both meat and vegetables and attempt not to over indulge as a practice of compassion. -NM-

 

[Mr Orange]

It might be wise and valuable next time you have dinner. To sit quietly, observe the dish, notice your hunger,desires for the food, where the food has come from, who picked the grains? Notice the enviroment your in. Once you have ate it the mind seems to drift...'I am satisfied, no longer do i need this dish' . Desires come and go so please becareful of the temptation of Mara.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Conivores, Vegetarian, Vegan, Fruitarian and so on...

Which one are you as a Buddhist?

Currently I am omnivorous as my nature, and therefore in my practice. I try not to get too attached to the idea of denying this, denying that. If there's mindfulness of the source of the food and the compassion for all living beings involved in bringing that food to the table in front of me, I pretty much leave it at that.

All life is sacred and has feelings. Gautama, felt feelings to other beings and i hope you all do, like myself. So should we eat meat? Would it create negative Karma? What do you believe would be the result if a friend bought you meat and you ate it? Would this make a difference seen as though you did not buy the meat? Or is it fine to eat meat because H-H Dali Lama eats meat due to health issues. I hear that you can be Buddhist and still eat meat, to me this cannot be right.

Or do you feel that we should all eat meat because its only an animal and it tastes good?

Your views on the subject would be nice, even if your not Buddhist.

Ah, this is usually a biggie within the Buddhist community, and has created huge divisions because it can become such a passionate topic. Rather than become legalistic about the application of the Precepts, I prefer to take a breath and approach food/drink consumption with broader awareness -

Is it wise and compassionate to eat meat from factory farming? Not specifically, but is it wise and compassionate to eat meat from factory farming...... that was served by a very good friend that perhaps roasted that meat for hours on end in order to feed me, nurture me, and bring me happiness? Perhaps it is.

Is it wise and compassionate to slaughter an animal for tonight's dinner just because you're hungry? I don't see it......but is it wise and compassionate to slaughter an animal for dinner because it and it's siblings are consuming too much grain in your feedstock to adequately feed your other animals? I wonder if it is compassionate.

Discerning meat eating when taking other factors into account is not as cut and dry, black and white, right and wrong as we normally see it. But then again, we are beings in samsara and full of ignorance. So it would be very easy to mistake proper judgement due to our nature as sentient beings.

I have come to the conclusion that it's much better to lighten up about things concerning the Precepts (including intoxicants and sex) rather than be a stick in the mud about everything. Dharma is truth, but Dharma is living. For me, it continues to always come back to mindfulness. :yes: