Was the Buddha a vegetarian?

[buddhist]

That is not how I read it. Our responsibility over the chains of intentions and actions is limited, but not always or even often only to the people we are directly in contact with.

There is a kammic duty not to encourage adharmic actions. E.g., by not creating a demand for intoxicating drugs if we can help it. Likewise for meat.

This is how I understand the nature of kamma.

 

[Aupmanyav]

In fact, it's discouraged among vets and zookeepers for a number of reasons (transmits mites to reptiles, greater chance of infected bites or serious injury as the prey animal knows the predator is there and removes the element of surprise ambush predators rely on).

That is one reason why I do not like keeping pets. Then, you interfere with the natural life of your pet. It would have acted differently if it was free, for good or worse.

As for methods to end suffering, I don't think, stop animals from eating is on the list.

Beg to differ. Buddha complained against sacrifice of animals. The list includes stopping killing of animals for food, to make 'ahimsa' a habit. That is why the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka was so keen on it.

 

[MountainPine]

In the absence of such fatty acids, the structure of the brain and nervous system degrades dramatically over time, basically creating holes, malfunctions, mis-transmissions, and other issues.

What "substitution meat" provides the fatty acids that I need? Do you understand the difference between genetic issues in the genome, and other diseases?

So you're just going to take other lives just so you can preserve your own based on your perceived threat of malnourishment? That's selfish, and evil.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Explain why the Buddha allowed monastics to eat meat.

Only if that is given in 'bhiksha' ('bhiksham dehi'), since he is supposed to beg only in one house and only once in a day and eat only once in a day and not to ask for a second helping. If the household did not have anything to give, then it was a fast for the 'bhikhkhu'. It was technically very tough to be a 'bhikhkhu'. I do not know why you are not understanding this.

 

[Desert Snake]

The Buddha ate meat almost every day.

 

[Desert Snake]

So you're just going to take other lives just so you can preserve your own based on your perceived threat of malnourishment? That's selfish, and evil.

I eat whatever i can get, hasen't affected my enlightenment. You might want to try meat eating if you want to progress.

 

[MountainPine]

I eat whatever i can get, hasen't affected my enlightenment. You might want to try meat eating if you want to progress.

Then you don't know what enlightenment is. Causing suffering and death upon other creatures is not being enlightened.

 

[Aupmanyav]

The Buddha ate meat almost every day.

That is an accusation without any proof.

I eat whatever i can get, hasen't affected my enlightenment. You might want to try meat eating if you want to progress.

I am an enlightened person and I am a non-vegetarian. But still it is largely hankering after taste that makes us do it, 'tanha'.

Causing suffering and death upon other creatures is not being enlightened.

One can still be enlightened, since my belief accepts 'Jeevo jeevasya bhojanam' (one living being is food or another). Because, a-la-Krishna, the killer and the killed are both but 'Brahman', so it does not matter. Brahman is the killed, Brahman is the cook and Brahman is the eater. But I am not a Buddhist though I rever Buddha very much and consider him as one of my two gurus.

 

[Desert Snake]

Then you don't know what enlightenment is. Causing suffering and death upon other creatures is not being enlightened.

You aren't discussing Buddhist issues, you're discussing your /meat abstinence.

 

[buddhist]

So you're just going to take other lives just so you can preserve your own based on your perceived threat of malnourishment? That's selfish, and evil.

Do you travel in motor vehicles? Do you walk around with a broom in hand to brush away all potential insects that might come across your path?

 

[buddhist]

Only if that is given in 'bhiksha', since he is supposed to beg only in one house and only once in a day and eat only once in a day and not to ask for a second helping. If the household did not have anything to give, then it was a fast for the 'bhikhkhu'. It was technically very tough being a 'bhikhkhu'. I do not know why you are not understanding this.

I'm not sure why a non-Buddhist is trying to expound Buddhism to a Buddhist

 

[buddhist]

You aren't discussing Buddhist issues, you're discussing your /meat abstinence.

I agree, which is why I'll bow out of this thread now.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I'm not sure why a non-Buddhist is trying to expound Buddhism to a Buddhist

Buddhist, you have a lot to understand. Buddha is my guru, one of the two (the other is the first Sankaracharya). Buddha and Sankaracharya, it is a deadly combination. He gave me 'Kalama Sutta', i.e., the way to differentiate between truth and falsehood. He, for Hindus, is the ninth and the latest avatara of Lord Vishnu. I do not think you can own the whole of Gautama, the Buddha, and leave nothing for Hindus. As @ShivaFan has repeatedly said, Buddha was a Hindu. If you do not understand Buddhism then what else can I do but to try to explain it to you?

 

[Rick O'Shez]

I'm not sure why a non-Buddhist is trying to expound Buddhism to a Buddhist

I'm a Buddhist and I disagree with you too. Go figure.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

You aren't discussing Buddhist issues, you're discussing your /meat abstinence.

The ethics of buying meat when alternatives are available is very much a Buddhist issue, given the first precept, right livelihood, Right Intention, Right Mindfulness, and so on.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Do you travel in motor vehicles?

No I don't, and this is a tiresome straw-man. We are talking about choosing to buy meat when alternatives are available. We are talking about the distinction between minimising harm, and adding to it because of a selfish craving for meat.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

B12 is only found in bacteria in the soil, which would still be present on plants provided they are not killed with pesticides. The animals you eat get their B12 from the plants they eat. It not that meat by itself has B12, you are actually obtaining it as a digested nutrient contained in the meat of the animal who consumed the B12 while it was still alive.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms-causes#1

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/

 

[LuisDantas]

This is how I understand the nature of kamma.

Fair enough. I will however disagree.

 

[LuisDantas]

The Buddha ate meat almost every day.

That is essentially impossible. It would make no sense for him to clearly preach something and do the opposite.

Why would you think such a thing?

 

[Twilight Hue]

B12 is only found in bacteria in the soil, which would still be present on plants provided they are not killed with pesticides. The animals you eat get their B12 from the plants they eat. It not that meat by itself has B12, you are actually obtaining it as a digested nutrient contained in the meat of the animal who consumed the B12 while it was still alive.

Yep it's microbial. Mostly obtained by ingesting feces , insects and organic matter that contains the bacteria and any trace amount that comes with ingesting plants. Plants tend to not carry enough of the microbes to warrant a significant enough amount to produce b12 so it had to be obtained somewhere else. Pretty gross but effective enough source for a wandering herbivore as per the abstract.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7354869

Maybe not washing the veggies is a good thing in a natural environment? ....



I think there is only one other source where the bacteria is present other than animal. A specific algae called
Chlorella.

Dunno how long that's been around on an evolutionary scale nor the demographic as to weither it's widespread or localised making it worth considering as a primary source.