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Was the Buddha a vegetarian?

buddhist

Well-Known Member
Straw-man cop-out.
Now you're sounding like a barrack-room lawyer. You really don't care about the first precept and right livelihood? You really don't care about Right Intention?
Nope, I just simply disagree with your interpretation of the Buddha's words. He allowed meat eating, and he accepted a meat offering. If you believe in full vegetarianism, then you'd have to deny these facts, or cast dispersions on the Buddha himself. Your version of Buddhism is not mine. Have a good day.
 

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
Although this is a General Debate thread, please excuse me for entering a mainly Bhuddist discussion.
We usually eat quorn meals now because it saves my wife from tummy pains, but we do eat chicken as well.
In my teens I was a wildfowler and spent every free hour out on the marshes and creeks.
So I guess that this would not impress some of you.

I have questions:-
Do any of you vegetarians use any animal products?
Would you wear a leather belt, shoes or coat?
Would you use any product made from animals, or tested upon animals?

Thankyou.
 

buddhist

Well-Known Member
Do you really ???.
Yep, like I said, he allowed for meat eating, and he received an offering of pork.

It seems many here would like to imagine the Buddha as being fully vegetarian, but he was not - at least not in the early suttas and vinaya (which I hold as canon).

If you wish to uphold another version of the Buddha and Buddhism, then that is not the Buddha or kind of Buddhism I follow.
 

HarihOm

Member
Namaste Buddhist

I fail to see any logic or reason in your posts. I was talking about Siddharta pre Buddha, he was with many teachers and there is no account of him taking or eating or accepting meat. When he was Buddha he accepted alms. Also how can you say you closely follow Buddhism and then say that Butcher has no part in the cycle of eating foods in the wrong way, if your quoting Buddha you have to accept what he says.

If your into early Buddhism then he did not allow the stroring of food, the sales of animals killed for profit and trade. That would rule out most modern ways of life.

The Jains were more or less of the same order as the early Buddhist, only some slight differences, they do not eat meat, they take to more extremes, not driving cars, wearing protection over the mouth so as not to cause death to invisible life, not boiling water, brushing the floor between sweeping.

Upon your understanding you neither follow the rules of early Buddhism Shramnism, nor the branches that came from it.

I am not against you as a person eating meat, but justifying in the name of Buddhism is not early Buddhism.

http://www.shabkar.org/scripture/sutras/index.htm

I guess one could go on all day back and forward, but it can be brought to end very quickly, do you think its right in todays world to buy meat from the supermarket and the meat trade. On the evidence of what destruction it is doing to the whole planet as the second most destructive act next to fossil fuels burning then surely an enlightened choice would be to not to give any support to this or as little as possible. HH Dalai Lama is not against eating meat, he eats meat himself, but he is very committed and very form to stop the meat industry and animal testing.
 

HarihOm

Member
Namaste

Well, just imagine if he did not accept that poisoned pork, he would have lived longer and gave more teachings.
 

buddhist

Well-Known Member
Although this is a General Debate thread, please excuse me for entering a mainly Bhuddist discussion.
We usually eat quorn meals now because it saves my wife from tummy pains, but we do eat chicken as well.
In my teens I was a wildfowler and spent every free hour out on the marshes and creeks.
So I guess that this would not impress some of you.

I have questions:-
Do any of you vegetarians use any animal products?
Would you wear a leather belt, shoes or coat?
Would you use any product made from animals, or tested upon animals?

Thankyou.
Good points!

I'd also add to that ... holding animals captive (e.g. as pets), or take antibiotics or antivirals, etc.
 

Rick O'Shez

Irishman bouncing off walls
Nope, I just simply disagree with your interpretation of the Buddha's words. He allowed meat eating, and he accepted a meat offering. If you believe in full vegetarianism, then you'd have to deny these facts. Your version of Buddhism is not mine. Have a good day.

I am not promoting vegetarianism here, I am observing that your posts reek of self-justification. All you seem concerned about is satisfying a dietary preference, you don't care how the meat gets on your plate.

Apparently you don't care about the principle behind the 3-fold rule, not having more animals slaughtered for food. Apparently you don't care about the first precept and right livelihood being regularly breached on your behalf. Apparently you have no interest in applying Right Intention when it doesn't suit you personally. Oh well.
 

psychoslice

Veteran Member
Yep, like I said, he allowed for meat eating, and he received an offering of pork.

It seems many here would like to imagine the Buddha as being fully vegetarian, but he was not - at least not in the early suttas and vinaya (which I hold as canon).

If you wish to uphold another version of the Buddha and Buddhism, then that is not the Buddha or kind of Buddhism I follow.
I personally feel that I don't care what the Buddha thought, maybe he was wrong, maybe he was right, I don't give a ****, all I know that eating our friends the animals is wrong, would you like to be eatened ??.
 

buddhist

Well-Known Member
I fail to see any logic or reason in your posts. I was talking about Siddharta pre Buddha, he was with many teachers and there is no account of him taking or eating or accepting meat...
I've already quoted AN 5.44 to you where it shows that the Buddha accepted meat. Since you deny this, I have no further reason to continue this discussion with you, since we are at crossroads.
 

buddhist

Well-Known Member
I am not promoting vegetarianism here, I am observing that your posts reek of self-justification. All you seem concerned about is satisfying a dietary preference, you don't care how the meat gets on your plate.

Apparently you don't care about the principle behind the 3-fold rule, not having more animals slaughtered for food. Apparently you don't care about the first precept and right livelihood being regularly breached on your behalf. Apparently you have no interest in applying Right Intention when it doesn't suit you personally. Oh well.
Your interpretation of Right Intention, is not my interpretation of Right Intention.
 

buddhist

Well-Known Member
I personally feel that I don't care what the Buddha thought, maybe he was wrong...
I don't think he was wrong, he was being pragmatic. Since you don't care what the Buddha thought, why are you participating in a Buddhist-themed thread?
 

Rick O'Shez

Irishman bouncing off walls
I'd also add to that ... holding animals captive (e.g. as pets), or take antibiotics or antivirals, etc.

More self-justification. Basically it seems you are happy for more animals to be killed so you can satisfy your craving for meat. It is a choice you make.
 

HarihOm

Member
Namaste

The Buddha did accept meat with certain rules, I will bow out, everyone can see your twisting the teachings to fit your own habits, if you think thats early Buddhism be my guest, but you will not find anyone who knows about this subject agreeing with you.
 

Rick O'Shez

Irishman bouncing off walls
Your interpretation of Right Intention, is not my interpretation of Right Intention.

So what is your interpretation of harmlessness? Don't you think it applies to animals?

Are you happy for others to breach the first precept and right livelihood on your behalf? Don't you care? Don't you feel any responsibility?
 

Rick O'Shez

Irishman bouncing off walls
Namaste

The Buddha did accept meat with certain rules, I will bow out, everyone can see your twisting the teachings to fit your own habits, if you think thats early Buddhism be my guest, but you will not find anyone who knows about this subject agreeing with you.

People can justify just about anything when they are attached to certain behaviours.
 

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
Good points!

I'd also add to that ... holding animals captive (e.g. as pets), or take antibiotics or antivirals, etc.

I'm guilty of all of those.
2 naughty dachshunds, 2 aged cats, 10 noisy ducks.
+ the medicines of course.

I don't think it's wrong for a vegetarian to own a leather wallet, or travel case etc. There are so many types of vegetarian, some for health, some for shape, some for ideology etc.

It's only when a person is self-righteous that I would turn scrutiny back upon them.
 
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