Along with the pros and cons of a Buddhist being vegetarian, there are a lot of differences among philosophy and region. To begin with, it’s been alleged that the Buddha ate meat. This is a fairly well attested fact. The issue of vegetarianism is addressed a few times in the Suttas, notably the Jivaka Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya. The Buddha consistently affirmed that monastics (monks) were permitted to eat meat, as long as it was not killed intentionally for them. This goes back to the point of kamma and intentionality. There are numerous passages in the Vinaya (regulatory framework monastic community) that refer to the Buddha or the monastics eating meat. Meat is also regularly mentioned as one of the standard foods. For these reasons, the …show more content…
This position sits squarely within a straightforward application of the law of kamma. Kamma simply understood as intention. Eating meat involves no intention to do harm, because the harm has already been done. As there is no intention, there is no kamma. As there is no kamma, there is no ethical problem. However, not all see it this way. The situation in Mahayana is more complicated. Mahayanists, especially in East Asia, embrace vegetarianism, often as a temporary measure for religious events (Silk, 2016). Although the monastics are typically vegetarian all the time, special occasions are cause for celebration. The motivation is, at least in part, an expression of the greater emphasis on compassion in Mahayana. In practice, however, Mahayanists often adopt vegetarianism (as do Hindus) as a rite of purification. This is done because of the toxins and purity of mind and body talked about earlier in the essay. This is despite such texts as the Amagandha Sutta of the Sutta Nipata, where the Buddha insists that eating meat is not a source of spiritual impurity (Silk, 2016). However Tibetan monastics usually eat meat. Vegetarianism and Buddhism seems to vary depending on both how one interprets an ancient text, as well as where one is located and the type of Buddhist they
In his article "Vegetarianism and the Other Weight Problem", James Rachels argues that meat eating is immoral and it is a moral duty to be vegetarian. In order to discuss the problems and come up with his conclusions, Rachels considers two arguments for vegetarianism.
Aristotle describes ethics as respecting the rights and goods that naturally come to people with no definite source or conclusion to follow as long as their actions are within good character and are considered happy (Philosophy). Ethics, morals, virtues, in other words, all mean to do the right thing. In order to do the “right thing”, become a vegetarian. The article, “Killing as a Welfare Issue”, out of “Vegetarianism and Veganism: Animals and Moral Status” relates ethics to vegetarianism by saying, “A certain length of life is appropriate for each species, not just those that provide direct benefit to human beings,” (Smith
Not all Buddhists are vegetarian and in fact, the Buddha did not seem to have issue with meat-eating overall. The Mahayana tradition is more strictly vegetarian than other Buddhist traditions.
Meat has been a staple food in the diet of mankind since the early ages of civilization. In the article “Is Any Meat Good to Eat?” by Sarah Boesveld, she interviews author Jonathan Safran to share his opinion on eating meat and factory farming. He believes that “...if [people] just ate according to the values they already have, then factory farming would disappear.” Whether or not people realize the sources from which meat in modern day society comes from, they cannot deny the fact that meat is delectable. Sadly, many people who are aware of where their meat comes from will argue that it is unethical to eat meat that is grown purely to satisfy the hunger of people. The ethics of eating meat should not be considered because of the extreme
Buddhists mainly eat grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. A lot of people have stereotype of Buddhist, which monks do not eat meat because it is considered breaking no killing rule. However, that is not entirely true. Buddhism does not forbid its followers to eat meat at the beginning. Moreover, there are many different stringent requirements for whether or what kind of meat Buddhists can eat depend on different sects of Buddhism. Thus, Buddhism does not have a uniform standard diet.
Some people choose a vegetarian diet for ethical and environmental reasons and some choose to be vegetarian because of food safety issues.
Eating animals poses two moral questions. Is it wrong to raise and kill animals simply because humans enjoy the fleeting taste of their flesh? Do our differences from these animals justify their slaughter? The response to both of these questions is simple. Never. Many people believe that their superiority over animals is a justification to eat them. Animals have been traditionally defined as slaves and non-rational beings without moral reasoning, but these beliefs have been refuted for centuries.Even if these claims were true, these differences should encourage more, not less, moral consideration since they gather that animals cannot give or withhold their consent or
Vegetarianism is a custom practiced in six out of the seven continents and has become more popular over the years. Vegetarianism can be defined as the exclusion of animal products such as meat and fish from one’s diet. Dairy products and eggs are often times excluded as well. Although there are many reasons one may decide to become a Vegetarian or follow such a code of ethics, the most common include: moral, religious or health reasons.
Vegetarianism has been around since as early as the seventh century B.C.E.. The civilization was the Indus Valley Civilization, they practiced tolerance towards all living things. Several Indian cultures and various religions (such as a ahimsā) also practice non-violence towards animals (“Vegetarianism”, Wikipedia.com). This used to be the sole purpose for being vegetarian, but nowadays people are becoming vegetarian for several more reasons. The ethical aspect is still a big reason in the decision. Health benefits and environmental aspects have now also become big reasons for the controversy over vegetarianism. People say that killing animals for food is not morally wrong and, is in fact, a crucial part of our lives. Another aspect is that, while in some ways vegetarianism is beneficial to the environment, it can also hurts the environment. Also, despite all of the health benefits involved with vegetarianism, there are also several health concerns connected with it.
Humans have been eating meat for many centuries but it is questionable if the choice is ethical or not. In this case, meat-eaters are just as equal as plant-eater in which they both consume a source of food that dies in the process. Not all farms are harmful towards animals, as there are other farms that nurture their animals the way that they should. Everyone, whether they chose to eat animals or plants, we all eat for the state of contentment, but it is more respectable when a consumer is appreciative and well conscious of what it is they are eating. Overall, eating leads a living creature, animals and plants, to dying for human consumption. Eating meat is not a moral defying act for it is just as equal of a decision on only consuming plants.
It was a yearning for upwards mobility that got fetched inside Brian’s brain, and it was a yearning for life itself that had managed to gobble the whole entire of Suthies’ inner head. Two distinct motors and pedals for the various defined terms of “success”. What constitutes the differences between those who possess a meager and humbling sense of the self and those who are tangled up in the pursue for materialistic wealth and upper mobility? It appears that these two people defined the good life in two severely distinct ways, and for a hypothetical scenario let’s say that they both began at the same marker on the race line trail. At the finishing line, there stands a reward for both, and it is the door towards the next stage. Now, we ought
In addition, some bad actions and behaviors that I had in the past would account me for punishments in my afterlife. So those assumptions were not true at all until I learned the concept of karma. Karma can be determined whether if I have done more good things than bad things and vice versa throughout my lifetime. I could adapt the ideas of Buddhism in my moral actions and behaviors even though I do not actually practice Buddhism. Instead of trying to be a professional vegetarian to earn good karma, the important thing is how I attempt to think like a Buddhist and that is helping myself to become a good person and helping to avoid others from getting bad karma. Since humans are known as herbivores in this world, I would still eat meat because it is one of the main nutritional sources to help me survive. I believe the animals killed for everyday meals have their function of supporting human existence. Therefore, this allows us to have the cycle of life and death. I also consider about not eating exotic food because the animals killed for exotic food are usually not raised by humans and live in the wild environments. I had seen people in Vietnam kill animals for exotic food to fulfill new and strange appetite of some customers. I would advise my relatives and friends not to eat those
Buddhist cuisine is an East Asian cuisine which is followed by monks and many believers from areas historically influenced by Chinese Buddhism. It is vegetarian or vegan, and it is based on the Dharmic concept of ahimsa (non-violence). Vegetarianism is common in other Dharmic faiths such as Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism as well as East Asian religions like Taoism. While monks are vegetarian year-round, many believers follow the Buddhist vegetarian diet temporarily, similar to Christian Lent.
Not all Buddhists are vegetarian and the Buddha does not seem to have issued an overall prohibition on meat-eating. The Mahayana tradition was (and is) more strictly vegetarian than other Buddhist traditions.
Buddhism is a religion with many different beliefs, traditions, and spiritual practices, founded in ancient India in the sixth century by Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha). It spread through much of Asia and later declined to India. Some of the of Buddhist philosophies are: The Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path and The Five Precept, Unsatisfactoriness. These basically deal with the way suffering exists universally, and that desire and attachment are the causes of unsatisfactoriness and suffering. Even though Buddhist dietary laws vary are not very clear, most of them are vegetarians, or is at least desirable, and they have different opinions on eating meat.