Buddhism Vegetarianism_and_religion

the first precept prohibits buddhists killing people or animals. matter of whether forbids buddhists eating meat has long been matter of debate.

the first buddhist monks , nuns forbidden growing, storing, or cooking own food. relied entirely on generosity of alms feed themselves, , not allowed accept money buy own food. not make special dietary requests, , had accept whatever food alms givers had available, including meat. monks , nuns of theravada school of buddhism, predominates in sri lanka, thailand, cambodia, burma, , laos, still follow these strictures today.

these strictures relaxed in china, korea, japan, , other countries follow mahayana buddhism, monasteries in remote mountain areas , distance nearest towns made daily alms rounds impractical. there, buddhist monks , nuns cultivate own crops, store own harvests, cook own meals, , accept money buy else needed in terms of food in market.

according vinaya pitaka, when devadatta urged him make complete abstinence meat compulsory, buddha refused, maintaining monks have accept whatever found in begging bowls, including meat, provided had not seen, had not heard, , had no reason suspect animal had been killed meat given them . there prohibitions on specific kinds of meat: meat humans, meat royal animals such elephants or horses, meat dogs, , meat dangerous animals snakes, lions, tigers, panthers, bears , hyenas.

on other hand, mahayana sutras denounce eating of meat. according mahayana mahaparinirvana sutra, buddha revoked permission eat meat , warned of dark age when false monks claim allowed meat. in lankavatara sutra, disciple of buddha named mahamati asks [y]ou teach doctrine flavoured compassion. teaching of perfect buddhas. , yet eat meat nonetheless; have not put end it. entire chapter devoted buddha s response, wherein lists litany of spiritual, physical, mental, , emotional reasons why meat eating should abjured. however, according suzuki (2004:211), chapter on meat eating later addition text....it quite meat-eating practiced more or less among earlier buddhists, made subject of severe criticism opponents. buddhists @ time of laṅkāvatāra did not it, hence addition in apologetic tone noticeable. phelps (2004:64–65) points passage in surangama sutra implies advocacy of not vegetarian, vegan lifestyle ; however, numerous scholars on centuries have concluded Śūraṅgama sūtra forgery. moreover, in mahayana mahaparinirvana sutra, same sutra records retraction of permission eat meat, buddha explicitly identifies beautiful foods honey, milk, , cream, of eschewed vegans.

in modern buddhist world, attitudes toward vegetarianism vary location. in china , vietnam, monks typically eat no meat, other restrictions well. in japan or korea schools not eat meat, while do. theravadins in sri lanka , southeast asia not practice vegetarianism. buddhists however, including monks, allowed practice vegetarianism if wish so. phelps (2004:147) states there no accurate statistics, guess—and guess—that worldwide half of buddhists vegetarian .