Mastering Life's Mystery:Vegetarianism In Budhism

Shakyamuni Buddha expressed this in a meaningful sentence: "The life of one depends on another's death." We all like to live safely from the day we are born into this world, yet we kill many living beings, either intentionally or not, in order to stay alive. Food is an essential component in human's survival and we obliged to the food cycle which emphasized one's survival upon another 's death.

        The Northern Vehicle of Buddhism follows the Path of the Bodhisattva called the Bodhisattva-marga. These Mahayanists observe the Bodhisattva precepts, one of which is the prohibition against partaking of food that is prepared using the flesh of an animal. This prohibition is called Tapasa Shila-vrata and is a practical rule for eradicating the evil of wrath. It is described in detail in the Maha-Simhanada Sutra, The Sutra of the Great Lion's Roar, and has received the special name of a Bodhisattva precept.  This Bodhisattva precept proscribes the eating of food prepared from the flesh of an animal and was observed by Lord Buddha when he was called Shakya Bodhisattva before he attained Enlightenment.

      Thus, following a vegetable diet as practised by Buddhists is not for the sake of attracting attention or winning approbation. This practice is one of the utmost importance. The more we Buddhists practice vegetarianism, the better are the results we get. Vegetarianism is the abstention from flesh foods and is a practice, which results in the purification of the body. There are plenty of plants, fruits, and vegetables at for disposal, which should live on them. 

      Out of compassion and because of equality. During the lifetime of Lord Buddha, the Venerable Ananda once asked, "Revered Bhante, why did you allow us formerly to partake of three kinds of "pure flesh"? This is when a monk has not seen the creature being killed or heard its cries while it was being killed and has nothing to suspect regarding specially arranged slaughter on his account. But now you do not like for your disciples to eat meat or fish?" Lord Buddha replied, "O Ananda, in the beginning, your standard of knowledge was of a low level. You had no capacity to receive the high Doctrine. So, when I preached the primary tenets, I allowed all of you to partake of three kinds of "pure flesh." But now your knowledge is mature enough to understand the highest Doctrine.  Therefore, I do not like for you to eat meat and fish. To do so means to kill living beings; if we do not do so directly, we do so indirectly. Thus we lose the "seed of compassion and equality," and it is difficult to attain Arhatship in such a state (Maha Simhanada Sutra).

      Lord Buddha has clearly taught Buddhism to live on a vegetarian diet so as to nourish a compassionate heart and preserve the "spirit of equality," with regard to all creatures. When a Buddhist has decided to follow the Doctrine of the Compassionate One there is no reason why he should not practice compassion in his life and thought deed and word, and also in connection with eating. If followers want to eat flesh for the sake of taste,they should not be so heartless as to look at decapitated and dismembered animals. 

      They believe that regret over such killing, the "seed of compassion"  will dry up gradually, and shall become callous, and all pious actions like the chanting of Sutras, meditation, or intoning the name of the Buddha will become useless.

      Buddhism is a religion of kindness, humanity, and equality; Lord Buddha said, "All beings can become Buddhas, for all have the Buddha-nature and all will finally become enlightened." This is the Doctrine of developed Mahayana as opposed to the limited salvation of Hinayana and of undeveloped Mahayana. Thus, Buddhists do not look at men and animals differently. The same Buddha-nature, as a matter of fact, is present in different forms of existence.