A true Buddhist should not play a part in the circle of life and death of other beings

“If a person does not harm any living being and does not kill or cause others to killthat person is a true spiritual practitioner”The Dhammapada

The Buddha sought to put an end to widespread violence and suffering including animal slaughter by propounding His guideline of ahimsa or non-violence. The practice of vegetarianism would therefore seem basic to Buddhism. Yet the majority of Buddhists today are meat-eaters and they take refuge in many ill-understood tenets.

That there is any controversy over this is rooted in the way Buddhist texts have been understood. The Buddha unconditionally discouraged consumption of the flesh of any animal that was “seen, heard or suspected” to have been killed specifically for the benefit of monks -(Jivaka Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya 55) and consequently the First Precept cautions Buddhists to refrain from intentionally harming or killing any living creature.

Although this should be clear enough, con- fusion has been created over the meaning of ‘intentional’. A distinction has been sought to be drawn between the intentional act of depriving a living being of life, and consuming the flesh of an animal that is already dead.

In order to correctly cognise the Buddha’s word, let us place them in the background of the times in which He existed. There were no “Buddhists” then. The Buddha’s disciples were monks--Bhikkhus who wandered from place to place living on alms. They created a myth to justify consumption of meat. It says they could not choose between meat and vegetarian foods. If meat was what someone offered; it was to be accepted. To reject such an offering would be an offence against hospitality and would deprive the householder of an opportunity to gain merit -- and it could not benefit the animal, because it was already dead. It was in these circumstances that the provision was created that if a monk should not have seen, heard, nor have any reason to suspect, that the meat was from an animal killed specifically for him, then the meat could be said to be ‘blameless’.

Food is purchased and prepared by oneself; therefore it involves choice, action and intent. When you shop for meat, you are not killing the animal yourself, but you are encouraging someone to kill it for you. You help the butcher to be in business. This is a clear violation of the conditions laid down in the texts and inconsistent with the Buddhist principle of metta. Lay Buddhists do not depend on alms food and therefore are free to choose a diet; they should, in harmony with the teachings of their religion, make the compassionate and wiser choice of vegetarianism.

The Mahayana texts, notably the Lankavatara Sutra, clearly perceive the link between meat-eating and the misery of animals and makes a strong point in favour of vegetarianism : “Those who practise lovingkindness should consider all sentient beings as their own children; therefore, they must give up eating meat.” The Brahmajala Sutra too prohibits meat-eating. This code is followed in China by both monks and lay-people. Similarly the Jivaka Sutta talks of the Brahmaviharas of loving –kindness and com- passion to all sentient beings. In fact all throughout Buddhist texts, there is an overwhelming wealth of urgings to be ‘ashamed of irregularity, full of mercy, and dwell compassionate and kind to all creatures that have life’. Is it really possible to ‘dwell kind and compassionate to all living creatures’ while eating their flesh knowing that it was taken in an act of violence? Be mindful of the contradiction.

The argument in favour of a vegetarian diet comes from two straightforward principles. The first is a belief in rebirth. Buddhists believe that after death, the soul of a human may inhabit an animal; therefore, it certainly follows that they would desist from slaughter of animals for food. All beings have at one point or another been reincarnated as kin. The next argument for vegetarianism comes from the proscription against destroying any living thing which is a basic tenet of Buddhist philosophy. This principle is spoken by the Buddha in the Udana:

“My thought has wandered in all directions throughout the world. I have never yet met with anything that was dearer to anyone than his own self. Since to others, to each one for himself, the self is dear, therefore let him who desires his own advantage not harm another.”

When we eat animals which die in great horror, distress and hate, we consume also those enzymes like adrenaline secreted into the blood stream to make the creature prepare for ‘flight or fight’ temperament. These toxins of fear and hatred, affects both our spiritual and physical health.

“The eating of meat extinguishes the seed of great Compassion.”-The Mahaparinirvana Sutra.

Vegetarianism promotes Lovingkindness, Compassion and Equanimity to all beings. There is no room for hatred and violence, in the hearts of those who decline flesh of animals slaughtered for consumption.

Supply and demand is an obvious vicious cycle. When you buy meat, you play a part in the circle of life and death of other being

All true practitioners of the path ultimately abandon meat-eating.