Did Buddha Suggest a Vegetarian Lifestyle? 5 Buddhist Teachings Recommending Vegetarianism.

Did Buddha actually teach or suggest a Vegetarian lifestyle? Does the First Precept of Buddhism prohibit killing of animals?
Does the First Precept of Buddhism prohibit killing of animals?
? What 5 Buddhist Teachings Point to a Vegetarian Lifestyle? What 5 Buddhist Teachers Recommend a Vegetarian Lifestyle?

Not all Buddhists are vegetarians. Did the Buddha actually suggest a vegan lifestyle? Which sutras actually give instruction in vegetarianism? These are the questions that frame our special feature video focusing on Vegetarianism.

Five Teachings from Buddhist Sutra on Vegetarianism
What are the five Buddhist Teachings from Sutra Recommending Vegetarianism. Both older Pali Sutta and Mahayana Sutra dedicate extensive space to teachings on compassion and vegetarianism.

First Precept: Abstain from Taking Life
The primary, and most obvious citation is the first Precept of the Buddha: Abstain from Taking Life. This isn't ambiguous, since Buddha made it clear that all sentient life are equal. Buddha Dharma is all about removing suffering.

Bikkhu Bodhi taught: "The first precept, to abstain from killing, includes the “taking of life of any being with breath.”

When it becomes a debate is from the point-of-view of "intention." Some Buddhists — who are, perhaps, not ready for a vegetarian lifestyle — might ask "If I didn't instruct the butcher to kill the animal, is eating meat okay?"

Buddha's teaching on donated food
This is because in Pali Sutta, Buddha instructed his monks to eat whatever the kind supporters gave to them. In Sutta he is quoted as saying: “Monks, I allow you fish and meat that are quite pure in three respects: if they are not seen, heard or suspected to have been killed on purpose for a monk. But, you should not knowingly make use of meat killed on purpose for you.” In this case, Buddha is teaching that monks should not reject alms — as it would be disrespectful to the giver.

If a misguided follower donated pork, Buddha's instruction was to eat it. He, himself, reputedly died from food poisoning at a very old age from this very act — a misguided follower gave him tainted meat.

Yet, it is clear, that Buddha recommended a Vegetarian or Vegan lifestyle, especially, where it is not possible to argue "I didn't intend for an animal to be killed for me."

Mahayana Sutra Reject Meat
Mahayana sutras, on the other hand, almost entirely reject meat and emphasize compassion to all sentient beings. In the Mahayana Mahaparnirvana Sutra, the final teachings of the Buddha, he insisted no follower should any kind of meat of fish.

The overwhelming reason for a prohibition on meat-eating, from a Mahayana view, is the strong teachings on Buddha Nature. In the Angulimaliya Sutra, Manjushri asks Buddha if Buddhas do not eat meat because of tathagata-garbha — or Buddha Nature, and the cycle of rebirth.

Buddha replies,
Mañjuśhrī, that is so. There are no beings who have not been one’s mother, who have not been one’s sister through generations of wandering in beginningless and endless saṃsāra. Even one who is a dog has been one’s father, for the world of living beings is like a dancer. Therefore, one’s own flesh and the flesh of another are a single flesh, so Buddhas do not eat meat.

There are numerous sutras that strongly denounce meat, includingSurangama Sutra, Brahmajala Sutra, Mahamegha Sutra and the Lankavatara Sutra.

Reducing Meat Consumption
Buddha also taught lay disciples to start by reducing meat consumption. For example, on Sacred or Holy Days, lay disciples become vegetarian for the day. They might choose one or two days a week to abstain. The key concept is to contribute to reducing suffering.

In other words, even becoming a vegetarian for a day a month or week is helpful in terms of minimizing the negative karma of killing.

Notable Teachers Who Are Vegetarian
Who are the notable Buddhist teachers known to teach and practice vegetarianism.
Famously, the great Yogi Shabkar was vegetarian. In his autobiography, Shabkar wrote:

"Above all, you must constantly train your mind to be loving, compassionate, and filled with Bodhichitta. You must give up eating meat, for it is very wrong to eat the flesh of our parent sentient beings."

Thich Nhat Hanh, the famous Zen teacher, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, is not only a vegetarian — he's an activist. "No killing can be justified," he said.
Continues...

[darajeffus]

Oh so thrilling! What joy! What beauty! After the jay (vegetarian) festival in Thailand I decided to continue eating vegetarian. I'm so glad to have found this video. The music at the end was so beautiful also. Thank you to the artists who made it. I feel so fortunate to have seen such an uplifting message. Thank you! Namo Buddhaya!

[jessicalobomusica]

I am not a buddhist, but I am vegetarian as respect for the living beings, for myself and my health and also because I know that the humans integrate the bad energy from all the suffer the animals felt into their bodies and it interferes with our own energy.

[duniavegan]

“Jika engkau makan daging dan ingin berlatih spiritual, jiwamu akan terkontaminasi oleh energi tingkat rendah dan menjadi berat, karena itu tidak bisa naik melampaui alam menengah.” ~Ajaran Sejati Kendaraan Agung

[tchong]

Very nicely produced. ❤❤❤ Remember to always take refuge in the triple jewel. Have good compassion roots to reduce or cease our bad karma. Single mindedly Nianfo and vowed to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Buddhaya Namo Amitabhaya. Amithofo Amithofo Amithofo 🙏 🙏🙏

[mariusbaltazarrozenberg-ho]

Thank you. I fast every New Moon day & Full Moon day - from sunset the night before until sunrise the day after - a good exercise in self-discipline, a great way to "hit the reset button", something I'd recommend to everyone if their health permits it.

[BlueMoon-vhsl]

May Buddha prevails in the hearts all beings 🌷🏵️💮🌸💐🌺🌹❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏

[jrhermosura]

watching this earnestly while eating vegetable spring rolls and a bowl of hot steamed rice

[SukmaHema]

The Buddha was sick because of eating the rare mushrooms not because of meat .

[aliengod]

Buddha taught not to kill any living and breathing beings for taste and pleasure of senses. All animal slaughters happen to enjoy the taste of meat. Plant food is abundant and had always been abundant. So, eating the meat slaughtered by someone, especially a follower only increases the karma. Accepting the meat and giving it to dogs or any wild animals / birds is far far far better and lower karma than consuming that meat and thereby consuming a small portion of the karma from murder of the animal or bird or creature.

[DonDulip]

Awesome 👏 video thank you.

The truth about eating meat 🥩 n fish 🐠 is that it’s allowed only from a natural dead animal. 2500 years ago in India 🇮🇳 it was dense forest with lots of wild Buffalo 🦬 Deer 🦌 etc… so people gather meat from dead animals and preserve them in salt 🧂 or honey 🍯 or smoke 💨 it. In pali the term meat 🥩 refers to flesh of MUSHROOMS 🍄.

So the correct answer is no Meat 🍖 from the supermarket as it’s a known fact that the animals are raised n killed for meat.

A real Buddhist will not eat meat.

[willoanz]

Thank you for this inspiring reminder so well designed. I make the wish that very soon on planet earth there will be a vegetarian day followed by the whole population twice a year. The karma generated by such a pledge is too wonderful to describe...

[GoyimFlatEarther]

Can eggs or milk still be consumed in Buddhism, or does meat prohibition extend to those milk and eggs?

[frankchen]

If one MUST consume animal products, consider ostroveganism / bivalveganism

[octobersnow]

This is a odd question. all things live even plants plants have friendships and love...

[gula_rata]

To clarify, the term "Buddhist vegetarian" is not the same as the usual "Ovo-Lacto vegetarian", and is in fact "Vegan" (no meat, fish, eggs, dairy) plus no pungent spices like onions and garlic.. In today's 21st century modern world, with abundant supermarkets, transportation, technology and trade, there is really no good excuse to not be Vegan. All meat, fish, eggs and dairy is the direct result of intentional animal abuse, suffering, mutilation and killing.. In today's global food economy, the mass killings of factory farms is intended for profit and intended to keep feeding customer's addiction to animal flesh and secretions.. If you call yourself "Buddhist" you should take the 1st precept of Ahimsa very seriously. To practice Buddhist Ahimsa is in fact to be Vegan.

[mr.hazamayukiterumi]

Humans are biologically and evolutionary omnivores

Plus some editions of Buddha's death was said to be from a mushroom

So yeah, even a vegetarian/vegan diet isn't safe either

Balance is key

[rajatsingh]

I am Sanatani and vegitarian Buddha is 9th avatar of Lord Vishnu 🙏🏼 Om Namo Narayana 🙏🏼 Om Namo Buddhay..