Leena Watts
Buddhism places a strong emphasis on not harming any living thing, and this includes animals, plants, and people. Buddhists are therefore encouraged to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. However, there is no mandatory vegetarian diet in Theravada Buddhism, and monks and nuns must eat whatever food is offered to them, including meat, unless they know the animal was killed specifically for them. In addition to meat, Buddhists also avoid pungent vegetables, alcohol, tobacco, and betel nuts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vegetarianism | Many Buddhists are vegetarian for ethical, health, and religious reasons. Some Buddhists believe that eating meat harms one's karma and causes pain and suffering. |
| Meat consumption | Some Buddhists consume meat as long as the animal was not killed specifically for them. Theravada monks, nuns, and some lay Buddhists follow the "triply clean meat" rule. Chinese Buddhists avoid the consumption of beef, large animals, and exotic species. |
| Alcohol | Alcohol is forbidden in Buddhism due to its effects on the mind and mindfulness. |
| Drugs | Drugs are forbidden in Buddhism due to their effects on the mind and mindfulness. |
| Spices | Onions, garlic, chives, scallions, and other pungent spices are forbidden in Buddhism. |
| Dairy | Dairy is traditionally not permitted in Buddhism. However, some Buddhists consume dairy products such as milk, cheese, whey, butter, and cream. |
| Eggs | Eggs are traditionally not permitted in Buddhism. However, some Buddhists consume sterile eggs. |
| Staples | Rice, noodles, and congee are staple foods in the Buddhist diet. |
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What You'll Learn
Buddhists are encouraged to be vegetarian
Buddhism places a strong emphasis on not harming any living thing, including animals, plants, and people. Buddhists are encouraged to be vegetarians for both ethical and health-related reasons. The belief in practicing compassion towards animals is central to Buddhism, and this is why a vegetarian diet is encouraged and emphasized. Eating meat is believed to impair compassion and is considered harmful to health.
The consumption of meat by strict Buddhists is subject to various restrictions. The triply clean meat rule followed by Theravada monks, nuns, and some lay Buddhists, dictates that meat is only acceptable when it has not been specifically killed to feed the alms-seeker. Some Chinese Buddhists avoid the consumption of beef, large animals, and exotic species. Many Buddhists also abstain from eating offal or organ meat.
The Buddhist tradition of vegetarianism has gained popularity around the world, with around 20 million vegetarians in the US alone. This is due to the belief that eating meat causes bad karma, which leads to pain and suffering. Killing a sentient being forces it to begin a painful process of rebirth, and since Buddhists believe that animals can attain enlightenment, killing them deprives them of that chance. A Buddhist who eats meat is believed to suffer the following ill effects: "His blood and flesh will be rejected by the gods, and the heavens will distance themselves far from him."
Buddhist cuisine typically features rice, noodles, and other grains, with vegetables stir-fried or cooked in vegetarian broth. Dairy products are generally not forbidden, as they do not belong to the "fleshy smell" category, and their consumption does not involve killing or harming animals. However, eggs are considered part of the "fleshy smell" category and are avoided by those who have taken a strict vegetarian vow. Alcohol and other drugs are also typically avoided by Buddhists as they are believed to cloud the mind.
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Meat is only refused if intentionally killed for them
Buddhism places a strong emphasis on not harming any living thing. This includes animals, plants, and people. As a result, Buddhists are encouraged to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. However, this is not mandatory, and some Buddhists do consume meat.
The consumption of meat is a complex issue in Buddhism, and there are varying opinions and practices among followers. The key principle that guides Buddhist dietary choices is the idea of causing no harm. This is known as "ahimsa". The belief in ahimsa leads many Buddhists to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet, as they believe that killing and consuming animals causes harm and negative karma.
However, not all Buddhists interpret this principle in the same way. Some Buddhists believe that it is acceptable to consume meat as long as the animal was not intentionally killed for them. This concept is known as "triply clean meat" or "three clean animals" in the Theravada tradition. According to this belief, monks and nuns can accept and consume meat that is given to them through alms, as long as they did not specifically request the meat and the animal was not killed specifically for them.
This exception to the general preference for vegetarianism is based on the idea that monks and nuns should not be picky or fastidious about their food and should accept whatever is offered to them with gratitude. This practice is also mentioned in the earliest surviving written accounts of Buddhism, the Edicts of King Ashoka, which are honoured by both Theravada and Mahayana schools of Buddhism.
In addition to the physical suffering caused by killing animals, Buddhists who eat meat believe that it is acceptable as long as it does not lead to negative karmic consequences. According to Buddhist teachings, killing a sentient being forces it to begin a painful process of rebirth, and consuming meat is believed to deplete the life force energy of other creatures. However, if the animal was not specifically killed for them, some Buddhists believe that the negative karmic consequences can be avoided.
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Alcohol is forbidden
Buddhism places a strong emphasis on not harming any living thing, including animals, plants, and people. As a result, Buddhists are encouraged to follow a vegetarian diet, as eating meat is believed to cause bad karma. This belief is based on the idea that killing a sentient being forces it to begin a painful process of rebirth, and that animals, too, can become enlightened. Therefore, killing them deprives them of that chance.
However, Buddhist monks and nuns consume food by gathering alms, and they generally must eat whatever foods are offered to them, including meat. The exception to this rule is when the almsgiver has specifically killed an animal to feed the monk or nun, or if the meat is from an animal considered impure, such as a dog or a snake. This restriction is known as the consumption of "triply clean meat".
While the consumption of meat is restricted, alcohol is strictly forbidden in Buddhism. This is because alcohol can easily alter one's temperament and personality, and it is difficult to remain clear-minded and self-controlled after drinking. Buddhism highly emphasizes wisdom and diligence in attaining the goals of practice, and alcohol is believed to hinder these goals.
The Buddhist concept of "mindfulness" is also important in this context. Alcohol and other drugs are avoided by many Buddhists because they are believed to cloud the mind and hinder one's ability to be fully present and aware. This belief is part of the Five Precepts, which dictate that one should not take any substance that will cloud the mind.
In conclusion, while the Buddhist diet may vary depending on regional and individual interpretations, alcohol is generally forbidden due to its perceived negative impact on the mind, self-control, and wisdom. Buddhists aim to attain enlightenment and live a life of compassion and non-violence, and alcohol is believed to hinder these goals.
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Dairy is allowed
Buddhism places a strong emphasis on not harming any living thing. This includes animals, plants, and people. Buddhists are therefore vegetarians for both ethical and health-related reasons. However, there is no mandatory vegetarian diet in Theravada Buddhism. If one can follow it, a vegetarian diet is encouraged and emphasized in Buddhism. This is due to the belief in practicing compassion towards animals, not necessarily for health and economic reasons, as embraced by many vegetarians today.
Buddhists believe that eating meat results in negative karma, which causes pain in addition to the physical suffering of animals. A sentient being that is killed is forced to start a difficult reincarnation process. Buddhists believe that animals can become enlightened, so killing them takes away their opportunity. A vegetarian diet contributes to the purification of the karmic retribution cycle.
Buddhists are encouraged to accept whatever food is given to them. They wouldn't even refuse fish or meat as long as it was not slaughtered for their sake. This is why there is no mandatory vegetarian diet in Theravada Buddhism. Dairy products do not belong to the fleshy smell category. Since cows and goats consume grass and grains, their milk does not emit a pungent flesh odor. Also, consuming milk does not involve killing or harming the animals. When cows and goats are raised for milk, the process does not harm the growth and development of the young animals. Therefore, during the Buddha's time, people consumed milk in five ways: as milk, cheese (curds), whey, butter, and cream. These are common food staples and well-needed nutrients, so they are not forbidden to Buddhists.
However, it is important to note that today, due to the increasing demand for dairy products, many dairy farms and processing plants adopt mass-production techniques that abuse the animals' biological nature and living conditions. As such, some Buddhists may choose to avoid dairy products for ethical reasons.
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Onions and garlic are avoided
The Buddhist diet avoids the five pungent vegetables: onions, garlic, green onions, chives, and leeks. These vegetables are avoided because they are said to excite the senses and cause attachment to flavor. In the Shurangama Sutra, it is written that "Ananda, all beings live if they eat wholesome food and die if they take poison. In their search for Samadhi, they should abstain from eating five kinds of pungent roots; if eaten cooked, they are aphrodisiac and if raw, they cause irritability."
Onions and garlic are also believed to be natural antibiotics, and it is better to save them for medicinal purposes. In the olden days, they were forbidden among the Buddhist community because these vegetables can cause irritation and intestinal gas, which lessens one's ability to concentrate or meditate. Additionally, garlic and onion are said to be medicinal in Ayurvedic medicines and are believed to stimulate and arouse the senses in an undesirable manner.
Some believe that onions and garlic are not to be consumed by monks because they cause a bad smell in the mouth, increase sex-related hormones, and decrease lifespan. However, there are conflicting views on this, as some believe that the Buddha himself ate everything, and there are no prohibitions.
In terms of health, garlic is toxic to humans because its sulphone hydroxyl ions penetrate the blood-brain barrier and are poisonous to brain cells. It also affects the synchronization of the two hemispheres of the brain. For these reasons, it is advised that Buddhists stay away from these pungent roots as they are seen as obstacles to practicing Buddhism.
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Frequently asked questions
Buddhists traditionally do eat meat, but only if it was not slaughtered specifically for them. Some sects of Buddhism, such as Mahayana, forbid eating meat and stress the importance of a vegetarian diet.
Buddhists avoid pungent vegetables and food with a fleshy smell, such as eggs. They also avoid alcohol, drugs, and caffeine as these can cloud the mind. Some Buddhists also avoid dairy, onions, garlic, and chives, which are known as the "Five Pungent Spices" or "forbidden foods".
Buddhists believe that eating meat causes bad karma and physical suffering for animals. They also believe that eating meat harms one's karma because it depletes the life force energy of other creatures.
Buddhist monks traditionally eat "three bowls" of food in descending size: a grain-based dish, a protein dish, and a vegetable dish or salad.
