Vegetarian / Vegan is it necessary?

[Tin_Sandwich]

Hi,

Is it a necessary requirement to become either vegetarian or vegan while treading the Buddhist path?

Gassho

[Jishin]

Yes. No. Yes and no.

Gassho, Jishin

[Daiyo]

Hi, something like that has been recently discussed here:

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?12547-Question-on-the-first-precept-Meat-eating&highlight=meat

Perhaps you could find useful information there.

BTW, can you tell us your name? I don't feel very comfortable calling someone "Tin_Sandwich" or may I call you just Tin?

Gassho,
Walter

[Daijo]

Just don't call him late for dinner.

[Joyo]

From my limited understanding, I'd say no. I know there are people here at Treeleaf who eat meat.

Gassho,
Joyo

[Daiyo]

Just don't call him late for dinner.

Sorry Daijo, I didn't catch you, my english is not that agile.

Gassho,
Walter

[Nindo]

Hi Steve, any question is welcome here, but if you want to dig into what has been said before on a certain topic (and there is a history to almost ANY topic! ) you can use the search function at the top right, below the Log Out function. The precepts are discussed every year during Jukai preparation, so you will find a wealth there on meat eating and alcohol/ drug consumption.
Gassho,
Nindo

[Dosho]

Tin,

No, it is not a requirement. As we walk the path and engage with the precepts we may struggle at times, but in my limited experience Buddhism discourages absolutes.

So, if anyone tells you that you must do A or B to walk the Buddhist path, be wary of such advice.

For me, I eat meat and found on a recent retreat that I did not do well on a vegetarian diet. I like to think that perhaps I just haven't found sufficient plant sources for my nutritional needs, but for now I am doing the best I can. That is walking the Buddhist path.

Off course, I am a novice priest, so my advice comes with a disclaimer (see below).

Gassho,
Dosho

[david u]

Hello Tin_Sandwich
I have been vegetarian for the past 20 years, and I think of it to be very unimportant for me. Vegetarianism is for me just a consequence in a goal-less path. This was my personal choice at a given time, and before that, I ate anything that came my way. Am I now, as a vegetarian, more Buddhist than I was 20 years ago? I think not. I believe the starting point is to accept oneself wherever one is, no matter what, without judgment, while engaging in a goal-less path, letting oneself go in what the moment-to-moment calls for.

It seems to me, at least for now that personal ethical codes unfold as one moves along her/his personal Path (which doesn’t mean that vegetarians are more enlightened). I understand that not to kill is a precept that one has to live with, explore, and discover its deeper layers. We all kill in some way shape or form; lettuce, plants, microbes, or lice on a child, or fleas on a dog, and if we are to take care of children and pets we need to kill the lice and the fleas, should we not?
The way I understand it, “not to kill…” has three dots at the end. Not to kill is only the beginning part of the precept, the dots need to be personally explored according to one’s possibilities, in a path that I understand is to be gentle with oneself, but certainly disciplined and courageous.
Of course this is is just my point of view, and I'm just a beginner.

Gassho
David

[Risho]

No, it is not a requirement. As we walk the path and engage with the precepts we may struggle at times, but in my limited experience Buddhism discourages absolutes.

So, if anyone tells you that you must do A or B to walk the Buddhist path, be wary of such advice.

Awesomely stated!

Gassho,

Risho

[Tb]

Hi.

So, if anyone tells you that you must do A or B to walk the Buddhist path, be wary of such advice.

Very important point, but does this include the line above from Dosho?

Thank you for your practice, my friends.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

[Jika]

Originally Posted by Dosho


So, if anyone tells you that you must do A or B to walk the Buddhist path, be wary of such advice.




Very important point, but does this include the line above from Dosho?

All generalisations are wrong.



Gassho,
Danny

[Myoku]

Danny, Fugen,
thank you, I think we nailed it now
Gassho
Myoku

[Troy]

Q "
m

[Troy]

^^ not sure how that happened, lol