According to the early Buddhist precepts, monks can eat "three clean meats", that is, they can't see the scene when animals are slaughtered, and they can't hear the whine when animals are slaughtered. To me, it's definitely killing meat. Later, Buddhism had five kinds of pure meat, that is, on the basis of three kinds of pure meat, there were two kinds of dead meat and residual meat. There are nine kinds of pure meat in the fourth volume of Nirvana Sutra, so I don't want to talk about it. But Mahayana Buddhism believes that eating meat is a violation of compassion and bodhisattva. For example, among the 48 precepts of light in the Brahma Sutra, there is a meat-eating precept, which means that eating meat will cut off the seeds of compassion, so all bodhisattvas are not allowed to eat the meat of all sentient beings, except the seriously ill.
In the history of Buddhism in China, Liang Wudi Xiao Yan was the earliest advocate of vegetarianism. As emperor, he advocated abstinence from killing and vegetarianism, forbade alcohol and meat for three times, and made it compulsory to become a vegetarian. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, monks who became monks accepted the precepts of Bodhisattva in the Sanskrit, in which the concept of vegetarianism was strengthened by the precepts of meat. Therefore, vegetarian culture has become one of the main characteristics of the Han nationality Buddhism monks since the Tang and Song Dynasties.
Vegetarianism is one of the compassionate methods advocated by Mahayana Buddhism, that is, it extends from never killing to universal respect and care for life, practices the bodhisattva's self-interest and altruism on the basis of great compassion and bodhicitta, and forbids eating all kinds of meat (fishy) and five kinds of spices (meat) harmful to health, such as onion, garlic, leek, onion and canal. Because most Buddhists live in all walks of life, vegetarianism also has different forms, such as general fasting of meat and animals and vegetarianism of every Buddha and bodhisattva at Christmas. From the point of view of nutrition and hygiene, not eating or eating less meat is very beneficial to health, especially modern meat products, which contain a lot of hormones, pesticide residues and various toxic substances, and are always harmful to our health. Buddhism's vegetarianism is consistent with the scientific views on hygiene, nutrition, environmental protection and health care, which has gradually attracted people's attention. Some avant-garde people and nouveau riche took the lead in becoming vegetarians, which had a far-reaching influence. Vegetarianism is an aspect of China Buddhism's pursuit of Buddhist compassion and altruism. In recent years, vegetarianism has risen in the West. Based on science, from the perspectives of physiology, environmental sanitation, health preservation, morality and ethics, they are all vegetarians, which is different from the spirit of caring for the world of Buddhism and Bodhisattva, but it is also commendable.
In recent years, due to various reasons, some Buddhist learners have misunderstood the original intention of being a kind-hearted and caring vegetarian, misunderstood the connotation and extension of learning Buddhism, simply equated vegetarianism with learning Buddhism, negatively thought that learning Buddhism is vegetarianism, vegetarianism is learning Buddhism, regarded vegetarianism as the standard of not learning Buddhism, and even accused others, causing adverse effects on others. This is because people have many misunderstandings about Buddhism, and even think that learning Buddhism must be shaved, learning Buddhism must be vegetarian, and learning Buddhism is superstition and inaction. Actually, it's not like this. You don't have to be a vegetarian to learn Buddhism. Some vegetarians don't learn Buddhism. This is just a living habit. If people's eating habits are forcibly changed blindly, it will inevitably lead a large number of people to stay away from Buddhism, which is an act of breaking people's roots. For the lay people at home, because the lay people's words and deeds are purely personal psychological or life problems, the requirement of vegetarianism can only be achieved within a certain period of time. However, monks who became monks in the Han Dynasty should be vegetarian, which is determined by the tradition of Buddhist precepts. Nowadays, Buddhists are all over the society, and some of them are social elites, politicians and business celebrities. It is obviously difficult to ask them to be vegetarian. For today's worldwide missionary activities of Buddhism, it is necessary to weigh the gains and losses of the hatchback and advocate a scientific diet in the new era.
For believers who have just learned Buddhism, they should first accept the precepts of not killing (including not committing suicide, not asking others to kill, not providing karma for killing karma, etc.). ), and widely participate in environmental protection, student care, life care and other Buddhist activities. If conditions permit, you can be vegetarian at the Buddha's Christmas mouth. If you are determined to become a vegetarian, it can only be an elegant life behavior of practicing Buddhism, trying not to bring trouble to your family, not forcing others to follow suit, and not discriminating against vegetarians.
The fundamental spirit of Buddhism lies in self-interest and altruism, that is, devoting one's body and mind to the activities of promoting Buddhism with limited strength. This is a good disciple of the Buddha. A smile may change a person's life; Perhaps a word of care and an exhortation can save a person's soul; Provide food and clothing to people who are hungry and cold; Provide spiritual support for the lost and so on. All your actions will be carried out in the name of Buddha disciples, making the world a better place because of you. Specifically, you can study Buddhist knowledge hard, get close to good knowledge, improve your Buddhist cultivation and establish a sound understanding of Buddhism. If you have financial resources, won't it affect your life? F join a Buddhist charity or help people around you at any time; Or use your wisdom to spread Buddhism to people around you, so that more people can move towards a prajnaparamita life and so on.