Mahayana and Vegetarianism
It is said that when Buddhism later moved to Tibet and China, large monasteries developed with landholding. The already existing Chinese Confucius culture did not accept begging for food, and newly established Mahayana Buddhism also followed their example. Monasteries were granted large tracts of land to grow their own food. unlike the situation in Indian Buddhism, monk in China started growing, storing, preparing, and cooking their own food. Thus, for the first time kitchens were appeared in monasteries.
The three-fold rules on meat eating which mentioned in Suttas become meaningless for Chinese monks becasue they were no longer begging for food daily. Then, perhaps, they interpreted Vinaya rules to match their situation. Therefore, meat eating was prohibited since they can prepare food for themselves. Chinese Mahayana Buddhism infulenced Korean and Japanese Buddhism. They also practiced vegetarianism and not only monks this was followed by laity as well. Since then, vegetarianism was highly praised by certain Mahayana Buddhist. This is so, because in the Sanskrit version of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the Buddha says: "I order the various disciples from today that they can not any more partake of meat". Basing on this saying Mahayanists, who beliefs are based Sanskrit Buddhist literature, may undertake to follow this rule as a strict one. The condemnation of meat eating also found in the Brahmajala Sutra, and more importantly meat eating is condemned in Lankavatara Sutra. Herein, some explanation given by the Buddha against meat eating are: 1) present-day animals may have been one's kith and kin in the past; 2) one's own parents and relatives may born in future as animals; 3) there is no logic in exempting the meat of some animals on customary grounds while not exempting all meat; 4) meat is impure as it is always contaminated by body wastes; 5) the prospect of being killed spreads terrow amongst animals; 6) all meat is nothing other than carrion; 7) meat eating makes the consumer to be cruel and sensual; 8) man is not a carnivore by nature. In this Sutra, the Buddha further instructs the Bodhisattva Mahamati thus: "there is no meat that is pure in three ways; not premeditated, not asked for, and not impelled; therefore refrain from eating meat". This is the Mahayanists view of the Buddha's three-fold rules which are unlike the three-fold rules of Theravada given in the Pali canon. Some 24 statements regarding meat eating are further explained in this Sutra. Another more important source in support of vegetarians is also found in the Surangama Sutra. Five quotations from this Sutra are: "You owe me a life; I must repay my debt to you". Due to such causes and conditions we pass through hundreds of thousands of eons in sustained cycle of birth and death. "After my cessation, in the Dharma ending Age, these hordes of ghosts and spirits will abound, spreading like wildfire as they argue that eating meat will bring one to the Bodhi way." "Ananda, I permit the Bhikkhus to eat five kinds of pure meat. This meat is actually a transformation brought into being by my spiritual powers. It basically has no life-force. Those of you Brahmans who live in a climate so hot and humid, and on such sandy and rocky land, that vegetables will not grow; therefore, I had to assist you with spiritual powers and compassion. Because of this magnanimous kindness and compassion, this so-called meat suits your taste. After my extinction, how can those who eat the flesh of beings be called the disciples of Sakya?" "You should know that these people who eat meat may gain some awareness and they seem to be in samadhi, but they are all great rakshasas. When their retribution ends, they are bound to sink into the bitter sea of birth and death. They are not disciples of the Buddha. Such people as these kill and eat one another in a never-ending cycle. How can such people transcend the Triple Realm?" The Chinese adaptations of the Vinaya in the Brahma Net Sutra contain ten major and forty-eight minor precepts. The Third Minor precept specifically prohibits eating meat, perhaps the first time such a precept was codified in Buddhism thus: 'A disciple of the Buddha must eat no flesh of sentient beings. If he eats their flesh, he injures his potential for developing universal compassion. Sentient beings will flee from on sight. For this reason, Mahayana practitioners should not eat the flesh of any sentient beings.
The Mahayana ideal of vegetarianism restricted the rule of eating meat because they opine that one seeking to escape from suffering. Why should one inflict it upon others? To escape from suffering of life one has to practice dhyana and seeking to attain samadhi. To practice dhyana and seeking to attain samadhi should be kindness to living being and refrain from eating their flesh. Refraining from meat eating is to save beings, not to harm them, not to terrorize them by killing and eating them. The Mahayana's viewpoint of consumption of meat let others do the killing for him, causing suffering to the animals and future suffering to the butcher and the consumer as well. Anyhow, it would not be right to say that all Mahayana Buddhists are vegetarians, for some Japanese and Tibetan Buddhists have been consuming meat.
It is said that when Buddhism later moved to Tibet and China, large monasteries developed with landholding. The already existing Chinese Confucius culture did not accept begging for food, and newly established Mahayana Buddhism also followed their example. Monasteries were granted large tracts of land to grow their own food. unlike the situation in Indian Buddhism, monk in China started growing, storing, preparing, and cooking their own food. Thus, for the first time kitchens were appeared in monasteries.
The three-fold rules on meat eating which mentioned in Suttas become meaningless for Chinese monks becasue they were no longer begging for food daily. Then, perhaps, they interpreted Vinaya rules to match their situation. Therefore, meat eating was prohibited since they can prepare food for themselves. Chinese Mahayana Buddhism infulenced Korean and Japanese Buddhism. They also practiced vegetarianism and not only monks this was followed by laity as well. Since then, vegetarianism was highly praised by certain Mahayana Buddhist. This is so, because in the Sanskrit version of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the Buddha says: "I order the various disciples from today that they can not any more partake of meat". Basing on this saying Mahayanists, who beliefs are based Sanskrit Buddhist literature, may undertake to follow this rule as a strict one. The condemnation of meat eating also found in the Brahmajala Sutra, and more importantly meat eating is condemned in Lankavatara Sutra. Herein, some explanation given by the Buddha against meat eating are: 1) present-day animals may have been one's kith and kin in the past; 2) one's own parents and relatives may born in future as animals; 3) there is no logic in exempting the meat of some animals on customary grounds while not exempting all meat; 4) meat is impure as it is always contaminated by body wastes; 5) the prospect of being killed spreads terrow amongst animals; 6) all meat is nothing other than carrion; 7) meat eating makes the consumer to be cruel and sensual; 8) man is not a carnivore by nature. In this Sutra, the Buddha further instructs the Bodhisattva Mahamati thus: "there is no meat that is pure in three ways; not premeditated, not asked for, and not impelled; therefore refrain from eating meat". This is the Mahayanists view of the Buddha's three-fold rules which are unlike the three-fold rules of Theravada given in the Pali canon. Some 24 statements regarding meat eating are further explained in this Sutra. Another more important source in support of vegetarians is also found in the Surangama Sutra. Five quotations from this Sutra are: "You owe me a life; I must repay my debt to you". Due to such causes and conditions we pass through hundreds of thousands of eons in sustained cycle of birth and death. "After my cessation, in the Dharma ending Age, these hordes of ghosts and spirits will abound, spreading like wildfire as they argue that eating meat will bring one to the Bodhi way." "Ananda, I permit the Bhikkhus to eat five kinds of pure meat. This meat is actually a transformation brought into being by my spiritual powers. It basically has no life-force. Those of you Brahmans who live in a climate so hot and humid, and on such sandy and rocky land, that vegetables will not grow; therefore, I had to assist you with spiritual powers and compassion. Because of this magnanimous kindness and compassion, this so-called meat suits your taste. After my extinction, how can those who eat the flesh of beings be called the disciples of Sakya?" "You should know that these people who eat meat may gain some awareness and they seem to be in samadhi, but they are all great rakshasas. When their retribution ends, they are bound to sink into the bitter sea of birth and death. They are not disciples of the Buddha. Such people as these kill and eat one another in a never-ending cycle. How can such people transcend the Triple Realm?" The Chinese adaptations of the Vinaya in the Brahma Net Sutra contain ten major and forty-eight minor precepts. The Third Minor precept specifically prohibits eating meat, perhaps the first time such a precept was codified in Buddhism thus: 'A disciple of the Buddha must eat no flesh of sentient beings. If he eats their flesh, he injures his potential for developing universal compassion. Sentient beings will flee from on sight. For this reason, Mahayana practitioners should not eat the flesh of any sentient beings.
The Mahayana ideal of vegetarianism restricted the rule of eating meat because they opine that one seeking to escape from suffering. Why should one inflict it upon others? To escape from suffering of life one has to practice dhyana and seeking to attain samadhi. To practice dhyana and seeking to attain samadhi should be kindness to living being and refrain from eating their flesh. Refraining from meat eating is to save beings, not to harm them, not to terrorize them by killing and eating them. The Mahayana's viewpoint of consumption of meat let others do the killing for him, causing suffering to the animals and future suffering to the butcher and the consumer as well. Anyhow, it would not be right to say that all Mahayana Buddhists are vegetarians, for some Japanese and Tibetan Buddhists have been consuming meat.
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