the great vegetarian debate

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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DNS
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Re: the great vegetarian debate

Post by DNS »

DAWN wrote:
David N. Snyder wrote: daughter went hard-core vegan.
She keep it very strict?
If there is somethink speacial in they practice? If is not a secret :thinking:
Yes, she is vegan only, all the time. She chose it mostly on ethical grounds, but also is aware of the nutritional case for it too.
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DAWN
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Re: the great vegetarian debate

Post by DAWN »

David N. Snyder wrote:
DAWN wrote:
David N. Snyder wrote: daughter went hard-core vegan.
She keep it very strict?
If there is somethink speacial in they practice? If is not a secret :thinking:
Yes, she is vegan only, all the time. She chose it mostly on ethical grounds, but also is aware of the nutritional case for it too.
Thanks!
:twothumbsup: :namaste:
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yawares
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Re: David's Book : Non-violence and Vegetarianism

Post by yawares »

DAWN wrote:Very intresting to read yours topics Yawares.
Thanks you a lot. :namaste:

Yawares :thanks: for reading ....It's David's topic :thumbsup: yawares is just a poster :tongue:
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Re: the great vegetarian debate

Post by BubbaBuddhist »

When ever omni/carnivores want to debate with my bad vegetarian self, I unbutton my shirt to reveal this:
Image

--bring out a carrot stick, growl, and loudly pop off a bite. End of debate.

BB
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LonesomeYogurt
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Re: the great vegetarian debate

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

Ben wrote:No, its not.

kind regards,

Ben
You've never ripped a line of primo ground beef before?

Here where I live, they call it "Bombay chuck." I've heard it's over 90% pure; none of that 30% fat street stuff.
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Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
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DAWN
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Re: the great vegetarian debate

Post by DAWN »

BubbaBuddhist wrote:When ever omni/carnivores want to debate with my bad vegetarian self, I unbutton my shirt to reveal this:
Image

--bring out a carrot stick, growl, and loudly pop off a bite. End of debate.

BB
Thanks you a lot !

I will confirm myself in my vegan-ego and make some vegan t-shirt :pig: :namaste:
http://www.spreadshirt.fr/tee-shirt-per ... 185435%3As" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sabbe dhamma anatta
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I'am sorry for my english
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Ben
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Re: the great vegetarian debate

Post by Ben »

Hi LY,
LonesomeYogurt wrote:
Ben wrote:No, its not.

kind regards,

Ben
You've never ripped a line of primo ground beef before?

Here where I live, they call it "Bombay chuck." I've heard it's over 90% pure; none of that 30% fat street stuff.
I work a lot with food. I'm very careful regarding the quality of ingredients I buy whether it be for home or work.
If I am buying mince (ground beef) I ensure that it is premium quality. Anything less than premium quality I feed to my dogs.

With regards to spilling the contents and cleaning up - if the blood gets into fabrics such as clothes or tea towels, the stain will only set if it is washed in hot water. Soak in cold water with generic laundry powder.

I am much more careful when it comes to the liquid that comes out of chicken meat. It can contain nasties that can make you sick.

Always use special purpose cutting boards for different types of cooked and raw food to avoid cross-contamination and always ensure personal hygiene before and after food prep.
BTW, I have heard the term "Bombay Duck" but didn't know it referred to ground beef (beef mince)!
kind regards,

Ben
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maverick
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Was Buddha a vegetarian ?

Post by maverick »

Just curious.
Are there any stories in the text that describe what was his usual diet like ?
Last edited by maverick on Sun Sep 23, 2012 3:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Was Buddha a vegetarian ?

Post by cooran »

Hello maverick,

No, the Buddha was not vegetarian. He was an alms-mendicant - this means he ate only what people gave him, and did not store food for another day.

''As recorded in the Pali scriptures, the Buddha did not prohibit consumption of meat, even by monks. In fact, he explicitly rejected a suggestion from Devadatta to do so. In modern Theravada societies, a bhikkhu who adheres to vegetarianism to impress others with his superior spirituality may be committing an infringement of the monastic rules.

On the other hand, the Buddha categorically prohibited consumption of the flesh of any animal that was "seen, heard or suspected" to have been killed specifically for the benefit of monks (Jivaka Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya 55). This rule technically applies only to monastics, but it can be used as a reasonable guide by devout lay people.''
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/vegi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Was Buddha a vegetarian ?

Post by Cittasanto »

maverick wrote:Just curious.
Are there any stories in the text that describe what was his average diet like ?
there are no specific tellings of diet, but there are references, this page may help answer your questions somewhat
http://dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=V ... d_Buddhism" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

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But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
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Hanzze
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Re: David's Book : Non-violence and Vegetarianism

Post by Hanzze »

Maybe it is usefull to make also some connections to non-greed and non-delusion in regard of Vegetarianism. Of course it needs a lot more effort and time to transport and to get the message for a real non-violence solution.
People love non-violence but do not like non-greed and they love -ism but aren't much interested in non-delusion.

Maybe something that needs some good extra work for the modern approach of Theravada in the "modern" world.
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
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Hanzze
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Re: Was Buddha a vegetarian ?

Post by Hanzze »

Maybe useful, to understand the eightfold Path and Diet (even not the best english): Buddha Dharma and Food - consider food as path to liberation
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
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Re: Was Buddha a vegetarian ?

Post by DNS »

maverick wrote:Just curious.
Are there any stories in the text that describe what was his average diet like ?
Yes, there are indications. I was curious too, so took the time to go through the Tipitaka and record every instance where it discusses what he ate. He was not vegetarian, but pretty close; about 97% vegetarian and not too much vegan. See:

Diet of Buddha
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Re: Was Buddha a vegetarian ?

Post by DNS »

David N. Snyder wrote: Diet of Buddha
97% vegetarian and about 72% vegan (I just counted the vegan references).

And based on the above, I think it is a win-win for both sides in the veg. debates. The vegetarians can say that the Buddha was 97% or almost completely vegetarian. And the omnivores can say that the fact that he ate some meat, any meat, shows that he did not ban it, nor is there the direct intention in regard to killing.
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Re: Was Buddha a vegetarian ?

Post by perkele »

David N. Snyder wrote: The vegetarians can say that the Buddha was 97% or almost completely vegetarian.
which is maybe not quite such a meaningful statement in face of the fact that he did not choose his own food buth just accepted almsfood given to him.
But I think it goes to show that his supporters and almsgivers took the precept of abstaining from killing seriously.
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