the great vegetarian debate

Post by **retrofuturist** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:37 pm

Greetings,

This is a topic focused on the subject of Vegetarianism.

Please note - other vegetarian topics may be merged into this one without notice.

Thank you.

Metta,
Retro.

Post by **retrofuturist** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 11:09 pm

Greetings,

My approach is actually similar to that of the Sangha... I'll eat meat if it's given to me, but I won't request it or purchase it etc. My wife knows that my preference is vegetarian, but I don't expect her to go making separate meals just for me when she does the cooking. I also have a "well, you can't bring it back to life now" mentality when at barbecues, parties, functions, group dinners etc.

Metta,
Retro.

AdvaitaJ · Post by **AdvaitaJ** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:23 am

I'm in the "thinking about it" category. Though I still order, cook, and eat meat, I now think about how many animals had to be killed for my meals. My consumption of chicken is now reduced expressly for this reason.

As an addendum, this thread got me to look into something I've wondered about: pescetarianism. Basically, a vegetarian who also eats fish. I'm reminded of a translation I heard of the precepts that said to avoid killing sentient beings. By my definition of sentient, that puts all mammals and poultry on the do-not-disturb list but leaves fish in a questionable state.

Regards: AdvaitaJ

Tex · Post by **Tex** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:44 am

I guess I should answer my own question.

I voted for the middle option.

At this point, all I've done is to start buying "free range" chicken so that the chickens are at least allowed to have a fairly normal chicken life instead of being packed into those awful chicken warehouses with their beaks cut off. Plus I figure it must be healthier to eat chickens that weren't shot up with steroids. And I've never touched veal because of how the calves are treated. But basically that's the only change I've made since becoming a Buddhist -- try to be conscious to support meat industries that don't mistreat the animals while they're alive and to reduce my meat consumption somewhat.

I don't know if that is enough. But then again there is the argument that in any grain or vegetable harvest many millions of sentient beings like insects, earthworms, field mice, and so on are killed.

So, perhaps it's better to have one cow killed and eat from it for a month?

I really don't know...

Ana · Post by **Ana** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:03 am

Yes!

I am vegetarian

Post by **retrofuturist** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:05 am

Yes, but are you Theravadin?

(see Tex's intro post)

Metta,
Retro.

Ana · Post by **Ana** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:07 am

retrofuturist wrote:Yes, but are you Theravadin?

(see Tex's intro post)

Metta,
Retro.

to be quite honest....

I don't know the distinction
I am here with my heart
I once died because of the need for a definition

poet poet poet
it was silly, I did wrong
I realized defining yourself or anything is not really important

forgive me please
don't send me away
I believe Buddha and Karma
I know in my heart it is true

please don't send me away

appicchato · Post by **appicchato** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:13 am

Yes...

...(he's saying 'Great!')...

Post by **retrofuturist** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:16 am

Greetings bhante,

If you don't mind me asking, what are the logistics of being a vegetarian bhikkhu? What do you do if someone offers you meat?

Metta,
Retro.

Post by **DNS** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:18 am

For monks and nuns there is the three-fold rule. As a lay man, I like this quote:

“Monks, one possessed of three qualities is put into Purgatory according to his actions. What three? One is himself a taker of life, encourages another to do the same and approves thereof.
Monks, one possessed of three qualities is put into heaven according to his actions. What three? He himself abstains from taking life, encourages another to so abstain, and approves of such abstention.”
Anguttara Nikaya, 3.16

Notice the reference number (3.16), Christians have John 3.16; vegetarian Buddhists have: Anguttara Nikaya 3.16

jcsuperstar · Post by **jcsuperstar** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:08 am

TheDhamma wrote:
Notice the reference number (3.16), Christians have John 3.16; vegetarian Buddhists have: Anguttara Nikaya 3.16

cute

and ive been the off and on veg for decades... somehow i convinced my mom to go veg years ago though and she stuck to it.. and my GF is sorta veg, she eats seafood....

AlaskanDhamma · Post by **AlaskanDhamma** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:04 am

I'm sort of in the same boat as Retro. I prefer to be vegetarian, but I don't expect other to accommodate my desires. I also don't have enough in my diet to supplement my lack of meat, therefore being forced to eat it. Vitamins aren't enough most of the time. I try to think about the suffering that animal went through. I know exactly what an animal goes through during slaughter, because I used to work in a slaughterhouse. Oddly enough, this isn't what convinced me to go vegetarian. My introduction to Buddhism is what made me re think how life and suffering effect us.

Cittasanto · Post by **Cittasanto** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:43 am

AlaskanDhamma wrote:I'm sort of in the same boat as Retro. I prefer to be vegetarian, but I don't expect other to accommodate my desires.

Same here! I put "no but considdering", as I am mainly vegetarian, but will eat meat once a week more or less due to dining out at friends, or my partner fancies a change.

appicchato · Post by **appicchato** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:04 pm

retrofuturist wrote:...what are the logistics of being a vegetarian bhikkhu? What do you do if someone offers you meat?

Hi Paul,

The logistics aren't too tough...the MO in my wat is to put everything given to the monks on pindabaht into bowls and served buffet style (there's not only the monks, but the mae chi's (who outnumber the monks), and the Burmese workers (and their families) who do the digging and cutting that monks aren't permitted to do, that share this food)...it's easy for me to leave the meat...when invited to a home for a meal, it's pretty much the same...the dishes are in the middle of the monks and I just don't serve myself any...there's a large difference in the way Occidentals eat, as opposed to Orientals...it's not as difficult to avoid meat as one might think...

Hoping you're back in good nick...you and your family...

Be well...

Ceisiwr · Post by **Ceisiwr** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:24 pm

Ive been veggie for sometime now, also use soya milk and butter and free range eggs