Kammic consequences of eating eggs?

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Sam Vara
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Re: What is the Buddhist view of abortion?

Post by Sam Vara »

Goofaholix wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:12 pm (There will also be kammic consequences with eating chicken eggs by the way, which are essentially abortions in a shell).
Surely only if the eggs are fertilised?
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Re: What is the Buddhist view of abortion?

Post by Goofaholix »

Sam Vara wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:16 pm Surely only if the eggs are fertilised?
sure
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Re: What is the Buddhist view of abortion?

Post by thepea »

Goofaholix wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:12 pm
thepea wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:24 pm I doubt you can abort sin free.
Putting aside that "sin" is a judeo christian concept that doesn't translate well in a Buddhist context, yes I'd agree that there are always going to be kammic consequences with an abortion. (There will also be kammic consequences with eating chicken eggs by the way, which are essentially abortions in a shell).

There will also be kammic consequences with adding a second mistake to the first mistake and ruining ones life bringing and bringing an unwanted child into a world full of Dukkha.

Somebody in this situation needs needs to weigh these things up and make a decision, I don't want the kammic consequences of telling them what to do.
Sin is mara(greed/fear of loss) we are all simners and that’s why we are here in this samsaric roundabout.

Yes I would never tell a woman what she must or must not do with her body. But abortion usually involves a dr and this dr must also deal with their kamma.

The chickens we have lay eggs unfertilized as we do not have a rooster as we are not breeding currently.
It just what they do, they lay eggs and scratch for bugs.
I take cate of them and collect the eggs they do not seem to mind at all.
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Re: What is the Buddhist view of abortion?

Post by SteRo »

Goofaholix wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:12 pm (There will also be kammic consequences with eating chicken eggs by the way, ....
Of course. High cholesterol and heart attack :lol:
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Re: Kammic consequences of eating eggs?

Post by Inedible »

There is a level of harm in anything you eat. Just raising crops involves plowing the ground and killing insects. Then there are the chemicals used. The water which could have gone to other things. Fertilizer runoff. The work of growing crops is hard and painful. Then there are the insects killed during harvesting. Possibly small animals, killed by the large machines. The carbon and toxins put in the air by burning fuel to raise the crops and transport them. Your intention in eating is to feed your body. You aren't trying to kill and poison. The stuff is at the store and you buy it. So the thing is, you are overthinking. You could take it a lot farther, but you would be a Jainist rather than a Buddhist.
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Re: What is the Buddhist view of abortion?

Post by thepea »

SteRo wrote: Mon Jun 27, 2022 5:40 am
Goofaholix wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:12 pm (There will also be kammic consequences with eating chicken eggs by the way, ....
Of course. High cholesterol and heart attack :lol:
No proof in that. People eat and cook with eggs for centuries. I think it’s fear causing the high cholesterol and heart attacks. It’s mental.
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Re: Kammic consequences of eating eggs?

Post by thepea »

Inedible wrote: Mon Jun 27, 2022 5:47 am There is a level of harm in anything you eat. Just raising crops involves plowing the ground and killing insects. Then there are the chemicals used. The water which could have gone to other things. Fertilizer runoff. The work of growing crops is hard and painful. Then there are the insects killed during harvesting. Possibly small animals, killed by the large machines. The carbon and toxins put in the air by burning fuel to raise the crops and transport them. Your intention in eating is to feed your body. You aren't trying to kill and poison. The stuff is at the store and you buy it. So the thing is, you are overthinking. You could take it a lot farther, but you would be a Jainist rather than a Buddhist.
Yup, we all kill, it’s intention that matters.
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Re: Kammic consequences of eating eggs?

Post by pegembara »

Being alive itself has karmic consequences! It's a dog-eat-dog world.
The "cost of living".
"And how is physical food to be regarded? Suppose a couple, husband & wife, taking meager provisions, were to travel through a desert. With them would be their only baby son, dear & appealing. Then the meager provisions of the couple going through the desert would be used up & depleted while there was still a stretch of the desert yet to be crossed. The thought would occur to them, 'Our meager provisions are used up & depleted while there is still a stretch of this desert yet to be crossed. What if we were to kill this only baby son of ours, dear & appealing, and make dried meat & jerky. That way — chewing on the flesh of our son — at least the two of us would make it through this desert. Otherwise, all three of us would perish.' So they would kill their only baby son, loved & endearing, and make dried meat & jerky. Chewing on the flesh of their son, they would make it through the desert. While eating the flesh of their only son, they would beat their breasts, [crying,] 'Where have you gone, our only baby son? Where have you gone, our only baby son?' Now what do you think, monks: Would that couple eat that food playfully or for intoxication, or for putting on bulk, or for beautification?"

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Re: What is the Buddhist view of abortion?

Post by justindesilva »

Sam Vara wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:16 pm
Goofaholix wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:12 pm (There will also be kammic consequences with eating chicken eggs by the way, which are essentially abortions in a shell).
Surely only if the eggs are fertilised?
There are conditions for an egg to be fertilised. Hence agro farmists have found ways to make eggs which are disabled to be fertilised hence do not create life.
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Re: Kammic consequences of eating eggs?

Post by NotMe »

pegembara wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 2:19 am Being alive itself has karmic consequences! It's a dog-eat-dog world.
The "cost of living".
That is one way of looking at it. It’s probably the Christian upbringing in me but I’ve always viewed it as:
Those who live by the sword, die by the sword. A choice.
You reap what you sow. A choice.

It takes two to tango, be the lead partner. And then yes being alive has its karmic consequences and it is all good.

Metta

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Re: Kammic consequences of eating eggs?

Post by Spiny Norman »

Inedible wrote: Mon Jun 27, 2022 5:47 am There is a level of harm in anything you eat. Just raising crops involves plowing the ground and killing insects. Then there are the chemicals used. The water which could have gone to other things. Fertilizer runoff. The work of growing crops is hard and painful. Then there are the insects killed during harvesting. Possibly small animals, killed by the large machines. The carbon and toxins put in the air by burning fuel to raise the crops and transport them. Your intention in eating is to feed your body. You aren't trying to kill and poison. The stuff is at the store and you buy it. So the thing is, you are overthinking. You could take it a lot farther, but you would be a Jainist rather than a Buddhist.
Sure, growing crops causes some harm, but feeding the crop to animals and then killing the animals for food causes a lot more harm. It's also a very wasteful use of resources.

If you consider developing harmlessness as an aspect of Right Intention, it's pretty obvious that we should be trying to minimise the harm we do, not using excuses to justify a dietary preference.
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Re: Kammic consequences of eating eggs?

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Spiny Norman wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 5:36 am If you consider developing harmlessness as an aspect of Right Intention, it's pretty obvious that we should be trying to minimise the harm we do, not using excuses to justify a dietary preference.
The basic dichotomy would be we either live to eat or eat to live. Nutrition for both the rupa and arupa (Sila) should take precedence over flavors.

Proper nutrition was dictated for the monks by the Buddha, allowing certain foods into their alms bowl. As lay people, the Parisa, we have a wider variety of choices but all choices are not equal. Two way nutrition tops my list. Dare I say feeding NotSelf And Self - two birds with one stone or double your pleasure, double your fun. <grin>

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Re: Kammic consequences of eating eggs?

Post by Spiny Norman »

NotMe wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 6:00 am
Spiny Norman wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 5:36 am If you consider developing harmlessness as an aspect of Right Intention, it's pretty obvious that we should be trying to minimise the harm we do, not using excuses to justify a dietary preference.
The basic dichotomy would be we either live to eat or eat to live. Nutrition for both the rupa and arupa (Sila) should take precedence over flavors.

Proper nutrition was dictated for the monks by the Buddha, allowing certain foods into their alms bowl. As lay people, the Parisa, we have a wider variety of choices but all choices are not equal. Two way nutrition tops my list. Dare I say feeding NotSelf And Self - two birds with one stone or double your pleasure, double your fun. <grin>

Metta

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I don't see a dichotomy, just an imperative. to minimise harm. And meat is not an essential dietary requirement.

The 3-fold rule wasn't about "proper nutrition", it was about trying to reduce the number of animals slaughtered for monks by villagers.

Eat what you like, but please don't overlook the degrees of harm caused by dietary choices.
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Re: What is the Buddhist view of abortion?

Post by Sam Vara »

justindesilva wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 4:12 am
Sam Vara wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:16 pm
Goofaholix wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:12 pm (There will also be kammic consequences with eating chicken eggs by the way, which are essentially abortions in a shell).
Surely only if the eggs are fertilised?
There are conditions for an egg to be fertilised. Hence agro farmists have found ways to make eggs which are disabled to be fertilised hence do not create life.
Yes, there is an age-old way to do it, which is to keep the laying hen away from the rooster!

I do without eggs, because I'm concerned about the cruelty and killing involved in egg production. On a couple of occasions, people who have kept hens merely as pets have offered me unfertilised eggs or food containing them. I guess it's because I've been a vegan for so long - maybe you lose some enzymes or something - but the smell of eggs is really bad and makes me feel queasy. I could force myself to eat one, but it would be tough going. It's exactly the same with milk and cheese. Whatever the ethics, in gustatory terms, nasty.
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Re: Kammic consequences of eating eggs?

Post by wenjaforever »

Killing animals doesn't generate a huge amount of negative karma. But torturing animals might. Eating eggs are not even counted as slaughtering a living being. If you kill an animal and give the meat to poor and hungry people you might even gain karma. If you consume a living being just be grateful and give thanks to the animal that gave its life to nourish you, it's more wholesome this way.
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