Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
So to say, those who aspire to be bodhisattvas must be vegetarian.
It is only particularly in the Mahayana sutras that vegetarianism
is promoted... but Buddha never made a law to prevent his Sangha
from consuming meat. In fact, he rejected Devadatta (his disciple
who wanted to kill 4 four times) advise to make it a law to be
vegetarian.[/b]
got to ask why Ven Hai Tao consolidated so
many sutras that said other wise.
take a read:
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?s=9c113aed7c254c0ba34cb9c10a74b963&showtopic=22615
From "Mahaparinirvana Sutra":
Then Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to
the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! To one who eats flesh, we should
not give flesh. Why not? I see a great virtue arising out of
abstention from eating flesh." The Buddha praised Kasyapa and said:
"Well said, well said! You now come to know my mind well. A
Bodhisattva who protects Dharma should be thus. O good man!
From now on, I do not permit my sravaka disciples to eat
meat. When receiving from a danapati a pristine dana
[gift] of faith, think that one is eating the flesh of one's own
son." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said further to the Buddha: "O
World-Honoured One! Why is it that the Tathagata does not allow us
to eat meat?" "O good man! One who eats meat kills the seed of
great compassion."
Kasyapa said again: "Why
did you first allow the bhiksus to eat three kinds of pure meat?"
"O Kasyapa! These three kinds of pure meat were so instituted
following the need of the occasion." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again
to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! In what circumstances do you
not allow the ten impurities or the nine kinds of what is pure?"
The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "This also is permitted by gradual
steps following the need of the occasion. This is what applies in
the actual segregation from eating meat."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said further to the Buddha: "Why is it that the
flesh of fish is praised and called beautiful?" "O good man! I do
not say that the flesh of fish is a beautiful food. I say that
sugar can, non-glutinous rice, rock candy, black rock candy, all
kinds of wheat, honey, milk, cream, and oil are beautiful foods.
Various kinds of clothing material can be stocked, but what can be
stocked is those whose colour has faded. How could one greedily
stick to [crave after] the flesh of fish?"
Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "If the Tathagata means to
prohibit the eating of meat, such things as the five kinds of
flavours as milk, cream, fresh butter, clarified butter, and
sarpirmanda, all kinds of clothing, silk cloth, horse-shoe shell,
hide and leather, bowls of gold and silver should not be received."
"O good man! Do not muddle things up with what the Nirgranthas
[Jains] say. Each of the prohibitions which the Tathagata lays down
has a different meaning. By this, three pure meats are permitted
standing on different grounds and the ten kinds of meat are
prohibited by different standpoints. By different standpoints, all
are prohibited, until the time of one's death. O Kasyapa! I, from
now on, tell my disciples to refrain from eating any kind of meat.
O Kasyapa! When one eats meat, this gives out the smell of meat
while one is walking, standing, sitting or reclining. People smell
this and become fearful. This is as when one comes near a lion. One
sees and smells the lion, and fear arises.
O good man! When one eats garlic, the dirty smell is unbearable.
Other people notice it. They smell the bad smell. They leave that
person and go away. Even from far off, people hate to see such a
person. They will not come near him. It is the same with one who
eats meat. It is a similar situation with all people who, on
smelling the meat, become afraid and entertain the thought of
death. All living things in the water, on land and in the sky
desert such a person and run away. They say that this person is
their enemy. Hence the Bodhisattva does not eat meat. In order to
save beings, he shows [pretends] that he eats meat. Though he
[seems to] eat meat, in actual fact he does not. O good man! Such a
Bodhisattva does not even take pure food. How could he eat
meat?
One hundred years after my death, all the holy sages of the four
fruitions [the four stages leading to "arhatship"] will enter
Nirvana. The age of Wonderful Dharma will be over, and there will
appear the age of Counterfeit Dharma, when the bhiksu will keep the
precepts [only] as a matter of form, will recite [only] a little of
the sutras, will greedily take food and drink and [excessively]
nourish his body. What he wears on his body will be ugly and
coarse. He will look wearied and show no dignity. He will feed
[farm] cows and sheep and carry fuel and grass. His beard, nails
and hair will be long. He will don the kasaya [priestly robe] but
look like a hunter. He will narrow his eyes, walk slowly and look
like a cat who is after a rat. He will always mutter: "I have
attained arhatship". He will suffer from all kinds of diseases, lie
and sleep on dung. Outwardly he will look wise, but inside he will
be greedy and jealous. He practises mute like a Brahmin. Truth to
tell, he is no shramana [monk], but only tries to appear as such.
He is burning with perverted views, ever slandering Wonderful
Dharma. One such as this transgresses against the precepts, right
action and deportment instituted by the Tathagata. He talks about
the fruit of emancipation, but his actions depart from what is pure
and he violates Dharma, which is profound and hidden. Each such
person, following his own interpretation, will speak contrary to
what the sutras and vinaya rules state, saying: "The Tathagata
allows all of us meat". They will talk thus and say that the Buddha
has so spoken. They will dispute and say that they are shramanas
and successors to the Buddha's teaching. O good man! At that time,
again, there will be shramanas who store cereals, receive fish and
meat, prepare meals themselves, and keep oil pots. They will be
around bejewelled parasols, leather footgear, kings, ministers and
rich people. They will indulge in astrological practices and
medical treatments; they will keep servants, gold, silver, beryl,
musaragalva, agate, crystal, coral, amber, jade, horse-shoe shell,
and many kinds of melons [seeds]. They will learn all arts,
painting, plastering, book-making, and all kinds of science, all
kinds of seed- sowing and planting of roots, placing of curses,
charming, preparation of medicines, theatrical art, music, adorning
of their body with fragrances and flowers, gambling, "go" game, and
various kinds of handiwork. If any bhiksu rejects such evils, one
can say that he is truly my disciple."
Then Kasyapa said further to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The
bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas may have to live
depending on people. At the time of the alms-round, one may be
given food containing meat. How can one take it and yet be pure?"
The Buddha said: "Use water, wash away the meat, and then eat it
[the rest of the food]. The utensil may be defiled by meat. But if
no taste of meat remains, this may be used. There will be no harm
done. If one sees that there is a lot of meat, one should not
accept such a meal. One must never eat the meat itself. One who
eats it infringes the rule. I now set this rule of segregating
one's self from eating meat. If we go into detail, there will be no
end of explanations. It is now time that I enter Nirvana. So I must
dispense with explanations. This is "answering well what is
enquired about."
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