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Actually most Buddhist monks depend on alms, so they aren't required to adhere to a vegan diet; they eat whatever the populace around the monastery offers. The
by gb 16y ago
Actually most Buddhist monks depend on alms, so they aren't required to adhere to a vegan diet; they eat whatever the populace around the monastery offers. The only thing the Buddha ever said about eating meat is that one should not accept meat if they even suspect that the animal was killed specifically for them.
- sh1mmer 16y agoActually while monks do depend on alms it depends what Buddhist tradition you come from. In many schools of Mahayana ('Great Path') Buddhism all animal produce is to be rejected. It's impossible to declare "the only thing the Buddha said" because the Pali and Sanskit writings we have today are accounts of the aural teachings from the Buddha written 500 years or more after his death. More than that while there is a lot of agreement over parts of the canon there is also disagreement over other parts leading to various traditions and schools of Buddhism.
- gb 16y agoYou are right of course on both points, I was talking about Therevadan monks and was referring to an interpretation of the Pali canon when talking about what the Buddha said.