Vinícius Argenta
New member
Ok, these type of questions are highly controversial and the origin of many (good and bad) discussions. Please, I ask everyone to speak with the heart.
According to Mahayana, eating meat is not a very good thing. What I want to understand is if every enlightened being that did exist would say that eating meat is bad? Does enlightenment is related to advocating vegetarianism, or an enlightened being could eat meat without problems? It is important to notice that at the Buddha's time (and nowadays within much of Theravada I think) they had to eat whatever it was offered to them, so in situations like this where you can't decide much it is clearly ok to eat meat. So I am saying this on the context of people who can choose their own food but decide to eat meat nevertheless; will an enlightened mind say it is permissible to buy and eat meat? What about great masters from the past that used to eat meat? Were they fully enlightened or they still had some spiritual clouds?
It is a very contradictory idea, and I feel so confused!
Please, help me with your opinions and ideas...
With love and compassion,
Thank you very very much,
Vinícius
I think we could focus on the issue about enlightenment and vegetarianism; would an enlightened being, in case he is not a beggar monk, order for others or himself buying meat for him? That's the point I want to get. I already know the whole point of animal killing when cropping vegetables and the like... the question I insist is on that of fully enlightened beings... what would they say? Doesn't oniscience implies that they know everything and therefore know what is right and what is wrong?
According to Mahayana, eating meat is not a very good thing. What I want to understand is if every enlightened being that did exist would say that eating meat is bad? Does enlightenment is related to advocating vegetarianism, or an enlightened being could eat meat without problems? It is important to notice that at the Buddha's time (and nowadays within much of Theravada I think) they had to eat whatever it was offered to them, so in situations like this where you can't decide much it is clearly ok to eat meat. So I am saying this on the context of people who can choose their own food but decide to eat meat nevertheless; will an enlightened mind say it is permissible to buy and eat meat? What about great masters from the past that used to eat meat? Were they fully enlightened or they still had some spiritual clouds?
It is a very contradictory idea, and I feel so confused!
Please, help me with your opinions and ideas...
With love and compassion,
Thank you very very much,
Vinícius
I think we could focus on the issue about enlightenment and vegetarianism; would an enlightened being, in case he is not a beggar monk, order for others or himself buying meat for him? That's the point I want to get. I already know the whole point of animal killing when cropping vegetables and the like... the question I insist is on that of fully enlightened beings... what would they say? Doesn't oniscience implies that they know everything and therefore know what is right and what is wrong?