If you're a vegetarian or vegan....?

Question

I am trying to become a vegetarian. The Buddha himself was a vegetarian, but would eat meat when people offered it to him as a gift. Is this the better way, or is it better to not eat meat at all?

Answer 1

I personally wouldn't touch meat even if you paid me.  Being vegan is about rejecting the use of products that are the result of animal exploitation.  Vegetarianism is about avoiding products requiring the death of an animal.  If you eat meat, you aren't a vegetarian, even if someone gives it to you.

But as someone else says, you have to let your conscience be your guide and do what's right for you.

Answer 2

have meat on special occasions

That should answer your question

Answer 3

if you haven't had meat in a long time and start eating it, your body might have issues.

Answer 4

If the Buddha ate meat, he was not vegetarian.

Do whatever makes sense to you.

Answer 5

Lord Buddha was actually on earth to trick all of the folks BACK into eating veggies.  and ate the meat offered to him so as not to alienate them.

for us mere mortals it is mostly better not to eat meat.

Answer 6

Well my friend is a vegetarian and she eats fish and eggs so i wouldn't eat meat if it came as a present but try the vegetarian challenge its where you don't eat meat for a week and see if you can deal with that for the rest of your life.

Answer 7

Really, it's up to you what you want to eat.

Personally, I would decline the gift.

On the other hand, recently I got back from a trip to Japan, and felt that I had missed out on something by not trying the sushi there.

Answer 8

In my opinion, no meat at all.

Answer 9

whatever you think is best, however if your going to do something you should do it fully and follow the example you believe in

Answer 10

what ever you feel is right. if you went vegetarian for animal's rights, then you might not think it is okay to eat meat at all, gift or not. or if your feelings are not as strong, then you might want to eat meat sometimes if it is a special occssion. or if you went veg, it might not hurt to eat meat once in a while [if your going to do that, every once in a while, try to keep it up, because you can get sick if you don't eat meat in a long time and then go back to it]

Answer 11

That's totally up to you. I'm not one to judge someone else based on what they believe is fair or right.

If it fits into your lifestyle better, then go for it....but just know that if you consume animal flesh, you are not a vegetarian. (by definition)

Answer 12

It's a personal decision.  However, I doubt that would produce much of an ethical dilemma, unless you are frequently presented gifts of meat.

Answer 13

Depends completely on what feels right for you. I think Buddha would agree.  Let your own peace of mind guide you.

Answer 14

That sounds more like freeganism than veg*nism. Basically, it's the belief that it's better for the meat to not go wasted than to throw it out. I don't agree with this as a veg*n concept, because I don't see how becoming excrement is any better for an animal than becoming trash, but I don't really have a problem with the movement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeganism

Personally? If someone gave me nonvegan food, I'd give it to a homeless person or something.

Answer 15

Don't quote me on this, but as far as I know, the Buddha was not a vegetarian.  He didn't want any of his followers to kill, so they could not slaughter their own animals, and they could not eat meat if they knew an animals was specifically slaughtered for them, but they ate meat.  The early monks went around and collected alms from the lay people.  Whatever food was put into their bowl, they had to eat it, regardless of their dietary preferences.

As a generalization, I believe Theravada monks are more likely to eat meat and Mahayana monks are more likely to be vegetarians, although there are several exceptions.

Vegetarianism is a choice a Buddhist has to make for his/herself.  If you think it would help you spiritually, then go for it.  There is no harm in trying it for yourself.

Answer 16

do whatever you want to do. eat whatever you want to eat.