Regarding the issue of eating meat, the Buddha made it very clear in the Mahayana sutras. As the Buddha said in the “Brahma Net Sutra”: “If the Buddha eats meat, he will not be able to eat any meat. Cut off the seeds of great compassion. All sentient beings will see and abandon them. Therefore, all Bodhisattvas are not allowed to eat the flesh of all living beings. Eating meat will gain Infinite sin.”
The Buddha said in “The Lankavatara Sutra”: “I see that all living beings are like a child. How can I not rejoice when I hear meat as food, let alone eat it by myself? Mahamati! In this way, all onions, garlic, scallions, etc. are not smelly and filthy.” Pure, it can hinder the holy way, and it can also hinder the pure places of humans and gods in the world, not to mention the fruits of the pure land of Buddhas! The same is true with wine, it can hinder the holy way, damage good deeds, and cause all kinds of mistakes. This is why Mahamati! Those who come to the holy way, wine and meat are onions. Leeks, garlic and other smoky smells should not be eaten.” Many classic contents about giving up meat can be found in the Tripitaka.
My understanding of eating meat comes from my personal experience. One day, after finishing my evening classes, I began to meditate. This night experience is one I will never forget.
At that time, I had a dull pain in my waist, but I gritted my teeth and persisted in meditating. At this time, a thought flashed in my mind: “I am 26 years old and have been a vegetarian for two years. How many sentient beings have I harmed before I was 26?” In an instant, a picture appeared in front of me: there was a very wide river. There are fish, shrimps, some turtles, a dozen snakes, etc.; on the shore, there are groups of cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs, chickens, ducks, etc., and among them there are some animals that I have never seen before… …“
It’s so strange, how could I hurt these animals I’ve never seen before? “Just when I was wondering, the scene of me treating guests to dinner appeared like a movie, and a voice similar to the “narrator” in a movie came out: “Every time you celebrate your birthday, you invite others to dinner. Although you eat very little yourself, But it was you who invited me; and you held a banquet when you got married, which killed countless lives. Although you only had a few bites, so many living beings were killed because of you; you once introduced others to eat at XX Hotel. Seafood and crabs, if you introduce them to others after eating them, the killing karma you have committed will increase exponentially…”
Pictures of killing animals, eating meat, drinking wine, wedding banquets, etc. are clearly vivid in my mind. It’s like there is an invisible player that replays the scene that was originally taken. I was at a loss, so I quickly repented and prayed for all the living beings who had eaten. At this time, I saw many small fish and shrimps rising into the sky and disappearing with the help of the power of chanting the Buddha’s name.
But the big animals, such as cows, sheep, pigs, dogs, etc., refused to leave. There were also several soft-shell turtles and snakes appearing around the waist, but they also refused to leave. I immediately understood the cause of the pain in my waist, so I secretly made up my mind: I must repent well, recite sutras and mantras, and dedicate them to the sentient beings I had hurt, so that they could escape suffering and achieve happiness as soon as possible.
That night I began to recite the Diamond Sutra and the Shurangama Mantra, sincerely repent of my past killings, and dedicate my life to the sentient beings who had harmed me. One day two months later, when I was reciting Xiang Wen, I suddenly felt numbness and swelling in my right thigh. The numbness and swelling extended to my calf and then disappeared after reaching my heel. These symptoms occurred for three consecutive days. After that, my Back pain is gone. At this point, I believe that these sentient beings have been reborn in a good path through the power of chanting and dedicating sutras.
This incident made me realize deeply: Buddhist practitioners not only cannot eat the flesh of living beings themselves, nor can they invite others to eat it, nor can they persuade others to eat meat. Moreover, the thought of killing should never occur in your mind. Many people in today’s world still don’t believe in cause and effect. They just eat and drink and enjoy the so-called delicacies of mountains and seas. There is even the phenomenon of cannibalism (eating newborn fetuses and aborted babies). This kind of unscrupulous killing will inevitably lead to karma. The emergence, spread and contagion of diseases such as SARS and avian influenza. Therefore, I advise everyone to turn around as soon as possible, become a true disciple of Buddhism, strictly observe the precepts, and stop eating the flesh of living beings.
Tip: In ancient times, if a wise man felt unwell, he would close the door and reflect on his faults, and check himself. The disease could often be cured without medicine. Modern people always feel that they have done nothing wrong. Little do they know that killing animals and eating meat is a big mistake. Nowadays, disasters occur frequently and strange diseases abound, most of which are caused by killing and eating meat. If you can repent and correct your mistakes, recite sutras and practice kindness like the layman Guohong, you will surely be healthy and auspicious. There are many Mahayana scriptures that advise people to cut off the flesh. For example, the “Mahayana Nirvana Sutra Volume 4: The Fourth Nature of the Tathagata Part 1” teaches: “Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: World Honored One, those who eat meat should not give meat. Why?” I see that those who do not eat meat have great merits. The Buddha praised Kassapa: How good it is, how good you are. Now you are able to understand my thoughts well. This is what a Dharma-protecting Bodhisattva should do. Good man, from now on, I will not listen to my disciples who eat meat. If you receive a gift from Tan Yue, At this time, you should think that food is like food.
Kassapa Bodhisattva spoke to the Buddha again: World Honored One, why does the Tathagata not listen to eating meat? Good man, if you eat meat, cut off the seeds of great kindness. Kassapa said again: Why did the Tathagata listen to the bhikkhu first to eat three kinds of pure meat? Kasyapa, the three kinds of pure meat are gradually controlled according to the situation…
From now on, I will make all my disciples forbidden to eat any kind of meat again. Kassapa, if he eats meat while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, all sentient beings will be filled with fear when they hear the smell of his flesh. For example, if someone is close to a lion, everyone will be frightened by the sight and smell of the lion’s odor. Good man, if a person eats garlic, the smell is disgusting and filthy. When others see it, they will put it away after smelling the smell. If you have a far-sighted vision, you still don’t want to look at it, but you should be close to it. The same is true for meat-eaters. When all sentient beings smell the smell of meat, they are all terrified and fearful of death. Traveling on land, water, and air, with life and the like, all of them are walking away. I would like to say that this person is our grievance. This is why Bodhisattvas are not accustomed to eating meat. “True Buddhist disciples should follow the teachings and completely stop eating meat.
