Buddhist View Of Vegetarianism

In Buddhism, the views on vegetarianism vary from school to school. Attitudes about vegetarianism vary from sect to sect as well as from individual to individual. Vegetarianism was not a part of the early Buddhist tradition and it is unlikely the historical Buddha was a vegetarian. In the earliest recording of his teachings, the Tripitaka, the Buddha did not categorically forbid his disciples to eat meat. In Mahayana Buddhism, there are several Sanskrit texts where the Buddha instructs his followers to avoid meat. However, each branch of Mahayana Buddhism select what sutra to follow, the majority of Tibetan and Japanese Buddhism do eat, while most of Chinese Buddhism do not eat meat. Buddhists who are vegetarians have a simple and compelling argument to support their case. Eating meat encourages an industry that causes cruelty and death to millions of animals and truly compassionate person would wish to stop all this suffering.

Jain Vegetarianism

Jain vegetarianism is the diet of the Jains, the followers of Jainism. They have deep compassion for all forms of life. Jainism is an ecologically responsible way of life which is nonviolent in thought, action, and deed. Vegetarianism is for a Jain a way of life and it is seen as an instrument for the practice of nonviolence (ahimsa) and peaceful, cooperative coexistence. Jains are forbidden from committing intentional violence against all mobile living beings. This intentional violence creates harmful karma and the aim of ahimsa is to prevent the accumulation of such karma. A Jain diet is based on the fact that a simple natural diet will help keep their mind pure and peaceful. Jainism tells us that we can only limit violence and avoid unnecessary violence. Non- vegetarianism involves violence which is unnecessary and which can be easily avoided. Most Jains are lacto-vegetarians but more devote Jains do not eat root vegetables because this would involve the killing of plants. Also, some particularly dedicated individuals are fruitarians.

Vegetarianism in Hinduism

Most major paths of Hinduism hold vegetarianism as an ideal, though not all Hindus are vegetarian. Hindus almost universally avoid beef since they consider the cow sacred. The prohibition against harming or killing cows frequently benefits nutrition in India. There are three most important reasons for Hindus: the principle of nonviolence -ahimsa, applied to animals, the intention to offer only "pure" food to a deity and then to receive it back as prasad, and the conviction that non-vegetarian food is detrimental for the mind and spiritual development. Hindu vegetarians usually avoid eggs but consume milk and dairy products, so they are lacto-vegetarians. Mahatma Gandhi took Hindu vegetarian observance one step further by declaring, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way in which its animals are treated.” The devotees of Krishna, really gave vegetarianism its big push in Hinduism. They originated the tradition of the cow as sacred in India. Those who are true to the Hindu traditions will not eat flesh in any form and are being vegetarians.

Misconceptions about Vegetarian Bodybuilders

It is a popular misconception that you need to be a meat eater in order to have success in body building. The truth is that the vegetarian bodybuilding can be equally effective in building muscle as a regular meat eating diet. There are many misconceptions about vegetarians which is the reason why many people don’t associate them with body building. Many people believe that without eating the meat of an animal, you will not be able to get enough protein and other essential nutrients. That is simply not true when it comes to vegetarian body building you can easily get proteins from other food sources, like soy products, beans, various grains, eggs and dairy product provide plenty of muscle building proteins. Also, many vegetarian body building athletes are drinking supplemental shakes with whey protein as well as other important vitamins and minerals like zinc, vitamin B12, iron and more. Vegetarians actually have a better chance of increasing their strength and size with their meat free lifestyle.

Vegetarian Food And Nutrition

A healthy vegetarian nutrition consists primarily of plant based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Because of that, a vegetarian diet generally contains less fat and cholesterol, and typically includes more fiber. Vegetarian food, like grains, pulses and vegetables, and as pre-cooked meals, is widely available nowadays. You can buy it in any markets, corner shops. Meatless products, such as tofu dogs, soy burgers, nut loaves or texturized vegetable protein, add variety to your vegetarian diet. These products simulate the taste and texture of meat and usually have less fat and calories. Many of the meatless products, such as tofu or tempeh, are made from soybeans. If you wanna become a vegan, you need to find alternatives for eggs and dairy products. Instead of cow's milk you can drink a soymilk or rice milk, instead of butter use olive oil or canola oil.

Why Become a Vegetarian.

There are many reasons why people become vegetarians, some are for health reasons, some are environmental, others for animal welfare. Vegetarianism is to many people not just a diet, but a different way of thinking, and a different lifestyle. Meat contains absolutely nothing the human body cannot obtain perfectly from a vegetarian diet. Avoiding meat is one of the best and simplest ways to cut down your fat consumption. Modern farm animals are deliberately fattened up to increase profits. Eating meat and animal fat increases your chances of having a heart attack or developing cancer. There are millions cases of food poisoning recorded every year. The great majority are caused by eating meat. Half the rainforest in the world have been destroyed to clear ground to graze cattle to make beefburgers. You can lose weight by avoiding saturated fat in meat, butter and the animal fat. Vegetarians are usually fitter than meat eaters. many of the world's most successful athletes are vegetarian.

Vegetarianism Throughout History

Throughout the history of humankind, people have registered their opposition to the cruel way in which animals are oppressed, so many have turned to a vegetarian way of life. The earliest records of vegetarianism as a concept with the idea of nonviolence towards animals appear in the ancient Greek civilisation, and was promoted by religious groups and philosophers. Vegetarianism began many thousands of years ago with great minds like Diogenes, Plato, Pythagoras, Buddha, Plutarch, Plotinus and Socrates. Until the mid-1800's reached western civilization.Famous writers such as Voltaire, Paley, Pope, Shelley, Bentham and Lamartine. The first Vegetarian Society was formed in England on 30 September 1847, and was followed by other countries. The International Vegetarian Union, a union of the national societies, was founded in 1908, and remains active today.

A Few Inspirational Vegetarian Quotes

"Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages." Thomas Edison

"For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love." -Pythagoras

" did not become a vegetarian for my health, I did it for the health of the chickens." -Isaac Bashevis Singer

" he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace."-Albert Schweitzer

" all love animals. Why do we call some ‘pets’ and others‘ dinner’?"-K.D.Lang

" love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man". -Charles Darwin

" Luther King taught us all nonviolence. I was told to extend nonviolence to the mother and her calf.”"-Dick Gregory

If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian. -Paul McCartney

"Nothing will benefit human health, and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth, as much as the evolution to a Vegetarian Diet" -Albert Einstein

"As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields." -Leo Tolstoy

"Animals are my friends... and I don't eat my friends". -George Bernard Shaw

About Veganism

A vegan lifestyle completely avoids the use and consumption of animal products. Vegans eat a plant based food, with nothing coming from animals, no meat, milk, eggs, honey, leather, wool, silk and other animal products. Milk contains far too much fat and protein for humans. And eggs are higher in cholesterol than any other food. Veganism is known to boost immune systems and facilitate weight loss. The word vegan was coined by Donald Watson in 1944. He combined the first three and last two letters of vegetarian to form vegan, which he saw as the beginning and end of vegetarian. Donald Watson, also founded The Vegan Society in the same year. Vegan foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans, are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are rich in fiber and nutrients. Vegans can get all the protein they need from legumes and grains. A vegan diet can provide all the nutrients we were taught in school came only from animal products. Most vegans also avoids products that are tested on animals. Some of the famous vegans include: Olympic track star Carl Lewis, comedians Weird Al Yankovic, Keenan Ivory Wayans and Kevin Nealon, and Coretta Scott King.

Terminology and varieties of vegetarianism

Vegetarianism diet and lifestyle which includes veganism and is defined as the practice of not eating meat, poultry or fish or their by-products, with or without the use of dairy products or eggs. There are a variety of vegetarian diets including:

lacto-vegetarian: Consumes milk and milk products but excludes eggs. Lacto-vegetarianism is very common in India.
ovo-vegetarian: Includes eggs but not milk and milk products.
lacto-ovo vegetarian: Eats both eggs and milk products. This is the most common form of Vegetarianism in Western countries.
Vegan: Diet and lifestyle that excludes all animal products, animal flesh, including dairy products, eggs, and honey. Vegan lifestyle also excludes wearing and use of animal products (leather, silk, wool, lanolin).
Dietary Vegan: Follows a vegan diet, but doesn't necessarily try and exclude non food uses of animals.
Fruitarian: Same as vegan, but only eats foods that can be gathered without harming the plant. (fruit, nuts, seeds)

Environmental Reasons to Become Vegetarian

There are many environmental impacts of eating meat. The Vegetarian Society claims that meat eating causes deforestation in the way that the rainforest is cleared to grow grain to raise and feed cattle. The other reason is Water Conservation. It takes 3 to 15 times much water to produce animal protein as it does plant protein. Much water is used to simply fatten up cows for slaughter.
By being a Vegetarian you will help reduce waste and air pollution. All the cattle on the planet produce nearly 100 million tons of methane, which is also a large contributor to global warming. Animal farming produces 65 percent of human related nitrous oxide and 37 percent of all human induced methane. Efficient use of grains is also a reason to become a vegetarian. Animals raised for food consume 90 percent of the soy crop, 80 percent of the corn crop, and a total of 70 percent of grains.

Vegetarianism: A Few Facts

A vegetarian is a person who doesn't eat any type of meat, including fish and poultry. Those who still consume eggs and milk are called “ovo-lacto” vegetarians. Vegetarians have lower blood pressure, have lower rates of cancer and stronger immune systems, have lower incidence of heart disease and stroke, be less likely overweight. A vegetarianism was practiced in Egypt around 3,200 BC, with abstinence from meat upon beliefs in reincarnation. Also it was practiced by early philosophies as Hinduism, Brahinanism, Jainism and Zoroasterianism. The first Vegetarian Society was formed in 1847 in England. The main reason of forming this Society was to dispel the common belief that it's not possible to lead a healthy life without eating meat. Traditionally, vegetarianism has been linked to the people of ancient India. Today, Indians make up more than 70 percent of the world's vegetarian population. Being a vegetarian would alleviate human starvation and in return there would be an increase in growth of wild animals without additonal sufferings on humans or animals. Vegetarianism reduces the amount of violence in the world!