Jacob Winters

Steven L. Berg, PhD

HIST 134

8 Apr. 2019

M11 Assignment: Dietary Restrictions in Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion that promotes peace, well-being, and togetherness in society.

While this is most often thought of extending to other people in society, this actually extends to

all living things. This is where we see many Buddhist dietary restrictions stem from. The dietary

restrictions placed on Buddhists vary depending on different sects, but there are some main

restrictions that are observed by all. These dietary restrictions are in place in order to allow the

people to follow the stated beliefs of Buddhism, to allow them to not incur bad karma, and to

help them and others to best be able to achieve Nirvana.

A Buddhist’s goal is to be able to reach a point of inner peace that allows them to achieve

Nirvana. In order to do this, there are many guidelines for what a Buddhist should do in order to

achieve Nirvana. There are Three Universal Truths, Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, The

Five Precepts, and even more that are less focused upon. In order to follow all of these there are

certain dietary restrictions that must be followed. The fourth step of the eightfold path is Right

Action. In order to be able to follow right action you need to follow the 5 precepts or you will

not act with right action.1 These five precepts are as follows: do not harm or kill living things, do

not take things unless they are freely given, lead a decent life, do not speak unkindly or tell lies,

and do not abuse drugs or drink alcohol.2 While these may be phrased differently by different

people, the same message applies in each instance. And here is where we begin to see where

Buddhist dietary restrictions come into play. In order to follow these 5 precepts, they are not

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allowed to eat meat, eat of the five pungent spices, or drink alcohol. Buddhists are told to not

harm or kill living things. This is the first of their precepts and it is taken very seriously. For this

reason, they cannot kill or eat food that has been killed for them. In order to eat meat, animals

have to be harmed and killed. All living things have the ability to reach Nirvana, and by killing

an animal you are taking away that animal’s chance to find the inner peace in order to achieve

Nirvana. It is wrong to deprive another living being the opportunity for enlightenment.

Additionally, it is thought of to taint one’s karma to take another’s life. Killing a sentient being

forces them to continue along the painful process of rebirth and reincarnation.3

Buddhists are not allowed to eat any of the 5 pungent spices either. These spices are

onions, garlic, scallion, chives, and leeks. These are forbidden foods because if they are eaten

cooked, they increase one’s sexual desire, and if they are eaten raw, they increase one’s anger. In

order to follow the precepts these spices are to be avoided. They make it much harder to be able

to follow the precepts. Nowadays though, this is an aspect that is less followed by Buddhists.

And finally, the last restriction is alcohol. This is specifically stated in the fifth precept. They are

not to abuse drugs or drink alcohol. This precept is more for the idea that being intoxicated by

these makes it difficult to follow the other four precepts. If your mind is clouded and you cannot

think right, you are more likely to make a mistake and fail one of the other precepts or other rules

for Buddhists. The intoxicants cloud the ability to focus for meditation as well.4

We see that there are all sorts or rules that Buddhist have to follow if they want to

achieve Nirvana. But when good or bad things are done, there is karma that measures this.

Following the rules brings a person good karma, and breaking them brings bad. Good acts are

rewarded with good as well as better reaching enlightenment. Meanwhile, breaking these rules

and doing bad leads to bad karma. People with bad karma have bad happen to them. By eating

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animals, drinking alcohol, or partaking of the spices, a Buddhist is getting bad karma. This adds

up, and makes it more likely that they won’t achieve enlightenment and their next reincarnation

won’t be as good.

The goal for all Buddhists is to achieve enlightenment and reach Nirvana. They want this

for themselves, and everyone else. They go through so much trouble to make sure that they do

not ruin this for themselves, or for others. They do not harm or kill others because it gives them

bad karma and it takes away the opportunity the other living being would have to reach Nirvana

in this life. All of the dietary restrictions are in place in order to support this. They make sure that

they do not eat anything that will harm theirs or someone else’s chances at enlightenment.

In conclusion, Buddhists are typically vegetarians because they do not eat meat. They do

not eat onions, garlic, scallion, chives, and leeks either. And they finally do not drink alcohol. All

of this they do in order to be able to achieve enlightenment.

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 Notes

1. See “Religion Library: Buddhism.”

2. See “Buddhism: Basic Beliefs.”

3. See “Understanding Buddhist Patients’ Dietary Needs” by Gihan ElGindy.

4. See “The Buddhist Diet” by Michael Ohlsson.

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 Works Cited

"Buddhism: Basic Beliefs." URI, United Religions Initiative, uri.org/kids/world-

religions/buddhist-beliefs.

This source is giving the basic beliefs of Buddhism such as the Three Universal Truths,

Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, The Five Precepts, and even more that are less

focused upon. This comes from a reputable company that is working to unite religions

and bring about better tolerance and understanding. This works well for my paper as I can

see the rules followed, and connect those with the foods that are restricted.

ElGindy, Gihan. "Understanding Buddhist Patients’ Dietary Needs." Minority Nurse, 30 Mar.

2013, minoritynurse.com/understanding-buddhist-patients-dietary-needs/.

This article is from a journal for nurses. It focuses on Buddhist’s dietary restrictions and

how the nurse as a caretaker can take these into account when caring for a Buddhist

person. This is from a nursing magazine and it’s written to help bring understanding. This

really works well in my paper because it explains how this is experienced in the real

world, and give explanations for what and why these restrictions are.

Ohlsson, Michael. "The Buddhist Diet.”, San Francisco State University, Dec. 1998,

online.sfsu.edu/rone/Buddhism/BuddhismAnimalsVegetarian/Buddhist%20Diet.htm.

This article is a general article about the Buddhist Diet. It goes through what they can and

cannot eat. It explains why for each one. It shows where it is written that they cannot eat

that food and gives the explanation for that. It is an article from San Francisco State

University, so it is a reputable source. I can use this throughout my paper in order to find

and explain the Buddhist dietary restrictions.

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"Religion Library: Buddhism." Patheos, www.patheos.com/library/buddhism.

This source is a resource that goes through Buddhism. It gives its origins, history, beliefs,

etc. It allows me to look at all of Buddhism and understand it before I then look at the

dietary restrictions of Buddists. This is from a good company that gives reputable data. I

can use this in my paper to provide background for the Buddhist religion.