RIGHT LIVING
Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Harming Living Beings
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Harming living beings is
unhealthy. Refraining from harming living beings is healthy. (MN 9)
Abandoning the harming of living beings, one abstains from harming
living beings; with rod and weapon laid aside, gentle and kindly, one
abides with compassion for all living beings. (M 41) One practices thus:
"Others may harm living beings, but I will abstain from the harming of
living beings." (MN 8)
A layperson is not to engage in the livelihood of trading in meat. (AN 5.177)
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Vegetarianism
is an important issue in contemporary Buddhist discussion. The Buddha
was famously not a vegetarian, although he spoke of the importance of
not harming living beings. His perspective was that as beggars, the
monks and nuns had to accept all offerings put in their bowls without
making distinctions between what they liked or didn't like, or between
what they thought was rightly or wrongly procured.
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Whether or not
you are a practicing vegetarian, the matter raised here is about the
livelihood of a layperson. Trading in meat was singled out as an
inappropriate profession because it involves the killing of living
beings every day in great numbers. This is just not a healthy thing to
be doing. Give the matter some attention today and reflect upon how much
harm or lack of harm results from what you do for a living.
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Tomorrow: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States
One week from today: Abstaining from Taking What is Not Given
Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media
#DhammaWheel
Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.
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