BUDDHIST FOOD CULTURE: REPRESENTATION OF AHIMSA IN SOCIAL LIFE

Abstract

Buddhism is based on the concept of Ahimsa. The founder of Buddhism was Lord Buddha who came during 563-483 BCE. Before him Lord Mahavira and Hinduism also practiced Ahimsa non-violence. The non-violence leads to the rights of living and non-living thing. It is dividing as Jiva and Ajiva in Buddhism. The concept of non-violence leads to the no harm towards animals and it leads to the vegetarianism. But there are two traditions of Buddhism. They are Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. One is very strict towards the vegetarianism, and other one is quite relax because of the circumstances. The both traditions are present in modern days China, Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Tibet and Burma and other South Asian countries which are Buddhist. Theravada Buddhist monks promote the concept of Pure Meat and give some conditions about it if they fulfill those conditions then they can consume that meat. The main condition is if the weather condition of that area can-not helps them like in mountainous areas etc. But Mahayana Buddhists are very strict to their concept of Vegetarianism. They never consume meat at any cost. They won’t accept any kind of meat even if it is given to them in form of charity or any other ways.           

Keywords: Ahimsa, Buddhism, Animal Rights, Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Vegetarianism