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Question
Hello
i'm was just asking because i'm becoming a buddhist but can we eat meat? i'm sorry if this is a silly question
your truly
veronica
Hi Veronica,
Why ever should that be a silly question?
Essentially, vegetarianism is strongly encouraged by Buddhism, but meat eating is not forbidden.
The extent to which Buddhists in fact eat meat varies from place to place. Many of the old Chinese Buddhists were quite strictly vegetarian, but most Tibetans, for instance, are big meat eaters, although the Karmapa recently stopped meat eating in his centres, monasteries and nunneries.
I hope that helps!
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Answers by Expert:
Alex Wilding
Expertise
I have practiced and studied Tibetan Buddhism in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions since the early 1970s, and have a good knowledge of theory, history and of the struggles of trying to practice the teachings, including meditation, while leading a normal, modern life. I am also available to provide background information for journalists.
Experience
I have been a practitioner since the early 1970s; have run a small Buddhist centre in the English Midlands and was vice-president of Kagyu Benchen Ling e.V. in Germany, for whom I managed three large Buddhist summer-camps. More importantly, I maintain a habit of personal practice.
I am the "owner" of the Kagyu list at Yahoo.
Education/Credentials
My first degree was an M.A. from Oxford. I later obtained a Master of Philosophy degree for a research thesis in "Initiation in Tibetan Buddhism" from Leicester University. I also have engineering and educational qualifications.
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