AboutJustin Choo Expertise When in doubt seek it out. All your questions will be answered, and you may not have to agree with the answers. Such is the beauty of Buddhism. You are free to decide. I follow the Theravada tradition, and have been studying Buddhism for more than 40 years. Please view my profile for more details. I have answered more than a thousand questions since joining this category. You are welcome to try me.
Experience I was brought up in the 50's as a Buddhist. For the past 30 years I have read numerous books on Buddhism and listened to numerous talks on Buddhism by well-respected and learned monks and lay teachers. I conduct Buddhist classes for parents of Sunday School children in a Theravada Buddhist Temple.
My teacher was the late Chief Reverend, The Ven. K Sri Dhammananda of The Brickfields Buddhist Mahavihara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. You can view the relevent website in memory of my revered late teacher @
http://www.ksridhammananda.com
Organizations I am a life member of the Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia.
Publications YOU ARE INVITED TO VISIT MY BLOG @
http://lifeislikethat999.blogspot.com/
Published a book called "The Rainbow And The Treasure". It is a compilation of extracts from various sources to introduce Buddhism to beginners. (Currently out of print)
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Commerce And Administration, Victoria University Of Wellington, NZ.(1974)
Question If I eat a dead animal that someone else killed, than surely I am a party to that killing am I not? If I hire someone to kill my friend, than surely I myself did the killing. Can I say "I did not kill my friend" ?
Answer Hi Ray,
First let us consider what constitute killing.
A person will be fully responsible for the killing if the following 5 conditions are fulfilled:
1. The victim of the killing must be a living being.
2. The killer must know the victim is a being.
3. The killer must have the volition to kill the victim.
4. The action of killing must be performed by the killer.
5. The victim dies as a result of this act.
So if you fulfilled some of the above condtions but not all, then you are partly responsible. Of eating meat, you are just eating "dead" meat (if there is such a phrase) meaning, the animal was already dead and you have nothing to do with. However if you feel that by eating meat, you are encouraging killing, then by all means stop eating meat.
