Mention vegetarian
cuisine and some people picture a group of aging hippies kneeling cross-legged
around a communal dining table, helping themselves to carrot sticks dipped in
yogurt or a chickpea salad. While it's true that vegetarianism became trendy in
the 1960s, its origins date back much farther.
Famous Vegetarians in History
The Greek
mathematician Pythagoras was a vegetarian - vegetarians were called
Pythagoreans up until the 1800's. So was the poet Percy Shelley. However, the
vegetarian movement didn’t really begin gaining momentum in the western world
until the mid-nineteenth century. Leading figures of the American group
included feminist Susan B. Anthony and Bronson Alcott, father of writer Louisa
May Alcott.
Across the Atlantic,
Sylvester Graham, best known for creating the graham cracker, was one of the
leading figures in Britain's vegetarian movement. George Bernard Shaw, never
one to shy from the spotlight, was a vocal proponent of a meat-free diet:
"It is nearly
fifty years since I was assured by a conclave of doctors that if I did not eat
meat I should die of starvation." (Vegetariana: A Rich Harvest of Wit,
Lore, and Recipes, by Nava Atlas)
The late 1800's saw
the attempt to bring these societies together in the formation of the
Vegetarian Federal Union. Its successor, the International Vegetarian Union,
was formed in 1908, and remains active today.
In Asia, the
tradition of not eating meat extends back much farther - its origins can be
traced to eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism.
Buddhism and Vegetarianism
There is a common
belief that all Buddhists are vegetarians. In fact, this is not true. The
argument for Buddhists following a vegetarian diet stems from two basic
principles. The first is a belief in reincarnation. Buddhists believe that
after death, the soul of a human may inhabit an animal; therefore, it naturally
follows that they would abstain from killing animals for food. However, the
prohibition is really more against killing animals than eating meat per se, so
it would still be permissible to eat an animal that died accidentally.
The second argument
for vegetarianism comes from the prohibition against harming any living thing
which is at the core of the Buddhist philosophy. This principle is expressed by
Buddha in the Udana:
"My thought has
wandered in all directions throughout the world. I have never yet met with
anything that was dearer to anyone than his own self. Since to others, to each
one for himself, the self is dear, therefore let him who desires his own
advantage not harm another." (Cited in Buddhism: Its Essence and
Development, by Edward Conze)
Since killing an
animal obviously causes it harm, it would seem only natural that practicing
Buddhists would adhere to a vegetarian diet. However, there are two
problems with applying this principle in the everyday world. First, it is
impossible for humans to go through their daily routines without causing some
damage to the world around us. Conze notes that every time we wash our hands
"we kill as many living creatures as there are in the whole of Spain."
I once saw a fascinating film illustrating the amount of death and destruction
that is brought about by the simple act of turning on a water sprinkler.
Furthermore, at least one branch of Buddhism requires monks to beg for food,
and to eat everything they are given. This includes meat (with a few
restrictions).
Today in China, monks
generally avoid eating meat except when compelled to do so, and many lay
Buddhists follow a vegetarian diet as well. However, some Buddhists do eat
meat. In any event, it's interesting to note that there is evidence the Chinese
were following a non-meat diet even before northern Indian monks brought the
Mahayan branch of Buddhism to China between 25 - 60 A.D. In A Vegetarian
Sourcebook: The Nutrition, Ecology, and Ethics of a Vegetarian Diet, Keith
Akers notes that abstinence from meat was an ancient Chinese tradition; as with
modern day vegans, the Chinese often avoided wearing clothing made from animal
products.
Sources
- A Vegetarian Sourcebook: The Nutrition, Ecology, and Ethics of a Vegetarian Diet, by Keith Akers, 1983.
- Buddhism: Its Essence and Development, by Edward Conze, Harper & Row, 1975.
- Vegetariana: A Rich Harvest of Wit, Lore, and Recipes, by Nava Atlas, Little, Brown and Company, 1984, 1993.
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