法苑珠林 93.46

93.46

First, that based on truth there is harm: according to the sūtras, those who eat meat possess ten kinds of faults. The first clarifies that all sentient beings, since beginningless time, have all been one's own kin, and it is unfit to eat meat. Thus the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra states: "I see sentient beings transmigrating in the five destinies, together in birth and death, giving birth to and nurturing one another, mutually being fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, whether male or female, maternal cousins or paternal relatives, the six kinds of kin, or born into other destinies—in good destinies and bad destinies always being kin. By this cause and condition, when I observe sentient beings mutually eating each other's flesh, there are none who are not kin. Because of eating the taste of meat they mutually devour one another, constantly giving rise to harming minds and multiplying painful karma, revolving in birth and death without being able to escape." When the Buddha spoke this, the wicked rākṣasas, hearing what the Buddha spoke, entirely cast aside their evil minds, ceased and did not eat meat, and mutually encouraged each other to generate the bodhicitta, protecting sentient beings' lives more than they protected their own bodies, leaving behind all meat and not eating it. Weeping with tears flowing, they addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honoured One, having heard the Buddha's words and carefully contemplating the six destinies, the flesh that I have eaten has all been my own kin; thus I know that sentient beings who eat meat are my great enemies, severing the seeds of great loving-kindness, increasing unwholesome karma, and forming the root of great suffering. From this day forward I sever and do not eat meat, nor will I allow my retinue to eat it. If there are disciples of the Tathāgata who do not eat meat, I shall approach and protect them day and night; if they eat meat, I shall bring great harm to them." "Mahāmati, even rākṣasas and evil ghosts who constantly eat meat, upon hearing what I said, gave rise to a mind of loving-kindness and abandoned meat and did not eat it; how much less should my disciples who practice wholesome dharmas be permitted to eat meat! If they eat meat, know that they are the great enemies of sentient beings and sever my noble lineage. Mahāmati, if my disciples hear what I say, yet without careful examination eat meat, know that they are of the caṇḍāla caste, not my disciples, and I am not their teacher."