諸經要集 17.49

17.49

Third, explaining that meat-eaters ruin the faith of others; therefore, they should not eat meat. As that sūtra says: "If one eats meat, sentient beings immediately lose all faith and then say that there is no one in the world worthy of trust, cutting off the retribution of faith. Therefore, Mahāmati, to protect the faith of sentient beings, bodhisattvas should not eat any meat at all. Why? Because people in the world, seeing meat being eaten, slander the Triratna and say: 'In the Buddha's Dharma, where could there be real śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who cultivate brahmacarya? They abandon what sages originally ought to eat, and eat sentient beings just like rākṣasas, severing my wheel of Dharma and annihilating the noble lineage.' This is all due to the fault of meat-eaters. Therefore, Mahāmati, my disciples, to protect evil people from slandering the Triratna, should not even give rise to thoughts of meat, how much less consume it!"