Question: “Hi ! So I’m discovering Buddhism and loving it and as I’m researching and reading it seems that many Buddhists are vegitarion… Would becoming a vegetarian help me become more empathetic and mindful towards all living things ? Would it be beneficial to my spiritual journey ?”
You’re going to get varying answers depending on who you ask. So from my point of view and understanding: No, vegetarianism is not necessary.
Sure, not eating meat could mean you’re empathetic towards animals and their lives, but unless you’re helping preserve the lives on animals, all you’re doing is bringing down the demand for meat (which is great regardless!). We always see those sad videos and commercials about animal cruelty and we feel extremely sad about it. What do we do? We change the channel or stop watching, we’re not actually helping or doing anything about it. So how is your empathy helping?
Vegetarianism should mean something and you should actually do something about it, and not just for the sake of being a vegie because you feel sad for animals.
No where in Buddhism (well, except maybe in a couple of Chinese Mahayana sutras) does it mention that we need to be vegetarian. Not even the Buddha was vegetarian. The Buddha and his disciples went on alms everyday and ate what was given to them. They were begging for food, so they had no right to be picky and only ask for vegetarian food.
I’m not even vegetarian. I call myself a “Buddhist vegetarian,” I’m vegetarian on my own and when I cook for myself, but if someone invites me over or out for lunch or dinner and offer me meat, then I must accept and eat it. I always say a prayer before meals, thanking those who have worked hard to make the food I’m about to eat possible, and if it’s meat, I thank the animal for their sacrifice to feed me and allow me to live because of them and I wish them a more fortunate rebirth.
If you accidentally step on a bug and kill it, you should pray for it and wish it a fortunate rebirth. Likewise you would do the same for the meat you’re about to eat.
Smile and be well!