Vegetarianism in Buddhist Ethics, Health, and Environmental Sustainability: a Comparative Study of Theravada and Mahayana Perspectives
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Vegetarianism occupies a central position in both historical and contemporary debates on ethical living, particularly within religious traditions that emphasize compassion and non-violence. In Buddhism, vegetarianism is closely linked to the principle of Ahimsa (Non-harming), a moral injunction and central element of spiritual cultivation. Despite its recognition in Buddhist ethics, understanding how these teachings are interpreted and practiced in modern contexts remains limited. Scholarship often treats Buddhist vegetarianism as homogeneous, whereas its application varies across regions, schools, and communities. Questions persist regarding how Buddhists negotiate traditional ethical imperatives alongside contemporary concerns for health, ecological sustainability, and social responsibility. To address this, the study aimed to explore how Ahimsa shaped vegetarian practices in Theravada and Mahayana contexts and their health and ecological implications. A qualitative approach was adopted, combining textual analysis of canonical scriptures and modern literature, enabling exploration of how ethical principles were expressed and aligned with scientific and environmental discourses. Involvement to Buddhadhamma: Findings revealed that Buddhist vegetarianism could not be understood as a monolithic practice but must be situated within doctrinal, cultural, and historical contexts. In Mahayana traditions of China, Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam, vegetarianism was strongly emphasized and texts such as the Lankavatara and the Mahaparinirvana Sutras explicitly discouraged meat consumption as incompatible with bodhisattva compassion. Accordingly, many monastic communities and lay practitioners adopted strict vegetarian diets, viewing abstention from meat as an expression of Karuna and the vow to save sentient beings. By contrast, Theravada Buddhism, predominant in South and Southeast Asia, allowed monks to consume meat that was not killed specifically for them, emphasizing intentionality over consumption. Many Theravada practitioners, both monastic and lay, voluntarily adopted vegetarian diets, promoting plant-based foods during religious observances as an expression of merit-making, compassion, and ethical responsibility. Beyond doctrinal interpretation, Buddhist vegetarianism engaged with modern science and sustainability discourse: Plant-based diets reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and gallstones, while supporting bone health, glycemic control, and mental well-being. Ecologically, vegetarianism reduces greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use, and eases pressure on global food systems. These findings resonated with Buddhist ethical imperatives and illustrated the application of Buddhist principles to contemporary challenges, especially in promoting sustainable development across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, highlighting Dhamma's relevance beyond monastic contexts. The data highlighted that vegetarianism in Buddhism functioned not merely as a religious ideal but as a multidimensional practice integrating ethical, spiritual, health, ecological, and sustainability considerations, demonstrating how Buddhadhamma guided contemporary lifestyle choices and decisions in accordance with the principle of Ahimsa. Conclusions: The study concluded that Buddhist vegetarianism represented a dynamic interplay between doctrinal teachings, cultural contexts, and ethical debates. While Mahayana often mandated abstention from meat and Theravada emphasized intention, both shared a concern with compassion and non-harming shaping practice in diverse contexts. Buddhist principles were embodied in monastic and lay practices, linking ethical ideals to contemporary health and sustainability concerns. Thus, Ahimsa retained relevance, guiding dietary practices that reflected compassion, promoted health, and supported ecological balance, and addressed social responsibility, thereby clarifying how ancient ethical commitments intersected with modern scientific insights and shaped ethical consumption and sustainable living.
Source: Journal of Buddhist Anthropology
Author: Ruangsanka, Samaporn
Institution: Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University
Language: English
Topic: Indian and Buddhist Studies
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7219345084