[Buddha-l] on eating meat

[Mike Austin]

In message 
<cfae24770510191234l322235c3g361fe9dc446ac49e at mail.gmail.com>, Richard 
Nance <richard.nance at gmail.com> writes
>Mike Austin wrote:
>
>> No, but I do see your comment as a remarkably limited and unimaginative
>> response to a sincere request for a reference - not just from the Dalai
>> Lama - that can clarify whether eating or buying meet is bad karma.
>
>Not just from the Dalai Lama? That's easy. Have a look at the
>La"nkaavataara Suutra (or, without those pesky diacritical
>approximations, the Lankavatara Sutra). Unfortunately, you may have to
>make do with Suzuki's translation of the text, which leaves a lot to
>be desired -- but even in Suzuki's translation, the message comes
>through loud and clear.

Thanks. I dug out my musty old copy (Suzuki's) and read it again. It was 
a long time since I read it. The 8th Chapter - the later addition to the 
sutra - seems to put the emphasis, as I mentioned before, on what desire 
for meat does to one's appearance to animals, and to some subtle changes 
that occur to one's mind and body due to eating meat. There is a mention 
of karma in one place, and a number references to rebirth amongst 
flesh-eating creatures.

But what strikes me about this particular chapter is the vehemence - and 
the almost campaigning nature, against meat eating in any circumstances. 
This is quite unlike other texts purporting to be the Buddha's words. It 
is for this reason that I do not find it convincing.  However, what I do 
glean from it is something more esoteric - something not conducive to an 
explanation. I see no rational arguments against meat-eating per-se, and 
yet unconvincing (to me) arguments are still put forward by this text. I 
feel there may be hidden reasons (tantric maybe?) behind it. I will have 
to think about this in a different way.

Meanwhile, any other references out there?

-- 
Metta
Mike Austin