[Buddha-l] Re: on eating meat

[Andrew Skilton]

Thu, 20 Oct 2005  Mike Austin wrote:

>However,  I still read the meat-eating as something that may degrade the 
>individual - not something of karmic (blameable) nature. For example, it 
>seems that it may be put on a par with uncleanliness,  laziness, lack of 
>self-discipline and so on.

Mike, I am fascinated by the distinctions you are making here and would like to
see how you would elaborate the difference between degradation of the individual
and actions of a karmic nature.

I take your list of 'individual degradations' to be actions that only (or
primarily) affect the person who performs them. If so I would agree that these
are probably of a different moral significance (tho still of a 'karmic nature')
to actions that primarily affect others - but the case of eating meat is one
which has drastic effects on others (the slaughtered animals) and therefore
cannot be classed as merely an 'individual degradation'.

If I disdain to wash such that I stink out the dharma hall and distract my
fellow practitioners  from the golden words of the guru, you could argue that
there is only minor blame to me if I do not understand the effects of my aroma.
But if I understand that my smell is having that effect, then surely the
significance of my not washing in that situation is different?

Andrew



***********************************
Andrew Skilton 

***********************************