[Buddha-l] buddha-l Digest, Vol 103, Issue 3

[David Living]

Re: Sentience of Plants

Bob quotes:
 *Bob Woolery*
>    If we give any credence to the notion of sentience in plants, the
> implication is that we all must kill to live.  A strict Fruitarian might
> argue that he has escaped killing, and planting fruit trees maybe quashes
> the problem of seeds. The rest of us are for sure killing living things
> who have no choice in the matter.

Another complication is that some plants actually want to be eaten as a way of 
propagating the species - blackcurrents, grapes, apples, pairs - the list goes on.

Maybe that is a "get out of jail" clause. We don't have to starve to death to be 
ethical. Another thought is that some plants do "send a message" that they don't
want to be eaten by being poisonous or irritating eg toadstools and stinging nettles. 
Perhaps a rule of thumb could be  that if a plant propagates through pollinating 
or by means other than being eaten then if you are very strict don't eat it. If you 
might die of starvation (and lets face it most westerners don't know the meaning 
of the word) then that may be another get out clause too.

Aryacitta/Dave Living Southend-on-Sea