Chinese Buddhist food

Chinese Buddhist food

TheBuddhist food斋菜(Zhai CAI) is an Eastern Asiancuisine adopted by Buddhist believers. It is mainly vegetarian, to beconsistent with the general Buddhist precept to abstain from killing any livingbeing.

Vegetariancuisine has many names depending on the country. China:Zhai Cài; Japan:Shojin ryori; and Korea Sachal Eumsik.

BUDDHISMAND VEGETARIANISM

Buddhismand Jainism believe that eating vegetables kills lives because animal life isdestroyed because of plowing and pesticides. Jainism believes that starvationis the supreme act of non-violence, while Buddhists consider extremeself-mortification as a barrier to reach the light.

Theravadaand Mahayana them agree that eating meat is not a violation of the FivePrecepts that forbid anyone to take the life directly.

However,monks and following the Theravada, which are fed by the alms sisters, must eatall the leftovers they are offered, including meat. They are provided with thesole exception of having seen, heard or knew that the animal was killedespecially for those who give alms. Consume meat in these circumstances wouldbe bad for their karma. This principle is also applied by the lay Buddhist (三 净肉 sanjingrou).

Whensows communities provide meat specifically to feed the monks and nuns,permission to eat meat differs from a Buddhist community to another. TheTheravada Pali canon refers situations where Buddha ate meat that was speciallymade ​​for him. Buddha would have done this to show that if necessary, aBuddhistcan bend the rules in an emergency. Persist to follow rules or Buddhistvegetarianism when this is not possible, is opposed to the Mahayana philosophy,that obstinacy is an obstacle to nirvana and light. So when someone vowed tobecome a vegetarian Buddhist, she agrees to follow this wish as long as it ishumanly possible to do this vegetarian diet.

Theauthenticity of the Pali canon is discussed. Mahayana Sutra reports nosituation where the Buddha fed meat. However, no community Mahayana not discussthe authenticity of the Pali canon, while Chinese Buddhists tend to believethat this part is false. The fact that Buddha ate meat is commonly acceptedamong Japanese Buddhists.

Sincethat Mahayana Buddhists recognize eating meat as cruel and deprived of anycompassion, most became vegetarian. Several Mahayana sutras say that Buddhapraised abstinence from meat. However, Tibetan Buddhists believe that Tantramakes vegetarianism unnecessary. All communities Kamakura Japanese BuddhistMahayana Vinaya discontinued and therefore are no longer practicingvegetarianism but the Pesco vegetarian. The Chinese and Korean Buddhists adherefully to vegetarianism.

BUDDHISM AND Buddhist food

EasternAsian vegetarian cuisine differs from that of the West. It avoids kill anyplant. For monks and nuns, Buddhist Vinaya prohibits the infringement of aplant. So we do not use any root vegetable (potatoes, carrots and onions), butbeans and fruits. However, this drastic diet is most often applied to specialoccasions.

MahayanaBuddhists in China and Vietnam, do notconsume plants with high scent: garlic, chives, and foul ase Victorial garlic.They are known to excite the senses.

Foodfrom a vegetarian Buddhist or not still remains very specific. Most ChineseBuddhists do not eat beef or called exotic meats. There is also the xiashui (下水): abstinence from eating entrails and organs of animals(not to be confused with the Japanese term which means gesui drain). MostBuddhists do not consume drugs or alcohol because it would affect their minds.This is part of the Five Precepts which prohibit the consumption of anysubstance causing addiction. It is generally accepted that this principleapplies to alcohol and drugs, some Buddhists extend to tobacco.

THEBASICS OF BUDDHIST food

Buddhistvegetarian chefs redouble their creativity when it comes to imitating meatusing wheat protein (seitan), soybeans, agar-agar and others flavors fromplants. Many of these recipes are part of the tradition and are highlyregarded. Soy and seitan alone offer true diversity because they can bemanipulated in many ways and distribute a large number of flavors depending ontheir use. What is even more amazing than soy or seitan only one does not havemuch taste. Depending on the season, the chefs prepare meat imitationsbreathtaking.

Someof these chefs cook dishes wu hun and fake meat in monasteries for monks butalso for visitors (non-Buddhists who are still a few hours or days, and alsoBuddhists who are not monks but that may remain one night or several months).Many Buddhist restaurants serve dishes wu hun, vegetarian and non-alcoholic.Some Buddhists eat vegetarian once a week or month, or special occasions suchas visit the grave of an ancestor. To satisfy both these types of clients, and100% vegetarian, maps vegetarian Buddhist restaurants do not vary much fromthose of typical Chinese restaurants, except that normally dishes containingmeat are cooked with soy sauce flavored and wheat protein.

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