..续本文上一页essary for one to be a vegetarian in order to become a Buddhist. Theravada Buddhists in Sir Lanka and Buddhists in Tibet and Japan do take meat as an accepted part of their diet. Some Chinese Buddhists thought that to be vegetarian is the Hinayanist practice, and not the teaching of the Mahayana. This is a great misunderstanding. In actual fact, vegetarianism is a practice specially advocated in the Mahayana teachings. This can be found in sutras, such as the Lankavatara, Nirvana and Angulimala Sutras. There are various reasons for not eating meat, but the main reason is to cultivate one”s loving kindness and compassion. As the sutras say: "Eating meat nips compassion in the bud".

　　A Bodhisattva should always seek to benefit others and to relieve the sufferings of all living beings. If one is cruel enough to kill beings and eat them, then where is one”s mind of kindness and compassion

　　 The practice of the Bodhisattva emphasises the mind of compassion. Hence, the virtue of vegetarianism is certainly the conclusion of the Mahayana teaching.

　　c) Sutra Chanting

　　The chanting of sutras is also an expedient way of practice. Although the practice may have other purposes its main aim is to develop wisdom. There are three stages in the practice of wisdom before the realisation of the true Prajna (the wisdom of enlightenment). They are the stages of hearing, thinking and analysing, and practising.

　　These three stages of cultivating wisdom can also be classified into the Ten Righteous Practices (The Ten Ways of Devotion to the Buddha”s Teaching), namely: to copy sacred texts, to offer places for keeping and maintaining sutras or Dharma writings, to preach or give such exposition of Dharma to others, to listed attentively to their exposition, to read them, to teach others about them, to intone them, to explain them, to think and analyse them and to practise them. In this traditional schema, the first eight are practices of wisdom through hearing. Sutra chanting reminiscent of schools in olden days when one would intone the text before giving an explanation of it. After one intones the sutra one becomes familiar with it. Then one may eventually understand it or at least seek such an understanding. These are the expedient paths in practising wisdom through hearing.

　　d) Righteous practice of the Expedient Path

　　The most common methods of practice amongst Chinese Buddhist are the recitation of the name of the Buddha, vegetarianism (releasing lives) and chanting the sutras. These are in fact expedient steps for anyone who wants to begin the practice of the Bodhisattva. These are expedient measures that will strengthen one”s faith and determination, loving kindness and compassion, and wisdom as stated in the Mahayana teachings.

　　However, some people stress the merits of chanting the sutras whilst placing little value on the understanding of their meanings. In this case, the chanting will not expedite the development of wisdom.

　　On the other hand, those who advocate the practice of vegetarianism and the release of captive lives may emphasise their practice of these two methods but may not show loving kindness and compassion towards sufferings human beings or act to protect and help them. They only care about other living beings but neglect their calling to care for and protect human beings. This perversion of practice arises due to ignorance of the purpose behind true practice and cannot lead to the development of true loving kindness and compassion.

　　By comparison, reciting the name of the Buddha cultivates one”s faith somehow or other as the action reminds one about the virtues of the Buddha. However, the problem is that most followers incline towards superstitious acts whilst others are only seeking personal salvation. Thus it is very rare to hav…

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