The causes and dietary decryption of monks' vegetarian diet.
to""The title of this article reveals the rich cultural, historical and philosophical connotations contained in it through changes in the dietary Xi of monks and Buddhist precepts, and interprets them. This paper is divided into three aspects: first, the historical changes of the food law in the Tang Dynasty, second, the life philosophy behind vegetarianism during the period of Emperor Wu of Liang, and third, the transformation of Buddhist food culture. Through the analysis of the above three aspects, we can have a deeper understanding of the Buddhist tradition and provide useful inspiration for us to find a more harmonious and healthy path of life.
From Tolerance to Severity: The Evolution of Buddhist Dietary Precepts.
Buddhism had just been introduced to China, and fundamentally speaking, a vegetarian diet was not necessary. In those days, meat was a staple food for humans. Monks also consume meat while observing Buddhism, due to the belief that eating meat helps to strengthen their physique and ability to defend their homeland. However, with the changes of the times and the spread of Buddhism in China, there is a new understanding of the influence of meat. They realized that eating meat would cause greed, which would have a negative effect on the cultivator's spiritual cultivation. As a result, some Buddhists advocate vegetarianism in order to achieve purity. This change in opinion also had a lot to do with the food concept of the era. Like, to be treated"Meat food"The taste of onions and garlic has a pungent taste that disturbs the consciousness of the monks. This is not only the embodiment of the continuous and in-depth development of Buddhist thought, but also the profound influence of the social and cultural environment at that time.
However, it is necessary to point out that a vegetarian diet has nothing to do with the body and weight loss. The monk's daily diet consists mainly of various cereals, vegetables and fruits, which are not only high in nutritional value, but also high in carbohydrates. Eating rice, noodles and other foods for a long time and lacking sufficient physical exercise in the body are likely to convert excess calories into fat. In addition, the daily life of the monks is also based on chanting sutras and meditation, and their physical strength is insufficient. Such a diet Xi make it difficult for the body to store energy, which can lead to obesity. Due to aging, the body's metabolism will become slow, so middle-aged and elderly monks are more likely to be obese. This situation reflects the impact of contemporary society on the living patterns of monks, as well as the impact of modern dietary Xi on monks.
The Buddhist view of life in fasting.
Monks don't go vegetarian just because they're in good health or because they're losing weight. The monk attaches great importance to the philosophy of life behind the food. Its diet is based on various cereals, vegetables and fruits, which not only have high nutritional value, but also have high carbohydrate content. Long-term consumption of foods such as rice and noodles is likely to produce excess calories and turn them into obesity if they lack sufficient physical exercise for balance. Monks mainly engage in static behaviors such as chanting and meditating every day, and lack proper physical exercise, making it difficult to efficiently utilize the energy accumulated in the body, resulting in obesity. In addition, due to aging, the body's metabolic ability decreases, so middle-aged and elderly monks are more prone to obesity. This situation reflects the impact of contemporary society on the living patterns of monks, and also reflects the influence of modern dietary Xi on monks.
In addition, the monks' Xi also have a certain influence on their weight gain. Monks mainly meditate and do not do heavy physical work, so they cannot make good use of the energy they have accumulated. Compared to the general population, monks are more likely to accumulate fat. In addition, the body's metabolism will gradually decrease with age, so middle-aged and elderly monks are more likely to gain weight.
Buddhism and changes in food customs during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang.
When talking about the changes in the food customs of the monks in the Tang Dynasty, we have to mention Xiao Yan, who was Emperor Wu of Liang. Not only was he a devout believer in Buddhism, but he also became a monk several times. He received inspiration from the "Lengyan Sutra": "Bodhisattvas do not want to eat the flesh of all living beings", so all monks who have abstained from eating should be vegetarians. This move has played a positive role in promoting the revival of Buddhism and improving its status and image among the people. This kind of change has not only greatly improved the status of Buddhism among the people, but also made the connection between Buddhism and the people closer. Although this act of Emperor Wu of Liang is quite controversial, his status and role in the history of the development of Chinese Buddhism are beyond doubt.
In modern times, the diet of monks has become more than just vegetarian. In recent years, with the continuous development of scientific research, more and more people have paid attention to the role of diet on the human body. A high-carbohydrate diet can meet the minimum required of a vegetarian, but it can also cause diseases such as obesity. Therefore, many monasteries have adopted more reasonable dietary control measures, such as balancing the protein, fat, and trace elements in the diet, to ensure the health of monks. This transformation is both a modern interpretation of the Buddhist scriptures and a product of combining Buddhism with contemporary modes of existence.
Epilogue. This article provides a glimpse of the rich historical, cultural and philosophical connotations of Buddhism from the dietary Xi of monks in the Tang Dynasty and the changes in Buddhist prohibitions. Although the monks eat vegetarian diets every day, they still gain weight easily. This is not only a blow to traditional fasting by modern dietary Xi, but also a challenge to the survival mode of contemporary monastics. Monks are vegetarian not for health or weight loss, but for the health regimen it contains. The catering culture of Buddhism, in the passage of time, has experienced the process of Emperor Wu of Liang forcing monks to fast, and implementing scientific meals in modern monasteries. Through the understanding of Buddhist food culture, we will discover a more harmonious and healthy life.