Why isn't the Dalai Lama a Vegetarian?

Question

If, as it states in Buddhism, every living, sentiant creature is sacred why does the Dalai Lama eat meat and wear leather shoes?

Answer 1

In Tibet the environment is not conducive for sustaining crops as the earth is of a poor quality, therefore the Tibetans have to survive on a diet consisting of meat.
As the Buddha taught, vegetarianism is an ideal which is commendable, yet one must follow the dharma practically, so if one has to supplement their diet with meat on health grounds, then eating meat is unfortunately a necessity for healthy living and mental well being.
I doubt any Buddhist who eat meat are comfortable about the death of the animal they have partially consumed, yet if we can become compassionate and active for the welfare of animals rights especially wild endangered animals, then we can a least balance out our Karma.
I became a vegetarian for six months but had to start eating meat again when I suffered weight loss and dizzy spells.
I could not concentrate clearly which effected my meditation sessions, so I decided to eat meat due to health reasons, although I am uncomfortable about the idea of eating an animal.

Answer 2

Dalai Lama Vegetarian

Answer 3

Tibet's climate isn't a factor--the Dalai Lama doesn't live in Tibet. He lives in India and travels all over the world.

Answer 4

Those shoes aren't leather.

My best friend grew up on a farm. She too knows the sacredness of animals and loves them but she eats some meat because she realizes that there is a difference between exploiting animals and needing to survive. The Dalai Lama has very small amounts of meat because he became severely ill living on a purely vegetarian diet. When asked "Aren't Buddhists supposed to be vegetarians", he responded "The good ones are!"

Buddhism does not adhere to any single law. Thank goodness the Dalai Lama understands that there is a difference between survival and championing a cause. The Buddhists I know give their children the things they need to survive regardless of whether or not "God" said not to. If it wasn't for the Dalai Lama being both spiritual and realistic, Buddhism would be an Abrahamic religion.

Answer 5

The Dalai Lama has NO EXCUSE to carry on eating and wearing other souls bodies. HE NO LONGER LIVES IN TIBET. He lives in India and travels extensively, staying in the best hotels.
Also, he takes the cruelty one step further by eating VEAL, one of his fav. foods AND wearing leather!!!
The old excuse of 'I didn't slit the nonhuman person's throat, therefor I'm karma free" is nonsensical. IF U EAT OR WEAR A NONHUMAN ANIMALS BODY OR BODILY ISSUES, U HAVE PARTICIPATED IN CRUELTY AND DEATH.
There are now over 7 billion humans on earth, eating and wearing more animal than EVER BEFORE. The only way to sustain this is to use intensive rearing operations which are HELL ON EARTH.
http://www.peta.org/videos/factory-farming-in-60-seconds-flat/
I no longer trust the dalai lama

Answer 6

ONLY Chinese Buddhism emphasises a vegetarian diet. Thus, some people thought that one who practises Buddhism must be a vegetarian. People who cannot stop eating meat misunderstood that they are not ready to start to learn about Buddhism. If we look around at the Buddhists in Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand or Tibet and Mongolia, not to mention the lay followers, we find even the monks and nuns have meat in their diet. Can you say that they are not practicing the Buddha’s teaching? They are not Buddhists?

Do not think that one must be a vegetarian in order to learn about the teaching of the Buddha and that one cannot practise Buddhism if one cannot be a vegetarian. To practice Buddhism and be a vegetarian are not the same thing. Some people who become a Buddhist, do not learn much about the teachings but only know how to be a vegetarian.

If there was a man who was a very strict vegetarian but who was selfish, dishonest and mean, and another man who was not a vegetarian but who was thoughtful of others, honest, generous and kind, which of these two people would be the better Buddhist?

Answer 7

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Answer 8

Maybe the Dalai Lama isn't a vegetarian because it is possible to love, respect, and admire animals, to have their well being in mind, AND, that is AND, to know that their life allows you live. That all our lives are simply waves arriving out of the same ocean.

Answer 9

The Dalai Lama eats meat because he was advised to by his doctor, due to ill health (jaundice, he turned yellow) It has nothing to do with the customs or the agriculture of Tibet. His Holiness does not live in Tibet, he lives in India, in exile. It is very simple to be a vegetarian, in India, it is a Hindu country with lots of vegetarians and vegetables.

Answer 10

Well there isn't a lot of arable land in Tibet, it's pretty much eat meat or die, and so the meat is only consumed and slaughtered for the purpose of sustaining life, which is acceptable to nature. That is the main difference between Tibetan Buddhism and other Buddhists.

Answer 11

The Dalai Lama isn't stupid, it's cold as hell in Tibet.