Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals. This often extends to avoiding animal products in food, clothing, or any other purpose. Monks are people who have devoted their lives to religious practice, often living in seclusion under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. So can the two go together? Are there monks who follow a vegan lifestyle? Let’s explore this topic further.
Brief history of veganism
While people have avoided animal products throughout history, the term “vegan” was first coined in 1944 by Donald Watson and Elsie Shrigley. They created the word to describe a non-dairy vegetarian diet. The vegan philosophy developed over the following decades, driven by ethical concerns over animal welfare, environmental issues, and health factors.
By the 1960s, an organized vegan movement began to emerge, advocating for avoidance of all animal exploitation. This included not only diet, but also rejecting the use of animals for clothing, product testing, entertainment, and more. Animal rights became a major concern and driver of veganism.
Monastic traditions and diet
Ascetic monastic traditions have existed across many religious faiths, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Jainism. Monks and nuns commit to a lifestyle focused on renunciation, simplicity, meditation and spiritual development. Part of this often involves following a regulated diet.
For instance, in Theravada Buddhism, monks traditionally adhere to the Buddhist “triple clean rule” prohibiting killing, stealing and sex. Their diet is dependent on receiving alms food from lay supporters. The Buddha did not prohibit monks from accepting meat if it was offered, but also stated that meat should not be eaten if an animal was slaughtered specifically to feed monks.
Christian monasteries developed vegetarian and vegan traditions, such as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) who abstain from meat. Many Hindu mathas (monasteries) serve lacto-vegetarian food. Jain monks follow strict dietary constraints including abstaining from root vegetables.
So while vegetarian and vegan diets have been part of some monastic orders, they have not been universally practiced across all traditions. Monastic rules tend to put greater emphasis on simplicity, moderation and restraint in diet rather than prohibiting specific foods outright.
Veganism in Buddhism
In Buddhism today, vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming more widespread among monastics and lay practitioners alike. There is growing emphasis on expressing compassion towards animals and limiting harm in all aspects of life.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has described himself as “almost vegan”, having eliminated meat for health and ethical reasons. Other high profile Buddhist teachers like Thich Nhat Hanh have strongly advocated vegetarianism and veganism.
In the Theravada tradition, some monastics now interpret the “triple clean rule” more broadly to include abstaining from animal products. The key Buddhist principle of ahimsa (non-harming) can be invoked to support veganism. Nevertheless, full veganism is still uncommon in Theravada monkhood. Most monks still rely on alms food and eat whatever is placed in their bowls.
In Mahayana Buddhism, Japanese monks typically eat an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet, avoiding meat and fish but consuming dairy products and eggs. Zen proscribes against killing animals but does not mandate vegetarianism. In Chinese Buddhism, monasteries serve fully vegetarian food, though veganism is still rare.
So while veganism is not yet mainstream in Buddhist clergy, its profile is rising. More monks and nuns are adopting plant-based diets aligned with Buddhist virtues of compassion and non-violence.
Famous vegan monks
Here are a few notable Buddhist teachers who advocate or follow a vegan diet:
– Thich Nhat Hanh – this renowned Zen master established the Plum Village monastery in France in 1982. Food served here is 100% vegan. He actively promotes mindful eating, vegetarianism and veganism.
– Ajahn Brahm – an Australian Theravada monk and abbot of the Bodhinyana Monastery. He follows a vegan diet and encourages monks and visitors to avoid animal products at the monastery.
– Shodo Harada Roshi – abbot of Sogen-ji monastery in Japan. He adopted a vegan diet along with bio-dynamic agricultural practices for the monastery.
– Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron – an American Buddhist nun who follows veganism. She runs Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore and Sravasti Abbey in Washington State, USA. Both serve all-vegan food.
– Ringu Tulku Rinpoche – a Tibetan Buddhist leader who oversees Bodhicharya monasteries across Europe. He embraces a vegan lifestyle and diet himself.
So while still uncommon, there is certainly a growing movement of vegan and vegetarian monks and nuns in various Buddhist traditions. Their example provides inspiration for followers on applying Buddhist ethics to diet and consumer choices.
Veganism in other faiths
Vegan monks are quite rare in non-Buddhist religions currently. Let’s look briefly at some other major faiths:
Christianity
– The Cistercian Trappist order traditionally follows a vegetarian diet, though not necessarily vegan.
– Some individual Christian monastics or communities may be vegetarian or vegan, but it is not a common requirement.
– The Christian denomination Seventh-day Adventists encourage vegetarianism and veganism among believers, but it is not compulsory.
Hinduism
– Most Hindu monasteries serve lacto-vegetarian meals, avoiding meat, fish and eggs.
– Some individual Hindu monks or swamis may be vegan, but it is not widespread.
– Ahimsa (non-violence) is a key Hindu virtue that can be invoked to support veganism, though not all Hindus interpret it this way.
Jainism
– Jain monks follow very strict dietary constraints, including avoiding root vegetables.
– Veganism would contravene these Jain monastic vows, so it is not practiced.
– Jain lay followers influenced the development of veganism in the modern Western world however.
So at present, vegan monks remain largely a phenomenon within the Buddhist religion specifically. The monastic traditions of other faiths have not widely embraced plant-based vegan diets to date.
Challenges for vegan monks
For monks or nuns attempting to adopt veganism, a number of challenges can arise:
– Social/community aspects – Monastics often rely on food donations from lay supporters. Following a restricted diet may limit offerings received or create social tensions.
– Health considerations – Nutritional adequacy may be a concern if relying solely on alms food. Those with allergies or deficiencies may struggle with a limited, vegan diet.
– Geographic factors – Access to plant-based foods can be difficult in certain remote temple locations or regions without vegan specialty products.
– Religious constraints – As mentioned, some monastic vows or precepts may expressly prohibit vegan diets. Traditional rules carry great importance.
– Philosophical aspects – Not all Buddhist and monastic teachers interpret core principles like compassion, non-harming and moderation to strictly require veganism.
So for vegan monks and nuns, carefully considering these factors is important to balance health, community integration and religious obligations. Gradual transition may be prudent in many cases.
Benefits of veganism for monks
Despite the challenges, pursuing a vegan lifestyle as a monk or nun can have advantages including:
– Living compassionately – Avoiding animal products means not directly supporting animal suffering and death. This upholds key virtues of kindness and ahimsa (non-harm).
– Health benefits – Vegan diets high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can prevent or mitigate various health conditions like heart disease. This supports monks’ spiritual practice.
– Environmental impact – Animal agriculture has heavy environmental costs. Adopting veganism reduces one’s ecological footprint – aligning with Buddhism’s emphasis on interdependence.
– Ethical consistency – Monastics have already renounced many worldly pleasures and comforts. Extending this to eschewing animal products creates a consistent, ethical lifestyle.
– Teaching by example – Monks and nuns choosing veganism can positively influence Buddhist practitioners towards more compassionate and mindful living.
So for monks willing to take on the challenges, embracing veganism can allow for living certain Buddhist ideals more fully and authentically.
Conclusion
Veganism within Buddhist monastic communities is currently quite rare but gradually increasing in popularity. A small but growing number of monks, nuns, teachers and monasteries around the world are adopting plant-based vegan diets and principles. This reflects both health motivations and ethical considerations in Buddhism.
However, significant obstacles remain for vegan monks in many traditions and regions. Traditional dependence on alms food, community expectations and religious regulations limit how widely veganism may spread. But the increasing advocacy from respected teachers and ascetics may slowly shift more monastics towards embracing this lifestyle.
While vegan monks are scarce in non-Buddhist religions like Christianity or Hinduism, the Buddhist emphasis on compassion makes it comparatively more open to this movement. With environmental and ethical concerns around diet rising, it’s likely that an increasing number of spiritually-minded monastics in various faiths will gravitate towards veganism in the future.