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According to THIS, "The bhikkhu should also not eat raw or undercooked meat..."

Should a bhikkhu, then, not eat sashimi (raw fish, such as it used frequently in sushi)?

2 Answers 2

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In this commentary on the Vinaya, on page 308, it says,

Raw flesh and blood are allowed at Mv.VI.10.2 only when one is possessed by non-human beings. Thus, in more ordinary circumstances, one may not eat raw fish or meat even if of an allowable kind. This would include such things as steak tartare, sashimi, oysters on the half-shell, raw eggs, and caviar. Furthermore, even cooked fish or meat of an allowable kind is unallowable if the bhikkhu sees, hears, or suspects that the animal was killed specifically for the purpose of feeding bhikkhus (Mv.VI.31.14)

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  • (copying from this answer)
    – ChrisW
    May 12, 2016 at 19:58
  • Could you expand on "when one is possessed by non-human beings"?
    – user3169
    May 13, 2016 at 5:00
  • @user3169 That question was asked in this topic: What is meant by “possessed by spirits” in Buddhism? I wonder whether, perhaps, in modern times, other people (i.e. not the one possessed) sometimes interpret the state of being possessed as a mental illness.
    – ChrisW
    May 13, 2016 at 8:27
  • Or pretty much any non-conforming mental state, I suppose. But I wonder, in "suspects that the animal was killed specifically for the purpose of feeding bhikkhus", how could one not "suspect" what happened? Was it deemed killed for others first? Seems like the end result is the same for the animal.
    – user3169
    May 13, 2016 at 23:58
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In a word, yes. Bhikkhus and bhikkhunis are forbidden from accepting raw meat or live animals. They are also forbidden from consuming fish or flesh that they suspect, heard or seen has been slaughtered for their personal consumption.

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  • How could you not suspect that it had been slaughtered for their personal consumption? Accidentally died?
    – user3169
    May 13, 2016 at 4:58

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