BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Buddhist Monastic Code 1convention would apply to allowable meat (and to fish) as well. Thus itcovers the liver, kidneys, eggs, etc., of any animal whose flesh is allowable.The following types of meat are unallowable: that of human beings, elephants,horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears, and hyenas. Human beings,horses, and elephants were regarded as too noble to be used as food. The othertypes of meat were forbidden either on grounds that they were repulsive ("Peoplecriticized and complained and spread it about, 'How can these Sakyan-son monkseat dog meat? Dogs are loathsome, disgusting'") or dangerous (bhikkhus, smellingof lion's flesh, went into the jungle; the lions there, instead of criticizing orcomplaining, attacked them).The Commentary adds three comments here: These prohibitions cover not only themeat of these animals but also their blood, bones, skin, and hide (the layer of tissuejust under the skin — see AN IV.113). The prohibition against dog flesh does notinclude wild dogs, such as wolves and foxes, (but many teachers — including theThai translator of the Commentary — question this point). The flesh of a half-doghalf-wolf mixture, however, would be forbidden. The prohibition against snake fleshcovers the flesh of all long, footless beings. Thus eels would not be allowed.To eat human flesh entails a thullaccaya; to eat any of the other unallowable types,a dukkaṭa (Mv.VI.23.9-15). If a bhikkhu is uncertain as to the identity of any meatpresented to him, he incurs a dukkaṭa if he doesn't ask the donor what it is beforeeating it (Mv.VI.23.9). The Commentary interprets this as meaning that if, onreflection, one recognizes what kind of meat it is, one needn't ask the donor aboutthe identity of the meat. If one doesn't recognize it, one must ask. If one mistakenlyidentifies an unallowable sort of meat as allowable and then goes ahead andconsumes it under that mistaken assumption, there is no offense.Fish or meat, even if of an allowable kind, is unallowable if raw. Thus bhikkhus maynot eat steak tartare, sashimi, oysters on the half-shell, raw eggs, caviar, etc. (Rawflesh and blood are allowed at Mv.VI.10.2 only when one is possessed by nonhumanbeings (!)) Furthermore, even cooked fish or meat of an allowable kind isunallowable if the bhikkhu sees, hears, or suspects that the animal was killedspecifically for the purpose of feeding bhikkhus (Mv.VI.31.14).Non-staple foods are defined according to context:a) in Pc 35-38: every edible aside from staple foods, juice drinks, the fivetonics, and medicines (see below);b) in Pc 40: every edible aside from staple foods, water, and tooth wood;c) in Pc 41 (also the Bhikkhunīs' Pc 44 & 54): every edible aside from staplefoods, the five tonics, juice drinks, medicine, and conjey.The Commentary to Pc 37 lists the following items as non-staple foods: flour andconfections made of flour (cakes, bread and pasta made without eggs would be302