Translated by Ven. Thích Trừng Sỹ Ven. Định Giới
Is it effective to eat the five pungent flavors while reciting the mantra?
Dear Master, I practice Pure Land and recite the mantra. Can I eat non-vegan foods and the five pungent flavors (onions, chives, garlic, scallion, and leeks)? I heard that eating the five pungent flavors while reciting the mantra will not be effective because demons will come and lick my mouth. Is that correct?
In fact, these sources of information do not have clear confirmation in the Nikaya suttas of the original teachings of the Buddha (you can refer to the Samyutta Nikaya in the Minor Collection, the Stinking Sutta). Whether you are vegetarian or non-vegetarian or eat the five pungent flavors or not, that is not important, what is important is what mind you eat with and what attitude you have while eating.
The Buddha taught the middle way, whether to eat or not to eat, one should not be attached, if attached, it is attachment, because of attachment, we give birth to wrong views and ego. A wise person when eating must understand for himself, how to eat to nourish compassion for all living beings around him, how to eat to reduce all desires, anger, and harm in the mind every time he eats as well as in life.
Whatever we use or eat in life has a direct or indirect impact on other living beings and the environment around us, whether we are vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
We should eat according to circumstances, eat in moderation, we should eat with observation of eating attitude and purpose. Eating the five pungent flavors also helps to increase resistance and are also essential substances for the body, however, we should not eat too much, if in case we can eat the non-vegan food, we should eat very little during the week, we should try to eat nuts, vegetables, tubers, and fruits which are good for health.
Greed, anger, ignorance, malice, arrogance, jealousy, deceit… are the things that are harmful to our lives, not the five pungent flavors, or vegetarianism or non-vegetarianism. No devil comes to lick our mouths, only greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, jealousy, and deceit come to lick our mouths, so we speak harsh words, speak lies, speak divisive words, speak useless words.
Reciting the Buddha’s names or reciting the mantras is also the purpose of eliminating greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, jealousy, deceit, etc., but not the purpose of being effective in achieving anything. Reciting the Buddha’s names or reciting the mantras is a means to purify the mind, subdue the mind, help the mind be calm and clear, and escape from defilements, not to achieve anything. (If you achieve something, you have achieved nothing). Therefore, you should not believe in the words of later masters. Everything needs to be compared with scriptures and reality.
During the Buddha’s time, there was no method of practicing the Mantra or reciting Amitabha Buddha’s names to pray for rebirth, nor was there Avalokiteshvara, Ksitigarbha, Medicine Master, Samantabhadra, or Manjushri (see the history of Shakyamuni Buddha and it will be clear). There was only the method of reciting the Buddha’s names, recollecting the Dharma, recollecting the Sangha, recollecting the precepts, recollecting heavens according to the spirit of the Nikaya sutras, concentrative meditation and wisdom meditation.
We should observe those who are vegetarians or those who do not eat the five pungent flavors. In their lives, we will know whether they are free from greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, jealousy, and deceit. From there, we will understand how to practice correctly and how to eat correctly.
Sadhu! Sadhu! Well done
May all beings be happy and free from danger and hatred.
Namo Buddhaya
