<p>The following are prohibited for ordained monastics in the Theravada tradition</p>

<p>Bear
Dog
Elephant
Horse
Human
Hyena
Lion
Leopard
Snake
Tiger</p>

<p>It was considered that the odours emitted from a human being who has eaten the flesh of these animals would cause them to be seen as a threat by the same. This perhaps would particularly apply to forest dwelling monastics as they may be likely to come into contact with the listed animals. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-30T21:11:14.827Z
2019-07-30T21:11:14.827Z
Roger Hilton
<p>According to <a href="http://archive.org/stream/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft_djvu.txt" rel="nofollow">Vinaya Pitaka -> Mahavagga pali-> Bhesajjakkanda</a>; following 10 meats are prohibited for ordained monks.</p>

<ol>
<li>Human</li>
<li>Elephant</li>
<li>Horse </li>
<li>Dog </li>
<li>Snake </li>
<li>Lion </li>
<li>Tiger  </li>
<li>Leopard  </li>
<li>Bear  </li>
<li>Hyena</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-11T16:54:18.030Z
2016-07-11T16:54:18.030Z
Sajeewa Welendagoda
<p>Page 308 of <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf" rel="noreferrer">The Patimokkha Rules
Translated &amp; Explained
by Thanissaro Bhikkhu</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The Mahavagga (Mv.VI.23.9-15) forbids ten kinds of flesh: that of human
  beings, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears, and hyenas.</p>
  
  <p>To eat human flesh entails a thullaccaya; to eat any of the other unallowable
  types, a dukkata. Human beings, horses, and elephants were regarded as too
  noble to be used as food. The other types of meat were forbidden either on
  grounds that they were repulsive (“People criticized and complained and spread
  it about, ‘How can these Sakyan-son monks eat dog meat? Dogs are loathsome,
  disgusting’”) or dangerous (bhikkhus, smelling of lion’s flesh, went into the
  jungle; the lions there, instead of criticizing or complaining, attacked them).</p>
  
  <p>The Commentary adds three comments here: (a) These prohibitions cover
  not only the meat of these animals but also their blood, bones, skin, and hide
  (the layer of tissue just under the skin—see AN 4.113). (b) The prohibition
  against dog flesh does not include wild dogs, such as wolves and foxes, (but
  many teachers—including the Thai translator of the Commentary—question this
  point). The flesh of a half-dog half-wolf mixture, however, would be forbidden.
  (c) The prohibition against snake flesh covers the flesh of all long, footless beings.
  Thus eels would not be allowed.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-25T07:06:42.407Z
"the lions there, instead of criticizing or complaining, attacked them". Idk why I laughed out loud about this, but very true.
Sandun
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-11T17:09:22.240Z
2016-07-11T17:09:22.240Z
ChrisW
<p>I sometimes see rules suggesting that monks (at least Theravadan) should not eat various animals. The lists vary, but includes to varying degree: elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears, hyenas, slugs, cows, and humans.</p>

<p>When I try to find something authoritative about this, I've come up short. Can anyone shed light on: (1) is there a list of animals that monks are prohibited from eating, and if so, (2) where does this appear in the canon, and (3) how/why were the particular animals listed?</p>

<reference-request><monk><food><rules><meat>
Prohibitions against eating certain animals?
# Prohibitions against eating certain animals?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-07-11)

I sometimes see rules suggesting that monks (at least Theravadan) should not eat various animals. The lists vary, but includes to varying degree: elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears, hyenas, slugs, cows, and humans.

When I try to find something authoritative about this, I've come up short. Can anyone shed light on: (1) is there a list of animals that monks are prohibited from eating, and if so, (2) where does this appear in the canon, and (3) how/why were the particular animals listed?

**Tags:** reference-request, monk, food, rules, meat


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-07-11. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Page 308 of [The Patimokkha Rules
Translated & Explained
by Thanissaro Bhikkhu](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/bmc1.pdf):

> The Mahavagga (Mv.VI.23.9-15) forbids ten kinds of flesh: that of human
> beings, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, leopards, bears, and hyenas.
>
> To eat human flesh entails a thullaccaya; to eat any of the other unallowable
> types, a dukkata. Human beings, horses, and elephants were regarded as too
> noble to be used as food. The other types of meat were forbidden either on
> grounds that they were repulsive (“People criticized and complained and spread
> it about, ‘How can these Sakyan-son monks eat dog meat? Dogs are loathsome,
> disgusting’”) or dangerous (bhikkhus, smelling of lion’s flesh, went into the
> jungle; the lions there, instead of criticizing or complaining, attacked them).
>
> The Commentary adds three comments here: (a) These prohibitions cover
> not only the meat of these animals but also their blood, bones, skin, and hide
> (the layer of tissue just under the skin—see AN 4.113). (b) The prohibition
> against dog flesh does not include wild dogs, such as wolves and foxes, (but
> many teachers—including the Thai translator of the Commentary—question this
> point). The flesh of a half-dog half-wolf mixture, however, would be forbidden.
> (c) The prohibition against snake flesh covers the flesh of all long, footless beings.
> Thus eels would not be allowed.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: "the lions there, instead of criticizing or complaining, attacked them". Idk why I laughed out loud about this, but very true.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-07-30. Score: 1

The following are prohibited for ordained monastics in the Theravada tradition

Bear
Dog
Elephant
Horse
Human
Hyena
Lion
Leopard
Snake
Tiger

It was considered that the odours emitted from a human being who has eaten the flesh of these animals would cause them to be seen as a threat by the same. This perhaps would particularly apply to forest dwelling monastics as they may be likely to come into contact with the listed animals.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-07-11. Score: 1

According to [Vinaya Pitaka -> Mahavagga pali-> Bhesajjakkanda](http://archive.org/stream/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft/bookofdiscipline14hornuoft_djvu.txt); following 10 meats are prohibited for ordained monks.

1. Human
2. Elephant
3. Horse
4. Dog
5. Snake
6. Lion
7. Tiger
8. Leopard
9. Bear
10. Hyena


---

