If Buddha allowed his followers to eat pork, fish and chicken then why are most Buddhists vegetarians?

 Although Theravada and Mahayana Buddhists agree that Siddartha Gautama’s teachings promote a vegetarian diet, the former believe that monks are allowed to consume meat if the animal wasn’t deliberately killed on their behalf, while other sutras claim that the Buddha insisted that his followers shouldn’t eat flesh from a living being. Mahayana monks and nuns must wash any vegetarian food that has been touched by meat, and reject any meat dishes (instead of picking pieces out).

Mahayana Buddhists believe that sentient beings are related and that killing and eating other sentient creatures is tantamount to cannibalism. Before Siddhartha Gautama’s death, the Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (大般涅槃經) says “the eating of meat extinguishes the seed of Great Kindness", and forbade monks from consuming meat received in alms: "I say that even meat, fish, game, hooves and scraps of meat left over by others constitutes an infraction… I teach harm arising from meat-eating." This is why Mahayana Buddhism proclaims that eating the flesh of fellow sentient beings is incompatible with compassion shown by a Bodhisattva (菩提萨埵) striving to cultivate themselves on their journey to enlightenment (涅槃 ).

In China, Buddhist monks and nuns must also avoid eggs and dairy, along with leeks, scallions, garlic, ginger and coriander (五荤). Dishes incorporate bok choy, shiitake mushroom, sprouts, corn, fruit, flowers, wheat/rice and medicinal herbs. Devout Buddhists often abstain from meat on the eve of the Lunar New Year and the 1st and 15th of the lunar calendar, including ancestral holy days (but utilize protein-rich foods to simulate the texture and flavors of meat).

Buddha’s Delight (罗汉菜) uses tofu skin, black mushrooms, carrots, napa cabbage, bamboo shoots, cellophane noodles, stir-fried tofu and water chestnuts. It is often served on the first five days of the Lunar New Year.

Some of the world’s oldest and most renowned meat imitations originate from Buddhist monasteries + temples, where tofu skin (formed from the film of soy-milk) becomes mock poultry and wheat gluten (starch is removed when flour dough is washed and leaves behind gluten as an elastic mass which is cooked) turns into “meat”. Soy + wheat gluten can be manufactured into various shapes and textures that closely mimic meat with seasonings. Travelers to Asia usually find vegetarian, vegan, and non-alcoholic dishes at Buddhist restaurants.

The Po Lin Monastery (寶蓮禪寺) in Hong Kong has a vegetarian kitchen which serves lunches and/or snacks. You can buy tickets or reserve a table in advance.