The Buddhist Standpoint with regard to the Partaking of Garlic by the Ubhatosaṅgha

Abstract

Garlic is a popular food among people and most citizens enjoy the taste of it in a delicious curry and as an additional ingredient mixed into congees, curries and soups. In Ayurvedic treatments, it plays an important role as a medicine. In accordance with the Pāli Vinaya Piṭaka, there is sufficient evidence to prove that garlic was a popular food in India at the time of the Buddha. And also, Pāli Vinaya literature clearly mentions that garlic was a most popular food among the Buddhist Saṅgha community of that period. Besides, in Sri Lanka, Buddhist lay followers offer garlic curry as an efficacious health food to the Saṅgha at alms giving ceremonies. Although the Sinhala Buddhist monks and nuns practice a flexible principle with regard to having garlic, Buddhist followers who are living in some Mahāyāna countries refuse all foods which contain garlic. Sri Lankan lay followers who know this matter well regarding this Mahāyāna practice, are confused and question whether garlic is permissible or not for the Buddhist Saṅgha.