The Buddha categorically denounced all forms of violence. Wherever it emerges in society, such places become distorted and disordered.Whatever beings whether human or animal, all begins are frightened of violenceand all dread death. We all are frightened of punishment and love life. As the embodiment of loving kindness (metta), the Buddha asked to extend loving kindness to all beings in the world. As he said one has to suffuse with metta to beings inall directions in the world. While the other religious leaders encourage killing and eating animals the Buddha showed loving kindness towards all beings.According to the Karaniya Metta Sutta of the Sutta Nipata, the Buddha said to extend loving kindness as follows: "Whatever living being there may be feeble or strong, long, stout or of medium size, short, small, large, those seen orthose unseen, those dwelling far or near, those who are born as well as those who are yet to be born, may all beings be well and have happy minds". Further he said to maintain the metta consciousness all the while we are standing, walking,sitting or reclining. Not only that,one has to develop one's mindfulness of metta as long as he or she is awake. That was proclaimed as the nobel living(Brahma Vihara) by the Buddha himself. When one observes five precepts, eight precepts or ten precepts the first precept that one observes is the abstention from killing (panatipataveramani). For the completion of the abstention from killing one has to refrain from killing as well as getting someone else to kill the being and also refrain from giving consentto kill or harm that particular being. There are some people who never kill but they get the assistance of other people to kill. That is also unwholesome. If one becomes happy by seeing the being that was killed, that too is unwholesome.That is how the Buddha realised the Dhamma and expounded for the suffering masses in the world. In the Dhammika Sutta of the Sutta Nipata it is said: "Do not destroy life, do not kill, Do not give others permission to kill, Free all beings from punishment, Those that are firm and those that tremble" (Vr. 394)According to the Dhammapada once the Buddha said: "All tremble at violence,all fear death. Putting oneself in the palace of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill". And again he said: "All tremble at violence, life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another one should not kill nor cause another to kill". (Vrs. 129 & 130). We all seek happiness. If we seek happiness we should not oppress other beings with violence who also desire happiness. Non-violence is one of the subdivided factors of the Eight-fold Path. It comes from the Right thought (Samma samkappa). When one has Right thought one is free from violence.That is non-violence (avihimsa samkappo) where he does nto think of doing anything harm to any beings (Avyapadasamkappo). So it is clear that when onefollows the teaching of the Buddha, specially the Eight Fold Path, one cannot engage in any type of violence. Instead he practises non-violence, in otherwords, it is nothing but loving kindness (metta).Both violence and non-violence emerge in one's mind and cease in one'smind. These are mind-made factors. Athought of vilence arises because ofone's greed, hatred and delusion. A thought of non-violence arises when onehas non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion. Violence in any form or any namehas no heart and no eyes. Violence is violence.In the Khandha Sutta ofCullavagga Pali (Ahi Sutta of Anguttara Nikaya), the Buddha said that one must have good thoughts to all beings as follows: "Mayall beings, may all those possessing life, may all sentient beings, see only good. May no evil come to them" (sabbe satta sabbe pana sabbe bhuta ca kevala sabbe bhadrani passantu ma kanci pappamagama).There is no stray reference in Buddhism that is likely to cause any pain or harm or loss to anyone. There is not even a reference that is likely to create such a harm even remotely. In this regard the Kakacupama Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya gives a classic teaching. In that Sutta the Buddha announced "O Bhikkhus, if ferocious bandits were to cut up a person into pieces with a twohanded saw and if the person who is being cut up were to have an anger towardsthose bandits, then that person has not followed my teaching. O Bhikkhus even under such circumstances you must think this way: Our mind never changes. We will not speak harsh words to them. We will pity them and extend limitless compassion to the whole world that comes within the purview of our loving kindness. We will extend limitless non-hating compassion to them. O Bhikkhus you must get used to thinking that way even about an enemy". Furtherthe Buddha said that if a person were to have anger, without extending loving kindness, even towards the enemy who cuts up one's body into pieces, thatperson has not followed the word of the Buddha. He is not a person who believesin the Buddha's advice. This invaluable teaching of the great Master shows us that a Buddhist gets noroom to hurt, to torture or to be unkind to anyone for any reason whatsoever.Therefore he, the Buddha, is the true exponent of non-violence ever lived onearth. According to the above mentioned factors it is now crystal clear that there is no room for a real Buddhist to eat flesh. But a distorted fact has been spread through out the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka that even monks can eat fleshthat is harmless in three ways (Trikotiparisuddha mansa). These three ways orthree instances were mentioned by the Buddha himself in the Jivaka Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya as follows: 1. When it is seen (dittha) 2. When it is heard (sutta) 3. When it is suspected (parisankita) In the Suttha these 3 factors are not explained. When these discourses were translated and written in commentaries, the explanatory meaning given is actually far beyond the real word of the Buddha, according to the given meaning: 1. Seen here means that the monk should not see the animal being killed forhim. 2. Heard means that the monk should not hear the voice of the animal that is being killed. 3. Suspected means that the monk should not suspect that the animal was killed for him. Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis never go to the slaughter house or the place where dana is prepared. Therefore, they can never see the animal being killed or listen to the voice of the animal when it is killed. And there is nothing to be suspected that the animal was killed for them because they are normally killed to sell to the public. In other words the butchers never kill animals for theBhikkhus or Bhikkhunis. So there is nothing to be suspected. Therefore Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis and upasakas and upasikas all can eat flesh if we acceptthe given reasons. For me, this commentary explanation is not clear. (But what the Buddha said in the original Sutta is very clear. See M.N. Jivaka Sutta - The Buddha as the greatest exponent of non-violence would never make such a dull witty expression. The Buddha said "I say that there are three instances in which meat may be eaten: When it is not seen, not heard, and not suspected". So my point is this. If we all accept the explanation given by later editors and commentators, where is the so called loving kindness in Buddhism towards all living beings in theworld? Can you prepare a dish of meant without harming a being? If you eat meat you are also responsible for the slaughter of animals. If you are a real Buddhist think twice. If you also want to eat meet, you may eat but do not strive to justify eating flesh. Do not disgrace the Dhamma and the great Master, the Buddha,who is the greatest exponent of non-violence. May all beings in the world be well happy and peaceful!