Question: Can we offer food to the Buddha if the food is not totally vegan and/or contains some of the five pungent roots?
Answer: This is not appropriate. As all Buddhas have great compassion, it is hard to imagine that any of them will appreciate any sentient being offering any other sentient being‘s flesh from being killed, and/or their products from exploitation.
As the Buddhas see each sentient being to be precious like an only child, to offer any sentient being is like offering a child sacrifice, that is clearly unneeded and unwanted. The Buddhas surely prefer that we make no offerings than cruel ones.
As the pungent roots spur greed and hatred, it is kind of rude to offer them to the Buddhas too, although they are already free from these defilements. As one is likely to consume later them after offering, this is discouraged too.
As we are future Buddhas ourselves, why not make kind and wise offerings to ourselves, by consuming what is kind and wise, for ourselves and all other sentient beings? This is an expression of reverence for everyone’s Buddha-nature too.
Related Article:
How Should All Aspiring For Buddhahood Eat And Drink?
上求佛道者应当如何饮食？
https://TheDailyEnlightenment.com/veg
