佛教始於印度，是多數人理解的觀念，但是在中國對佛教的飲食觀念，多數人認為佛教應該都是素食的，其實不然，事實上，素食觀念與實行方法在世界各地是不一致的，隨著佛教流傳到世界各地，即使是在現今的世界各地，各國各地的佛教徒仍然依照不同國情、民情、文化、觀念、風俗習慣等，有著不同的實行方式。既然佛教徒對於素食的意義與看法論述不同，故有必要對於原始佛教教義做進一步的闡述，才能讓人知悉中國北傳佛教（又稱漢傳佛教，以下簡稱北傳佛教）對慈悲護生的實際做法。北傳佛教認為食素能培養修習慈悲心，食肉的人會斷滅慈悲心，無法達到佛教涅盤的修行境界，不能修成正果，這是大覺智慧之中流露出來的佛教根本教義。佛教修行首重於心，即使是在心中產生了食肉的念頭，也有礙慈悲的修行，更何況是日常食肉之行為。這種觀念使北傳佛教信徒在日常生活中逐步實踐素食的行為。本文將以原始佛教傳至中國的飲食觀念演變過程，進而深入探究之。

The majority of people understand that Buddhism originated in India, but the concept that Buddhist must be vegetarian is no exactly correct. The truth is that there’s a variety of ways to implement vegetarian diet worldwide. As Buddhism spread all over the globe, different places in the world have developed different ways of vegetarian diet according to their local customs, cultures, values and practices. Buddhists have their own perspectives for vegetarian diet. The following will elaborate further in the original doctrine of Buddhism in order to introduce how Mahayana do practically for mercy and life-saving. It is believed in Mahayana that a heart for mercy can cultivated through vegetarian diet. On the contrary, people eating meat will lose their mercy and therefore can not reach Nirvana. Buddhism practice puts high emphasis on the heart, even a thought in mind of meat-eating could hinder one from practicing mercy, let alone daily eating meat. This notion leads to the gradual vegetarian practice by Mahayana follows in their daily lives. My research is to understand the evolving process of Chinese vegetarian concept from the early Buddhism introduced.