Are All Buddhists Vegetarian?

Well let's begin with the reasonings behind vegetarianism.

First it's compassion you feel kind towards animal. You do not want to hurt or kill them that's the first reasoning.

The second one is what we call the law of karma or essentially it's the law of cause and effect. What you do unto others. What you do unto other creatures, including animals. You would get the repercussions.

For example if you were to hurt this animal you would get hurt in return whether it is in this live or in next life. It's like if you have just cost you would get the effects of those causes.

One very important reason behind why buddhist monks or buddhists are not vegetarians is because monks are supposed to eat what is given. They are not supposed to choose or voice their preferences.

There is this tradition in buddhist we call it the morning Almsgiving. In Thailand, at every early hours of the morning, monks would walk around with the bowl and they would accept any food that is offered to them. Almsgiving is a sign of respect given by lay Buddhists to Buddhist monks.

For monks, food are just means of survival it's not for monk to take pleasure from. It is not to worry whether this meal is purely vegetables or not. Monks eat what is offered so that they would have more time and more energy to focus on what really matters in monastic life which is to purify them body, speech and mind. They need not worry on what food they would consume today because they will eat what is offered to them and that is why Buddhist and Buddhist monks are not all vegetarians.