Pythagorean Vegetarianism: Pure Diet

BY NICOLE LAU

Pythagorean vegetarianism represents one of the earliest and most philosophically sophisticated plant-based dietary systems in Western history—not just a health practice but a complete spiritual discipline rooted in the doctrines of reincarnation, cosmic harmony, and ethical purity. For Pythagoreans, diet was inseparable from philosophy: what you eat affects not just your body but your soul, your consciousness, and your spiritual progress. Abstaining from meat was not arbitrary restriction but logical consequence of understanding that all souls—human and animal—are divine sparks cycling through incarnations, that violence disrupts cosmic harmony, and that purification of body enables purification of soul. Pythagorean vegetarianism offers a complete framework for understanding food as spiritual practice, eating as ethical act, and diet as path to enlightenment.

The Philosophical Foundation

The Doctrine of Metempsychosis (Reincarnation):

Central to Pythagorean vegetarianism is the teaching that souls transmigrate through multiple bodies:

• The soul is immortal and divine
• After death, it reincarnates in a new body—human or animal
• The type of body depends on the soul's purity and karma
• A human soul can incarnate as an animal; an animal soul can become human
• Therefore, animals are not fundamentally different from humans—they contain souls at different stages

The Ethical Implication:

• To kill and eat an animal may be to kill and eat a reincarnated human soul
• Even if not human, the animal soul is divine and deserves respect
• Violence against any ensouled being creates negative karma
• Eating meat binds you to the cycle of violence and reincarnation

Famous Pythagorean Story:

Pythagoras reportedly stopped a man from beating a dog, saying: "Stop! Do not beat him! It is the soul of a friend of mine—I recognized his voice when he cried out."

Whether literal or allegorical, this story illustrates the teaching: animals contain souls we might recognize if we were spiritually attuned.

The Doctrine of Cosmic Harmony:

• The universe is kosmos—ordered, harmonious, beautiful
• Violence disrupts this harmony
• Killing creates discord in the cosmic order
• Eating plants (which lack souls in Pythagorean view) maintains harmony
• The enlightened person lives in harmony with all beings

The Doctrine of Purification (Katharsis):

• The goal of spiritual life is purification of the soul
• What enters the body affects the soul
• Meat carries the violence of slaughter and the fear of the animal
• Eating it pollutes the soul with these energies
• Plant-based diet purifies body and soul, preparing for enlightenment

The Pythagorean Diet

What Was Eaten:

• Grains: Wheat, barley (bread was staple)
• Vegetables: Wide variety of seasonal vegetables
• Fruits: Figs, grapes, apples, pomegranates, etc.
• Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas (but NOT beans—see below)
• Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sesame
• Honey: As sweetener
• Olive oil: Primary fat source
• Wine: In moderation, often diluted with water

What Was Avoided:

• All meat: Beef, pork, lamb, poultry
• Fish: Also avoided (though some later Pythagoreans allowed certain fish)
• Eggs: Potential life, therefore avoided
• Beans (fava beans specifically): Strictly forbidden (see The Bean Taboo below)

The Mysterious Bean Taboo:

One of the most famous and puzzling Pythagorean rules: "Do not eat beans."

Various Explanations:

1. Reincarnation Theory: Beans were thought to contain or attract reincarnating souls (they were used in voting—black and white beans—and in rituals for the dead)
2. Political Theory: Beans were used for voting in assemblies; avoiding them meant avoiding politics and maintaining philosophical detachment
3. Physiological Theory: Beans cause flatulence, which disrupts meditation and contemplation (hard to achieve serenity while gassy)
4. Resemblance Theory: Beans resemble testicles or fetuses, connecting them to generation and the cycle of birth
5. Gateway Theory: Beans were thought to be a passage between the living and the dead (their hollow stems were believed to allow souls to travel)

The Tragic Legend:

Pythagoras himself reportedly died because of the bean taboo. Fleeing from enemies, he came to a bean field and refused to cross it (violating the sacred prohibition). His pursuers caught and killed him. He chose death over breaking the rule.

Whether historical or allegorical, this story shows how seriously Pythagoreans took dietary laws—they were not mere preferences but sacred commandments.

The Spiritual Rationale

Food as Vibration:

• Everything vibrates at different frequencies (Principle of Vibration)
• Plants vibrate at higher, purer frequencies than animal flesh
• Eating high-vibration food raises your vibration
• This makes meditation, contemplation, and spiritual perception easier

Food as Karma:

• Eating involves taking life (even plant life)
• But plants lack souls (in Pythagorean view), so no karmic debt
• Animals have souls, so killing them creates karmic debt
• Eating meat binds you to the wheel of reincarnation
• Plant-based diet minimizes karmic entanglement

Food as Medicine:

• "Let food be thy medicine" (attributed to Hippocrates, influenced by Pythagoreanism)
• Plant foods are cooling, calming, purifying
• Meat is heating, agitating, polluting
• The philosopher needs a calm, clear mind
• Diet directly affects mental and spiritual states

Food as Sacrifice:

• Abstaining from meat is a sacrifice—giving up pleasure for principle
• This sacrifice purifies the will and strengthens discipline
• It demonstrates commitment to the philosophical life
• The body's desires are subordinated to the soul's needs

The Health Dimension

While primarily spiritual, Pythagorean vegetarianism also had health benefits recognized even in ancient times:

Ancient Observations:

• Vegetarian Pythagoreans were noted for longevity
• They had clear minds and strong bodies
• Less prone to certain diseases
• Greater endurance and stamina

Modern Validation:

• Plant-based diets reduce risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer
• Lower inflammation and oxidative stress
• Better gut microbiome
• Improved cognitive function
• The ancients were right: plants are medicine

The Pythagorean Paradox:

• They advocated vegetarianism for spiritual reasons
• But it also made them healthier physically
• This demonstrates the unity of body and soul
• What's good for the soul is good for the body
• The microcosm (body) reflects the macrocosm (cosmos)

The Ethical Dimension

Ahimsa (Non-Violence):

Though the term is Sanskrit, the principle is the same:

• Do no harm to sentient beings
• Extend compassion to all creatures
• Recognize the divine in all life
• Live in peace with the natural world

Justice and Consistency:

• If you wouldn't kill an animal yourself, why pay someone else to do it?
• If you recognize animals as ensouled, how can you eat them?
• Philosophical consistency requires aligning beliefs with actions
• The examined life extends to the dinner plate

Environmental Harmony:

Though not explicitly articulated in ancient sources, Pythagorean principles imply:

• Living in harmony with nature, not dominating it
• Taking only what's needed
• Minimizing harm to the natural order
• Recognizing humans as part of, not separate from, nature

The Community Dimension

Communal Meals:

• Pythagoreans ate together as community
• Meals were simple, shared, sacred
• Food was distributed equally (communal property)
• Eating together reinforced bonds and values

Fasting and Moderation:

• Regular fasting to purify body and soul
• Moderation in all things, including food
• Never eating to fullness
• Treating the body as temple, not indulging it as master

Mindful Eating:

• Eating in silence or with philosophical discussion
• Gratitude for food
• Awareness of what and why you're eating
• Food as sacrament, not just fuel

Challenges and Criticisms

Ancient Criticisms:

• "Plants are alive too": Pythagoreans responded that plants lack souls (psyche) and therefore don't suffer
• "Humans are natural omnivores": Pythagoreans argued that what's natural isn't necessarily what's right; philosophy is about transcending nature
• "It's too extreme": Pythagoreans saw it as necessary discipline, not extremism

Modern Challenges:

• Nutritional concerns: Can be addressed with varied plant-based diet (B12 supplementation may be needed)
• Social difficulty: Being vegetarian in meat-eating culture (same challenge ancient Pythagoreans faced)
• Economic access: Fresh produce can be expensive (though beans, grains, and seasonal vegetables are often cheaper than meat)

Modern Pythagorean Vegetarianism

Adapting the Practice:

• Whole food, plant-based diet
• Organic when possible (avoiding pesticides = ahimsa to insects and soil)
• Local and seasonal (harmony with natural cycles)
• Mindful and grateful eating
• Moderation and occasional fasting

The Bean Question Today:

• Most modern Pythagoreans don't avoid beans (except fava beans by some)
• The original reasons (political, mystical) don't apply in same way
• Beans are nutritious and important protein source for vegetarians
• The spirit of the rule (avoiding what disrupts practice) can be honored without literal bean avoidance

Extending the Principle:

• Veganism: Some extend to avoiding all animal products (dairy, eggs, honey)
• Ethical sourcing: Considering labor conditions, environmental impact
• Minimal processing: Whole foods over processed
• Conscious consumption: Eating as spiritual practice

Integration with Other Practices

Diet + Meditation:

• Light, plant-based diet makes meditation easier
• Heavy, meat-based diet makes you sluggish
• Fasting before meditation deepens practice
• What you eat affects your consciousness

Diet + Study:

• Clear mind from pure diet aids learning
• Avoiding meat reduces mental fog
• Proper nutrition supports cognitive function
• The philosopher needs a well-nourished brain

Diet + Ethics:

• Vegetarianism as lived philosophy
• Aligning actions with values
• Practicing compassion daily
• The personal is philosophical

Practical Guidelines

Transitioning to Pythagorean Diet:

1. Understand the why: Study the philosophy, not just the rules
2. Start gradually: Reduce meat, increase plants
3. Learn to cook: Plant-based cooking is a skill
4. Find community: Support from like-minded people
5. Be patient: Body and taste buds adapt over time

Daily Practice:

• Morning: Light breakfast (fruit, grain)
• Midday: Main meal (vegetables, legumes, grain)
• Evening: Light supper or fasting
• Gratitude before meals
• Mindful, slow eating
• Stop before fullness

Seasonal Eating:

• Spring: Fresh greens, sprouts
• Summer: Fruits, light vegetables
• Autumn: Root vegetables, grains, nuts
• Winter: Stored foods, hearty soups
• Aligning diet with natural cycles

The Constant Unification Perspective

Pythagorean vegetarianism is not arbitrary rule but logical calculation from first principles:

Constant: Souls Transmigrate

• Ancient calculation: Animals contain reincarnating souls, therefore don't eat them
• Modern calculation: Animals are sentient beings capable of suffering, therefore extend compassion
• Convergence: Ethical treatment of animals follows from recognizing their consciousness/soul

Constant: What You Consume Affects Consciousness

• Ancient calculation: Meat pollutes the soul, plants purify it
• Modern calculation: Diet affects brain chemistry, inflammation, mental clarity
• Convergence: Food choices impact mental and spiritual states

Constant: Harmony Requires Non-Violence

• Ancient calculation: Killing disrupts cosmic harmony
• Modern calculation: Violence has ripple effects (environmental, social, psychological)
• Convergence: Peace begins on the plate

Conclusion

Pythagorean vegetarianism teaches that diet is not separate from spirituality but integral to it, that what you eat affects not just your body but your soul, and that abstaining from meat is logical consequence of understanding reincarnation, cosmic harmony, and the path of purification. It's not about restriction but about liberation—freeing yourself from karmic debt, from violence, from the cycle of suffering. It's about aligning your daily choices with your highest values, recognizing the divine in all beings, and living in harmony with the cosmic order.

The Pythagorean vegetarian doesn't just avoid meat; they cultivate compassion, practice discipline, purify consciousness, and demonstrate that philosophy is not just theory but lived practice. Every meal is an opportunity to choose harmony over violence, purity over pollution, consciousness over habit. The plate becomes an altar, eating becomes sacrament, and diet becomes path to enlightenment.

The soul transmigrates. The animals are ensouled. The plants purify. The beans are forbidden (maybe). The path is clear. Eat plants, purify soul, achieve liberation. The Pythagorean diet endures, calling us to recognize that spiritual practice begins with what we put in our mouths, that compassion extends to all beings, and that the examined life includes the examined meal.

All is number. All is harmony. All is one. Therefore, harm none. Eat plants. Purify. Ascend.