About the Five Commandments

First of all, originally Buddhism did not avoid eating meat. The Buddha and his disciples were basically given leftovers to save their lives. Since there were no refrigerators in hot India, food storage was not effective, so leftovers were donated to Buddha's disciples. Even if there was meat in that leftover food, it wasn't something to be repelled. Also, there was no such thing as not being prohibited from eating meat dishes when receiving an invitation and receiving a treat.

I think you're saying, “I'm talking about vegetables.” In Mahayana Buddhism, vegetables are classified as lifeless. This is because the above changes, and when it becomes “can't eat meat,” then when asked what to eat, only plant-based ones will disappear. Since killing is prohibited, the only thing left to say is that plants have no life. Speaking of a bad dialect, it's probably a bad dialect.

Also, there are many cases where insects etc. are killed (or killed) in the process of growing plants.

Therefore, if you feel guilty about making and eating vegetables, I think you should give them alms. You can ask the supermarket to give you things that are close to their best before date or canned goods that have been changed due to dents, etc. at a low price. It's the same thing as Buddha because it's a food that is destined to be discarded anyway. I live in a granary area, so I know, but if you ask for rice, etc., the farmers will share it for you. Not only can you eat it yourself, but many people can be saved if you set up a food bank and distribute it where needed. Not only can you keep the Five Commandments, but you can also do alms.

Plants are not subject to the precepts of immortality.
It's probably easier to understand if you think of it as something like hair or nails.
However, spirits that dwell in plants (God?) I remember seeing something like that come up in Buddhist sutras or stories.
In any case, we cannot live without killing other creatures, including insects.
In order not to kill other creatures, there is no choice but to break free from the world of reincarnation and enter nirvana (peaceful destruction).
Once you are aware of the results of your ascetic practice and your worries are gone, you can enter nirvana.
It may be just one small step towards that, but it's good to keep and meditate on the Five Commandments.

Commandments are not something you “keep,” but something you “have” (keep). Hitting a mosquito violates the precepts! It's not like that, it's a commandment to “wish” and “make an effort” in your life if you don't want to do unnecessary killing. In other words, it's not an idea of what to do that is negative; it's an idea of how to live a positive lifestyle.
And there are no penalties other than those that clearly “cause trouble to the Buddhist community,” such as murder, and it is not a crime. It's just that I'm going to try harder as my own Buddhist practice. It seems like I'm going to go into detail, but “things that cause trouble to the Buddhist community” are not commandments, but rules. Commandments and rules are different things.
If you don't forget this, it will gradually move in a strange direction and become troubled and distressed.

Now, if you eat meat, it's the life of livestock; if you eat fish, it's the life of a fish; if you eat rice, it's the life of rice. Well, eating takes lives from others, so I won't eat it! What would happen if that were the case? It would take your own life.
Or what if everyone in the world stopped smacking mosquitoes all at once? Ecosystems will be destroyed, and huge amounts of life will be taken. It is said that in a certain country, sparrows were exterminated because they are harmful birds, and a large number of insects occurred, fields died, and tens of millions of people starved to death by humans alone.
You already know that, right? If you take that one, this one won't work; if you take this, that one won't work... the Buddha called the world a pain at all.
It's not lethal in it. There is no book, no end. We are all equally connected, and we all have a food chain within the same big life.

In the midst of that big connection, Niku-san works hard to live in a position where Niku-san stands is non-lethal. Sometimes it is also necessary to wipe out pests that stick to crops in the field. But then he said, “This hateful guy! konnyaku!” If they attack more than necessary, that hateful heart is more lethal than the result of causing them to die.

Or people in the old days usually did their best in society, doing their part, and lived a life where they would never take the life in front of them on Buddhist days such as memorial services, Obon, and Ohigan. This kind of habit is a good thing, isn't it?

Finally, why is carnivorous food bad and plants good? This is because it was prohibited during the Nara period by the Yoro Ritsuryo Code. It really has nothing to do with Buddhism. (There was a way of thinking that I would get too energetic during training and it would be hard)

Regarding your question about the commandment of immortality,

Strictly speaking, “not killing” means you can't even burn mosquito coils.
So why don't you just think of it as “not killing more than necessary”?
Not to mention humans, animals must not be killed unnecessarily.
Picking vegetables is not killing, but killing insects is killing.
However, if you get help from farmers, if you don't take some kind of method to exterminate pests, they will become insect-eating vegetables.
If necessary in order to harvest vegetables, there is no choice but to exterminate pests.

Does Niku-san aspire to become a priest?

If that is the case, I can't change my mind to keep the Five Commandments, but if that's not the case, and you're told to learn Buddhism at home, I don't think it's necessary to keep all of the Five Commandments right now.

I mentioned the commandment of immortality earlier, but there is no killing other than necessary.

When it comes to immoral stealing, it means you shouldn't steal, so don't do this.

As for the precepts of fornication, I think they can keep it, but Nicu-san is still a teenager.
You will probably experience a lot of love in the future, so I think it's fine to put it into practice if it's limited to “not engaging in immoral sexual acts.”

I think it's possible to keep the commandment of indecent speech about not telling lies other than convenient.

As for the commandment of not drinking alcohol, I think it's OK to decide not to drink alcohol, but alcohol as a communication tool when entering society is not prohibited in Japanese Buddhist society.
Drinking in moderation may have a positive effect on your life, so “don't indulge in alcohol.” I think it would be nice if you thought about it.

What is important is not to keep the Five Commandments in any way, but what and how to keep in mind, isn't it?

If you get caught up in shape, your way of thinking becomes narrow.

Precepts are for people who are swayed by everything if they don't have an arrangement, and they don't need it for people who aren't swayed even if they don't set commandments.

The point is, rather than worrying about the precepts, how to deal with the many things that will appear in front of you each time with reason and moderation without being swayed by you.