FOOD ETIQUETTE IN WORLD RELIGIONS: GENERAL AND DIFFERENT

The article is devoted to food etiquette (norms of behavior during meals) in Buddhism, Orthodoxy, and Islam. The development of etiquette in the religions under consideration is related to the protection of the physical and spiritual health of believers, which is relevant in the development of modern society. The author explores the following issues: prohibited and permitted foods (excluding food restrictions during fasting, which requires separate consideration), the number of meals per day, and the rules for dining. The analysis conducted reveals common features and differences in food etiquette in the religions under consideration. Islam prohibits a greater number of foods than Buddhism and Orthodoxy, and the etiquette of eating is more scrupulous in Orthodoxy and Islam. The religions share a common food etiquette that requires a reverent attitude towards food, moderation in eating, and stricter requirements for monks than for laypeople.