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Thakar Singh on the Vegetarian Diet (fwd)
In forwarded article <38j5ao$e61@elna.ethz.ch,
kells@iis.ee.ethz.ch (Kevin Kells) wrote:
Many look upon Thakar Singh of Delhi, India, as a spiritual
adept, a holy man, or a master (please no flames). He was asked
by one of his students in an interview on June 29, 1994, in
Kinderhook, New York, USA, about the vegetarian diet. I thought
a part of the interview might be interesting to some (but of
course not to all) readers of rec.food.veg, as it talks about
karmic reasons for eating vegetarian food. Enjoy!
Question: Master, we all know that it's very crucial to abstain
from the eating of meat because this increases our karmas, but
can you explain in more detail the reasons for becoming
vegetarian?
Thakar Singh: We are not to increase our burden of karmas, as
you have already said. There is value in every kind of thing we
use in this world. The air we use, we have to pay for. The water
we use, we have to pay for. The light of sun or moon is also not
free for us, and this green grass is also to be paid
for---nothing is free.
If you are to make a house, you don't make it of gold or silver
or jewels. That will still be just a house, nothing very
special. If you can make the house of stone---it is very easy
and very inexpensive---then why don't you make the house of
stone and brick instead of gold? In the same way, if we can
maintain our life very simply, with the lower cost of this
greenery, then why should we attract so much burden and payment
of karma? Life goes on in the creeping worms but there is great
difference of payment of life. We are not allowed to use
anything that creeps on the earth. We are only allowed to have
the fruit of the trees and whatever is grown on the table of
this earth, that God had been wise enough to guide us and tell
us what is most useful so that we can maintain our life with the
least burden.
God did not really say that it is burden-less or is all free. He
has never explained it like this, but He has allowed us to have
these lower forms because with our meditations we can release
ourselves very quickly and easily and therefore we will not
burden ourselves.
Some other complications are also there, as now scientists have
come to know that all the living beings have some kind of minds
and feelings and when they are a little disturbed, their whole
nervous system is disturbed and so many poisons are coming up
and growing in them. If you die in that state you will also
suffer very much. As with those people who commit suicide, the
condition of the mind at that time is really very hard, very
horrible. If a person has committed suicide in that condition
of the heart then that condition will continue for a very long
time and that person will have to suffer.
This is also the case with people who eat animals. Their nervous
systems have been disturbed very much. Even if you look at an
animal that has been killed you will be affected; your nervous
system will be disturbed and you will lose so much peace; you
will not feel good and your heart will be affected by it. Look
at a dying fish. It is out of water and if you look at it, for
one or two hours or even some days your heart will not feel
good. It will think of the condition of that fish and it will
feel horrible and will be in some kind of hard state. For months
even this state of mind will continue. Maybe after a long time
you will forget this scene and its effect will be gone from your
heart and you cannot remember it----still it has its effect. If
just looking at a dead fish causes this then what will be the
case when we eat it and all these vibrations enter into our
system. So many diseases will come up and our mental systems
will be disturbed.
But when we eat some greenery or fruit everything is wonderful.
If you look at fruit that is ripe the colors tell you so
wonderfully that it is ripe. A fragrance is also available and
when you smell it you enjoy it and even when you remember the
smell you can enjoy. Your heart is also enjoying and your mind
and body are at peace.
So my dear, God has all sympathy for us and if He has
recommended some things for us then we should accept them and we
should not impose our minds and intellects into His wisdom. That
is why in the Bible and all other scriptures man has been very
clearly told, "don't do this---do only this." Everything is
clearly explained to us. Why don't we accept these commandments?
If we do not accept them there will be some difficulty. So let
us accept them and then after some time when you are lifted up
you will see how horrible it was.
Question: You have very clearly explained the need for the
vegetarian diet, but one thing many people have asked about is
eggs, and unfertilized eggs. Why not these?
Thakar Singh: An egg is a child in the womb of the mother. You
understand? If the womb of the mother or an egg is used, it is
the same thing. An egg needs 20 or 28 days and the womb needs
nine months, but both are a process in which the child is
completed. When we break the egg or hurt it, the inner life of
the being who was to find life is killed. Abortion is also not
allowed. It may be that so many governments have allowed that it
is legal, but it is not legal in the Kingdom of God. Those laws
are still there.
Previously the laws in this world were made in consultation with
the Saints and Masters, that those people who live in this world
should only act in accordance with the rules in the Kingdom of
God. The same ruler of the Kingdom of God should be supported
here. Anything opposite should not be done here---some
cooperation should exist. As long as the Saints and Masters were
consulted the things went on normally, properly. But afterwards
the people had their own minds and they could not understand and
now they have allowed abortion also. So this will remain
illegal. So if we break the egg and use it, it is also a crime.
Question: Is it also then a sin to eat a carrot? Some claim
there is a payment to be made in eating vegetables.
Thakar Singh: There is a karma in everything, but very little
karma is there in eating vegetables or fruit. This is very small
and can be paid off. It has to be paid off, you can't be free
of that either.
--
Dr. Kevin Kells <kells@iis.ee.ethz.ch
tel/fax: +41 1 632-5746/252-0994
Integrated Systems Laboratory, ETH-Zentrum, CH-8092 Zurich,
Switzerland
(End of forwarded article.)
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