[Prev][Next][Index]
Why Hindus Don't Eat Meat (Was: Re: vegetarism)
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
In article <3jqt72$1ua@ucunix.san.uc.edu>, Anshuman Pandey
<apandey@u.washington.edu> wrote:
> Hey, who really cares if the rishis ate meat or not. This thread
> died a long time ago, so let's keep it that way ok. Hinduism
> does not say that you cannot eat meat, nor does it say you have
> to. . . .
Dhanyavad for reviving the thread. It's time must have come again:
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
W H Y H I N D U S D O N ' T E A T M E A T
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Besides being an expression of compassion
for animals, vegetarianism is followed for
ecological and health rationales
...............
::: REASONS :::
:::::::::::::::
In the past fifty years, millions of meat-eaters --
Hindus and non-Hindus -- have made the personal decision to
stop eating the flesh of other creatures. There are five
major motivations for such a decision:
1. The Dharmic Law Reason
Ahinsa, the law of noninjury, is the Hindu's first duty in
fulfilling religious obligations to God and God's creation
as defined by Vedic scripture.
2. The Karmic Consequences Reason
All of our actions, including our choice of food, have
Karmic consequences. By involving oneself in the cycle of
inflicting injury, pain and death, even indirectly by
eating other creatures, one must in the future experience
in equal measure the suffering caused.
3. The Spiritual Reason
Food is the source of the body's chemistry, and what we
ingest affects our consciousnes, emotions and experiential
patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousness, in
peace and happiness and love for all creatures, then he
cannot eat meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs. By
ingesting the grosser chemistries of animal foods, one
introduces into the body and mind anger, jealousy, anxiety,
suspicion and a terrible fear of death, all of which are
locked into the the flesh of the butchered creatures. For
these reasons, vegetarians live in higher consciousness and
meat-eaters abide in lower consciousness.
4. The Health Reason
Medical studies prove that a vegetarian diet is easier to
digest, provides a wider ranger of nutrients and imposes
fewer burdens and impurities on the body. Vegetarians are
less susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict
contemporary humanity, and thus live longer, healthier,
more productive lives. They have fewer physical
complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor, fewer
dental problems and smaller medical bills. Their immune
system is stronger, their bodies are purer, more refined
and skin more beautiful.
5. The Ecological Reason
Planet Earth is suffereing. In large measure, the
escalating loss of species, destruction of ancient
rainforests to create pasture lands for live stock, loss of
topsoils and the consequent increase of water impurities
and air pollution have all been traced to the single fact
of meat in the human diet. No decision that we can make as
individuals or as a race can have such a dramatic effect on
the improvement of our planetary ecology as the decision
not to eat meat.
...............
::: HISTORY :::
:::::::::::::::
The book FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT, VEGETARIANISM AND THE
WORLD RELIGIONS, observes, "Despite popular knowledge of
meat-eating's adverse effects, the nonvegetarian diet became
increasingly widespread among the Hindus after the two major
invasions by foreign powers, first the Muslims and later the
British. With them came the desire to be `civilized,' to eat
as did the Saheeb. Those atually trained in Vedic knowledge,
however, never adopted a meat-oriented diet, and the pious
Hindu still observes vegetarian principles as a matter of
religious duty.
"That vegetarianism has always been widespread in India
is clear from the earliest Vedic texts. This was observed by
the ancient traveler Megasthenes and also by Fa-Hsien, a
Chinese Buddhist monk who, in the fifth century, traveled to
India in order to obtain authentic copies of the scriptures.
"These scriptures unambiguously support the meatless way
of life. In the MAHABHARAT, for instance, the great warrior
Bheeshm explains to Yuddhishtira, eldest of the Paandav
princes, that the meat of animals is like the flesh of one's
own son. Similarly, the MANUSMRITI declares that one should
`refrain from eating all kinds of meat,' for such eating
involves killing and and leads to Karmic bondage (Bandh)
[5.49]. Elsewhere in the Vedic literature, the last of the
great Vedic kings, Maharaja Parikshit, is quoted as saying
that `only the animal-killer cannot relish the message of the
Absolute Truth [Shrimad Bhagvatam 10.1.4].'"
.................
::: SCRIPTURE :::
:::::::::::::::::
He who desires to augment his own flesh by eating the
flesh of other creatures lives in misery in whatever species
he may take his birth. MAHABHARAT 115.47
Those high-souled persons who desire beauty,
faultlessness of limbs, long life, understanding, mental and
physical strength and memory should abstain from acts of
injury.
MAHABHARAT 18.115.8
The very name of cow is Aghnya ["not to be killed"],
indicating that they should never be slaughtered. Who, then
could slay them? Surely, one who kills a cow or a bull
commits a heinous crime.
MAHABHARAT, SHANTIPARV 262.47
The purchaser of flesh performs Hinsa (violence) by his
wealth; he who eats flesh does so by enjoying its taste; the
killer does Hinsa by actually tying and killing the animal.
Thus, there are three forms of killing: he who brings flesh
or sends for it, he who cuts off the limbs of an animal, and
he who purchases, sells or cooks flesh and eats it -- all of
these are to be considered meat-eaters.
MAHABHARAT, ANU 115.40
He who sees that the Lord of all is ever the same in
all that is -- immortal in the field of mortality -- he sees
the truth. And when a man sees that the God in himself is
the same God in all that is, he hurts not himself by hurting
others. Then he goes, indeed, to the highest path.
BHAGVAD GEETA 13.27-28
Ahinsa is the highest Dharm. Ahinsa is the best Tapas.
Ahinsa is the greatest gift. Ahinsa is the highest
self-control. Ahinsa is the highest sacrifice. Ahinsa is
the highest power. Ahinsa is the highest friend. Ahinsa is
the highest truth. Ahinsa is the highest teaching.
MAHABHARAT 18.116.37-41
What is the good way? It is the path that reflects on
how it may avoid killing any creature.
TIRUKURAL 324
All that lives will press palms together in prayerful
adoration of those who refuse to slaughter and savor meat.
TIRUKURAL 260
What is virtuous conduct? It is never destroting life,
for killing leads to every other sin.
TIRUKURAL 312, 321
Goodness is never one with the minds of these two: one
who wields a weapon and one who feasts on a creature's flesh.
TIRUKURAL 253
****************************************************************
Copyright 1993, Himalayan Academy, All Rights Reserved. The
information contained in this news report may not be published
for commercial purposes without the prior written authority of
Himalayan Academy. [The idea is simply we don't want people
putting it in magazines or newspapers that are for sale without
our permission. Redistribution electronically (for free),
photocopying to give to classes or friends, all that is okay.]
This copyright notice may NOT be removed, or the articles edited
or changed without the prior written authority of Himalayan
Academy.
****************************************************************
** For a free, 3-month subscription to the full-color journal **
** HINDUISM TODAY, send your name and US postal address to **
** hinduism@mcimail.com **
****************************************************************
*-= Om Shanti =-*
Offered in this forum by Jai Maharaj, Vedic Astrologer
jai maharaj |_|_|_|_| mantra corporation
jyotishi, vedic astrologer |_| |_| vedic prediction sciences
jaimaharaj@mcimail.com |_|_ _|_| telex 6505614754
mci mail 561-4754 | | | | | voicemail +1 808 948 4357
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: 2.6.2
iQCVAwUBL2J9K+lp/UA/8L65AQE2VgP9FjqeZuQv8PZaHGaV2tStW8iyi3tKMQyO
QxQ5pOVBFiAZGumCuQponZlAfIj+f6XrRKK3l2gW2RIDvlZzjlric+6QJKyMBzqN
EaEPMq4JkVrPaa0OuuKug2WJJ3FtJpmdCTExumZSaX50XNlwP4wOqiLeLjrrWyJ0
8s23lUUh1OQ=
=/0Ez
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
