Fwd: Origin of vegetarianism in Hinduism

April 1, 2001

Hinduism, "Dr. Jai Maharaj" <jai@m...> wrote:

WHY HINDUS DON'T EAT MEAT

Hinduism Today

http://www.hindu.org

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

Ahinsaa, 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

Ahinsaa is the highest Dharm. Ahinsaa is the best Tapas.

Ahinsaa is the greatest gift. Ahinsaa is the highest self-control.

Ahinsaa is the highest sacrifice. Ahinsaa is the highest power.

Ahinsaa is the highest friend. Ahinsaa is the highest truth.

Ahinsaa 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

Jai Maharaj

jai@m...

http://www.mantra.com/jyotish

Om Shanti

Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the

educational purposes of research and open discussion.

-

> THots8421@a...

> Veg-Rel@e... ; Hinduism@e...

> Tuesday, March 27, 2001 2:49 PM

> Origin of vegetarianism in Hinduism is through Jainism and

Buddhism

>

> In a message dated 3/27/01 12:05:00 PM Pacific Standard Time,

berrynn@a... writes:

>

> As I point out in my book Food for the Gods:

> Vegetarianism and the World's Religions, there is no

> mention of ethical vegetarianism in either the Vedas or

> the Upanishads. It's my contention that ethical

> vegetarianism enters Hinduism via Jainism and Buddhism.

> That's why I begin Food for the Gods with essays on

> Jainism and Buddhism rather than, as is conventionally

> done, with Hinduism. Rynn Berry

> >

> Rynn Berry

> berrynn@

> > I would like to see this discussed here.

> >

> > >Wed, 21 Mar 2001 14:00:30 +0800

> > >wynn <wewynal@t...>

> > Vegetarianism

> > >

> > Hi,

> > >

> > 1.What is the origin of vegetarianism in Hinduism?

> > >

> > 2. Is the concept of vegetarianism found in:-

> > a) Vedas

> > b) Upanishads

> > c) Other Scripture

> > >

> > Thank you.

--- End forwarded message ---

April 3, 2001

I was surprised, when reading the Ramayana, that Rama, Sita, and Laksman ate

meat. (They got hungry and Laksman shot some animals for them to eat.) I

don't notice the Ramayana among the scriptures quoted below. Do you think I

was reading a faulty translation or what?

--