Meat Eating

[Guest guest]

Dear List,

This will be the second time I quote from Alain Danielou on the

Saivite

Tradition. I quote from "Gods of Love and Ecstacy: The Traditions of

Shiva and

Dionysus" under the section Vegetarianism on pg. 175.

"Vegetarianism has no place in ancient Shivaism, since it goes

counter to

the natural order, and since violence done to the vegetable kingdom

is not

essentially different to that done to the animal kingdom. The

destruction of

vegetable species and forest can have far more serious ecological

consequence for life on earth than the destruction of animal species.

Vegetarianism is, however, practiced by certain relatively modern

Shivaite

sects.

Vegetarianism derives from Jainism and was later incorporated

into

Vedism and Shivaism, following the Buddhist reform which took its

inspiration

from Jainism and was opposed to the rites of sacrifice. Buddhism did

not

survive in India, but caused a kind of syncretism producing modern

Hinduism

as practiced by the governing classes. This did not, however,

influence either

traditional Jainism or Shivaism in its popular forms or in those

practiced by

initiates.

Some of the Indian sages who established themselves in Greece

or Egypt

were Hindus. However, many others were Jainas who followed the rules

of

their sect by living naked or wearing white clothes. Jaina influence

can be

clerly seen in the development of Orphism. Without being vegetarians,

the

Pythagoreans, like certain Hindus, refused to touch beef or mutton.

In Hinduism, vegetarianism is only required of a small

minority, the

Brahmans and merchant-class. As a principle, it is contrary to the

rules of life

in the warrior, princely and working classes. In feasts at which

different castes

take part, Brahman cooks are employed and the food is always

vegetarian",(End).

I am absolutely no scholar and I offer this information only to

attempt

balance to this issue by exposing the other side of the coin.

 

Sincerly,

Joseph