Hay4sale, was ... RE: Horses on ISKCON owned or rented land

[Guest guest]

Dearest conference members,

 

If I may make a few points.

 

The problem with religious doctrine is that it can so easily turn to dogma.

Then the terms "Prabhupada said", "Jesus said", etc, actually become a ball of

argument to be kicked about. But obviously, whilst we do not find ourselves in

the enlightened position, but only in access to the words of the enlightened,

then we will suffer within this argumentative propensity whilst we search for

the truth. This is, after all, the reason to have a conference - to "try" to

ascertain the truth.

 

When I mentioned *full on compassion* I was not relating to "vegan doctrine" in

the slightest. In fact I do not eat a vegan diet but consume milk products. But

we must register that between no and yes, black and white, 0 and 1, there is a

whole spectrum of betterment. This is called relativism. And within the

relative is the absolute. A true devotee like SP could see the need to take

milk from a relative source of impurity, link it to the absolute and thus

purify it. He could also see the need to create our own rural communities to

extricate ourselves from the impurity and establish a higher bases of purity.

 

Whilst we live in the world of relativism, with our goal towards linking our

relative positions nto the absolute, then obviously we will be open to praise

and critisism, truth and hypocricy. Surely we should just acknowledge our

relative untruths and hypocricies, both to scripture and to the guru within our

hearts. There is no need, in my opinion, to do a karma count of which action

will bring in less karma or not. There is a need to examine our hearts (checked

as far as possible by guru, shastra & sadu) to see if what we propose is

correct or not.

 

For me, the best solution for the farm communities is to use the land in the

least hypocritical way, and if not, to at least acknowledge that it is not

ideal. Selling hay to farm animals and grazing horses on the land, when the

animals will be killed, is not ideal; as neither is offering blook milk. We

either live with it or find a higher path.

 

Whilst the crying need in the world of cow protection is to break the dead log

wherein cows will only be bread when milk production is not the leading factor,

meaning that oxen are the leading factor, then it is of paramount importance to

find work for the oxen. At the Manor there are so many favourable conditions

for it to be used as a pilot project in ox-powered agriculture that to take the

hay-for-profit road could be seen as not rising to the challenge that is

needed.

 

Even in the ISKCON farm in places like Hungary and Argentina, grains are being

produced to bake bread for local consumption or to the general population.

Organic, wholemeal flour produced with ox power would sell very well to the

Hindu community that patronise the Manor. Surely this is a better solution than

hay for farm animals that will be slaughtered.

 

In terms of grazing horses, the solution would be, as stated, a contract

wherein the horses are guaranteed life-protection.

 

These are my views.

 

Yours in service,

 

Gopananda dasa.

 

 

"Syamasundara (das) (Bhaktivedanta Manor - UK)" <Syamasundara (AT) pamho (DOT) net>

wrote:A moral maze.

 

1. If we are land holders, especially of ISKCON land we have a

responsibility to use all the land. Srila Prabhupada mentions for

Bhaktivedanta Manor that all the land should be growing something it does

not matter what (dont take this out of context please).

 

2. If we have excess produce we can sell it.

 

3. If we have excess land for our own use then we must use it or grow on it.

 

4. If we have much excess produce then this inevitably will go into the

non-ISKCON world. If persons then go on to kill animals or murder or do

other sinful things are we then implicated because we have produced food for

them?. Personnally I think not.

 

5. I loosly recall a quote where Srila Prabhupada mentioned that when we

purchase food we are relieving ourselves of the Karma of its production. The

transaction of money seems to have some nulifying element to it.

 

6. If we draw a line that foods and crops can only go to devotees or those

who are without sin then this would be a further obstacle to our farm

projects.

 

7. I am of the view that our first priority is to produce for our temples,

restaurants and congregation and if there is surplus this can be sold in the

general world.

 

8. Our ISKCON lands can not be used for grazing cows destined for slaughter

and that is a clear standard. If we have excess land and we sell the hay

either made by ourselves or by the farmer is that going too far. My view

would be that this is not ideal however it is a practical consideration in

being able to utilise all or more of the land.

 

9. In September this year Bhaktivedanta Manor is taking on an additional 50

acres of land. This is more land than the herd will need and thus there is

excess. My thoughts have been to grow hay and sell it to a hay merchant. Who

he sells it to is his buiseness. At some point we would grow into all the

land and there would be no excess.

 

10. If there is a small scale farming enterprise that supports Cow

Protection by working oxen and ensuring a livelihood for the Herdsmen and

Woman and this enterprise involves growing foods for sale should we not

encourage it. Should we not encourage it even if it is not the highest

ideal.

 

11. Later on when we have significant support from our own temples and

congregations we may see that we do not need to sell our excess outside our

own circle to make it work. However at the moment I lean towards supporting

farming enterprises and especially those that are directly involved with Cow

protection even if their funding is based on selling to non community

members.

 

Some more thoughts for consideration

 

ys syam

 

-----------------------

To from this mailing list, send an email to:

Cow-Owner (AT) pamho (DOT) net

 

 

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.