Root vegetables and ahimsa

[Guest guest]

Hi

 

Could someone explain this to me.

 

Every plant has a soul. When we eat things like tomatoes, fruits etc. we are picking the fruit off of the tree and thefore we are not killing the plant and therefore this is ahimsa. However, in the case of root vegetables, e.g. carrots, we remove the whole plant from the ground and therefore killing it. This is ahimsa. But ahimsa is forbidden in hinduism. Please can someone explain why we are allowed to do this. Whether its animals or plants, they both have souls and therfore killing is wrong, no?

[theist]

 

Hi

 

Could someone explain this to me.

 

Every plant has a soul. When we eat things like tomatoes, fruits etc. we are picking the fruit off of the tree and thefore we are not killing the plant and therefore this is ahimsa. However, in the case of root vegetables, e.g. carrots, we remove the whole plant from the ground and therefore killing it. This is ahimsa. But ahimsa is forbidden in hinduism. Please can someone explain why we are allowed to do this. Whether its animals or plants, they both have souls and therfore killing is wrong, no?

 

This is the argument used by fruitarians and I see it as a good one. But all killing is not exactly the same. There is no comparison between slitting a cows throat and pulling a carrot out of the ground. They both generate very different karmic reactions but you are right they both generate karma.

 

But being a fruitarian does not solve the karmic problem. Insects are killed in growing tomateos and even the fruitarian steps on insects as he walks towards a tree to harvest it's fruit.

 

Krsna seeing our awkward position has agreed to accept our love offerings of certain foods and allows us to eat the remnants. And as a side benefit that is action free from karmic reaction.

 

I like the way you think Guest. Please register and continue to add your thoughtful posts.

 

Hare Krsna

[Guest guest]

You are mistaken. Ahimsa is encouraged in Hinduism, not forbidden.

 

 

But ahimsa is forbidden in hinduism.

[Tirisilex]

The Jains practice what you speak of.. There is even a sect that does its best to even not stand on instects and walk with a light broom to brush them away.. I believe they are very compassionate however I find them a bit extreme.. People cannot attain enlighenment unless they are a monk or nun.. SO they prepare themselves to be reborn as one if they cant be one in this life. I find the Jains fascinating but Hinduism is my love..

[Guest guest]

 

Hi

 

we remove the whole plant from the ground and therefore killing it. This is ahimsa. But ahimsa is forbidden in hinduism. Please can someone explain why we are allowed to do this. Whether its animals or plants, they both have souls and therfore killing is wrong, no?

 

First of all Ahimsa—nonviolence. I understand your question but your wrong usage of ahimsa could be a bit confusing.

 

Excerpt from Chapter Four of "Karma and Reincarnation":

 

"Is Killing Vegetables Wrong?

 

Another common metaphysical question is, "If all living entities are spiritually equal, then why is it acceptable to eat grains, vegetables, etc., and not meat? Aren't vegetarians guilty of killing vegetables? In response, it may be pointed out that vegetarian foods such as fruits, nuts, milk, and grain do not require any killing. But even in those cases where a plant's life is taken, the pain involved is much less than when an animal is slaughtered, because the plant's nervous system is less developed. Clearly there is a vast difference between pulling a carrot out of the ground and killing a lamb. But still, one must undoubtedly suffer karmic reactions even for killing plants.

 

For this reason, Lord Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita that not only should man eat only vegetarian foods, but he should also offer these eatables to Him. If we follow this process of sacrifice, the Supreme Lord, Krishna, protects us from any karmic reactions resulting from the killing of plants. Otherwise, according to the law of karma, we are personally responsible. The Gita states, "The devotees of the Lord are released form all sins because they eat food that is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin."

 

Srila Prabhupada elaborates on this principle of spiritual vegetarianism. "Human beings are provided with food grains, vegetables, fruits, and milk by the grace of the Lord, but it is the duty of human beings to acknowledge the mercy of the Lord. As a matter of gratitude, they should feel obliged to the Lord for their supply of foodstuff, and they must first offer Him food in sacrifice and then partake of the remnants." By eating such sanctified food - prasadam - one is protected from karmic reactions and advances spiritually."

 

Srila Prabhupada also discusses this in Bhagavad-gita As It Is but I can't remember now the verse.

[theist]

ahimsa should read himsa. A simple typo that should be obvious to anyone reading.

[Guruvani]

I am sure that absolute ahimsa is not possible. We kill many living entities simply by breathing, walking down the path and farming the ground.

Ahimsa (non-violence) is not possible for any embodied being. The Vedic aphorism is "jivo jiva sa jivanan" (one living entity is food for another).

The point in Krishna consciousness is that Krishna has agreed to accept fruits, vegtables, grains and milk etc.

We become ahimsa by offering everything acceptable to him, otherwise there is no such thing as ahimsa for any human that walks the Earth.

The whole ahimsa cult is a fraud because no farming can be done without killing worms and bugs on the ground.

[Guest guest]

 

ahimsa should read himsa. A simple typo that should be obvious to anyone reading.

 

Oops, a typo. Theist, you are correct, it should read himsa.

 

 

 

We kill many living entities simply by breathing, walking down the path and farming the ground.

 

But this himsa is commited unknowingly, in which case we can pray and atone for this sin and Shri Hari will forgive us. One should atone/pray for sins on a regular basis for those commited unknowingly. Any himsa commited knowingly has no atonement and one suffers for that at the hands of the Yamnadoots.

 

 

 

Hi Hari Bhakta dasa,

 

Where can i find this text "Karma and Reincarnation" and who is the author of this. So one view is that it is a sin when plants are killed. But because Shri Krishna has sanctified the eating of such entities, as long as it is served to to the Lord first, we are released of such sinful action. But, we are still commiting a sin, right, even though it is redeemed by the Lord?

 

The thing is, any food that is not offered to the Lord first is classed as eating poison and therefore all foods (those that are allowed) should be offered to the Lord first.

[Guest guest]

 

Hi Hari Bhakta dasa,

 

Where can i find this text "Karma and Reincarnation" and who is the author of this. So one view is that it is a sin when plants are killed. But because Shri Krishna has sanctified the eating of such entities, as long as it is served to to the Lord first, we are released of such sinful action. But, we are still commiting a sin, right, even though it is redeemed by the Lord?

 

The thing is, any food that is not offered to the Lord first is classed as eating poison and therefore all foods (those that are allowed) should be offered to the Lord first.

 

Hare Krishna,

 

The portion that I quoted in the above post is from the book "Higher Taste" Chapter Four - Karma and Reincarnation. You can find it online at:

 

harekrishna.com/col/books/VEG/ht/

 

(sorry it won't let me post the whole url)

 

Srila Prabhupada also explains this in Bhagavad-gita but I can't find the exact verse. However, here are a few references in the gita for you concerning foodstuffs:

 

Chapter 9, verse 26

Chapter 3, verse 13

Chapter 6, verse 16

 

There are more verses. Do you have Bhagavad-gita As It Is? If so, look in the back in the General Index and search under "Food", "Sin" and "Prasadam" to find verses concerning foodstuffs.

 

If you don't have a copy of the gita here is a link asitis.com (again not allowed to post whole url) for an online version. It appears to be searchable.

 

Haribol

[theist]

 

The thing is, any food that is not offered to the Lord first is classed as eating poison and therefore all foods (those that are allowed) should be offered to the Lord first.

 

Here you have provided your own answer. "Every endeavor is covered by some kind of fault..."

 

Do your best. Do it for Krsna and let Him take care of the results. There is no way we can become from from sinful action with His grace.

[Guest guest]

 

Here you have provided your own answer. "Every endeavor is covered by some kind of fault..."

/QUOTE]

 

 

Hi theist,

 

Here i am merely saying that any food we eat must first be offered to the Lord and it does not really answer the question of comitting a sin when killing a soul in plant form.

 

 

I think Hari Bhakta dasa makes a good argument about commiting a sin when killing a plant, but because this is offered to the Lord first, He redeems us of any reaction to that action. I wonder what happens in Bhuddism, as they too follow ahimsa as part of their daily lives. The only difference is, they do not belive in a God, therefore no food can be offered to the Lord first and thus any root plants that are eaten is paapi karma (sinful act). How does one redeem theselves in this situation, i wonder.

[theist]

 

 

It is simple really. No need to overthink and make it complicated and mysterious. There are gradations of sins and reactions. Just like jaywalking is technically against the law as is murder and both actions can be rightly be called lawbreaking but they do not generate the same karmic reactions. Killing a carrot plant and killing a cow are not on the same level although both carry some karmic reaction.

 

The Buddhists cannot become free from karmic reaction. Even attaining their so-called nirvana is bestowed by Krsna 's grace when He sees their desire to become dead to themselves has become one pointed.