Fwd: Reasons for Vegetarianism

May 16, 2007

Hare Krsna. Reasons for VegetarianismVegetarianism has for thousands of years been a principle of healthand environmental ethics throughout India. Though Muslim and Christiancolonization radically undermined and eroded this ideal, it remains tothis day a cardinal ethic of Hindu thought and practice. A subtle senseof guilt persists among Hindus who eat meat, and there exists an ongoingcontroversy on this issue. The Sanskrit for vegetarianism is shakahara,and one following a vegetarian diet is a shakahari. The term formeat-eating is mansahara, and the meat-eater is called mansahari. Aharameans "food" or "diet," shaka means "vegetable," and mansa means "meat"or "flesh."Amazingly, I have heard people define vegetarian as a diet whichexcludesthe meat of animals but does permit fish and

eggs. But what really isvegetarianism? It is living only on foods produced by plants, with theaddition of dairy products. Vegetarian foods include grains, fruits,vegetables, legumes, milk, yogurt, cheese and butter. The strictestvegetarians, known as vegans, exclude all dairy products. Natural, freshfoods, locally grown without insecticides or chemical fertilizers arepreferred. A vegetarian diet does not include meat, fish, shellfish,fowlor eggs. For good health, even certain vegetarian foods are minimized:frozen and canned foods, highly processed foods, such as white rice,white sugar and white flour; and "junk" foods and beverages--those withabundant chemical additives, such as artificial sweeteners, colorings,flavorings and preservatives.In the past fifty years millions of meat-eaters have made the decisiontostop eating the flesh of other creatures. There are five majormotivationsfor such a decision.

1) Many become vegetarian purely to uphold dharma,asthe first duty to God and God's creation as defined by Vedic scripture.2)Some abjure meat-eating because of the karmic consequences, knowingthat by involving oneself, even indirectly, in the cycle of inflictinginjury, pain and death by eating other creatures, one must in thefuture experience in equal measure the suffering caused. 3) Spiritualconsciousness is another reason. Food is the source of the body'schemistry, and what we ingest affects our consciousness, emotions andexperiential patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousness, inpeace and happiness and love for all creatures, then he cannot eat meat,fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs. By ingesting the grosser chemistries ofanimal foods, one introduces into the body and mind anger, jealousy,fear,anxiety, suspicion and a terrible fear of death, all of which are lockedinto the flesh of butchered

creatures. 4) Medical studies prove that avegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider range of nutrientsand imposes fewer burdens and impurities on the body. Vegetarians areless susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict contemporaryhumanity, and thus live longer, healthier, more productive lives. Theyhave fewer physical complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor,fewer dental problems and smaller medical bills. Their immune system isstronger, their bodies purer and more refined, and their skin clearer,more supple and smooth. 5) Finally, there is the ecological reason.PlanetEarth is suffering. In large measure, the escalating loss of species,destruction of ancient rainforests to create pasture lands forlivestock,loss of topsoil and the consequent increase of water impurities and airpollution have all been traced to the single fact of meat in the humandiet. No single decision that we can make

as individuals or as a racecanhave such a dramatic effect on the improvement of our planetary ecologyas the decision to not eat meat. Many conscious of the need to save theplanet for future generations have made this decision for this reasonand this reason alone.

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