Why Hindus Don't Eat Meat

Why Hindus Don't Eat Meat

 

Posted by Dr. Jai Maharaj

Vegetarianism is the key to good health and happiness.  The Hindu view is multi-dimensional, including the ecological, medical and spiritual, as is evident in the following excerpts from Hinduism Today:

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

Ahinsa, the law of non-injury, 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 consciousness, 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 Reasons

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 suffering. In large measure, the escalating loss of species, destruction of ancient rainforests to create pasture lands for live stock, loss of top-soils 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 non-vegetarian 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 actually 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, travelled to India in order to obtain authentic copies of the scriptures.

"These scriptures unambiguously support the meatless way of life.  In the Mahabharata, 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.  Bhagavad Geeta 13.27-28

Ahinsa/ahimsa is the highest Dharma. Ahinsa is the best Tapas.  Ahinsa is the greatest gift. Ahinsa is the highest self-control. Ahinsa is the highest sacrifice. Ahinsa is the highest power. Ahinsa is the highest friend.  Ahinsa is the highest truth. Ahinsa is the highest teaching.  Mahabharata 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.  Tirukural260

What is virtuous conduct? It is never destroying 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

(Excerpts from Hinduism Today.)

Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet -- On Spiritual Awakening Radio

Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet -- On Spiritual Awakening Radio

 

Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet: The Many Benefits of Going Vegan: On Climate Change, the Environment, All the Latest News: On Tuesday, July 6th, my Guest was Susan Thomas of the World Preservation Foundation, On Spiritual Awakening Radio. 

Click To Listen:

http://view.liveindexer.com/ASXGenerator.aspx?mediaSKU=OPeNd2ho8PbnioZazm75CQ%3D%3D

All for the love of Wisdom and radio,

James

Spiritual Awakening Radio Website:

https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com

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Vegetarian Diet and Following Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters

Vegetarian Diet and Following Sant Mat, the Path of the Masters

Ahimsa (Non-Violence) and Diet

The following, on the reason why we advocate following the vegetarian diet, is by Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj from the book, The Harmony of All Religions, published by Maharshi Mehi Ashram:

Sant Sevi Ji: The saints have addressed the sin of violence with particular attention to the foods which are eaten. Foods which are produced by killing living beings, as well as foods which are not pure and fresh, are considered tamasic. Consumption of these is prohibited by the teachings of the saints. This includes animal products such as meat, fish, and eggs. These foods inhibit the clarity of the mind and the health of the body. There is an old saying: "Whatever kind of food we take in, its properties will also fill our mind." A parallel saying is "Whatever we eat, just so will our breath smell [indicates the visible effect of food]."

Further, Kabir Sahab says: "The kind of food and drink which we consume directly influences how our mind will become. Even the quality of water which we drink will influence our speech."

These words of Kabir Sahib are not merely rhetorical conjecture, but represent direct experience. Drink one glass of milk and observe how your mind is affected. Next, drink a glass of wine and observe how the mind is affected. Or, observe the effect of eating a sweet in comparison to the effect of taking a very small dose of opium. In this way, you can see for yourself how our mind is affected by what we ingest. These are extreme examples, with noticeable effects. But even when the effect is subtle and barely noticeable, we are nevertheless affected by the food we consume.

A great yogi named Bhupendranath Ji Sanyal has said: "It is preferable to always avoid the consumption of flesh and fish. This is because in the very cells of these animals there might be bad diseases. But even more significantly, the natural vibration of these creatures is absorbed into the blood. This can create agitation and even sickness, and will destroy the natural calmness of the mind. Also, one must not take intoxicants, as this is a great breach of the spiritual path and natural duty (dharma). [Under the influence of intoxicants people are unable to discern the right path of action]."

Therefore, we must be disciplined in what we eat and drink, and by being disciplined, our wealth and spiritual path are protected. This world becomes agreeable, and so does the next world, since we won't be incurring the karmas from killing other living beings. (Sant SeviJi)

Below is from an article I wrote about the vegetarian diet and Sant Mat

All past and present Masters of Sant Mat advocate following the vegetarian diet. In fact, being vegetarian it is a requirement in order to be initiated into the meditation practice of Sant Mat, which is called Surat Shabd Yoga, Meditation upon the inner Light and Sound of God.

Sant Mat is a vegetarian Path for ethical, spiritual, and theological reasons. The Masters teach that foods are of three kids: Satvik, Rajsik, and Tamsik. This last category of foods, which includes all flesh foods, is to be completely avoided. Satvik, the first category, includes: grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and dairy. Satvik foods are considered by Mystics to promote relaxation, meditation, and spiritual experience.

The bad karma and other negative effects of flesh-eating darkens one's vision of inner Light, interfering with meditation. It's interesting to notice that the Satvik diet of Sant Mat, of Hinduism and the Yoga Philosophy of India is also: the life-extension diet, the anti-cancer diet, the diet for antioxidants and most of the other plant-based nutrients, AND the diet of the Light & Sound mystics, East and West.

The notion that vegetarianism is "cultural" and confined mostly to India is the inaccurate assumption of some. It is true that many conventional world religions here in the West condone flesh-eating, but if you do some comparative mysticism you'll soon discover that the esoteric traditions which have practiced Light mysticism, Sound mysticism, and Ascension mysticism through higher planes of heavens are all in agreement about the need for contemplative mystics to abstain from the flesh. The list of Western vegetarian paths includes: Pythagoreans, followers of the Hermetic philosophy of Egypt, the Sethians, Theraputae, Essenes (and other Light-mystics within Judaism), the original Jewish Christians called Ebionites (see The Gospel of Jesus -- In Search of His Original Teachings , John Davidson, Element Books), the Gnostic religions, Manichaeans, some Catholic monasteries, monasteries of the Orthodox Church -- including the great mystery school atop Mount Athos in Greece, and the Sufi mystics of Islam who practice Zikar of the Spirit, Light, and Sound. Most every path that advocates a present-tense spirituality about re-entering Paradise or going Back to Eden during this life teaches vegetarianism.

Master Kirpal Singh (Sant Mat Master): "Those who take up the practices concerning the lower centers in the body, do take meat -- the Mohammedans and people of other religions also. But those who are anxious to rise above body consciousness and go into the Beyond have of necessity to eschew all that. This is the Path I have put before you. Liberation or salvation is something which starts only when you rise above body consciousness. For that reason, vegetarianism is the first essential." (The Night is a Jungle, published by Ruhani Satsang, also Sant Bani Ashram)

Guru Kabir says, "The man who eats meat is a demon in human form. Keep away from him -- his company will ruin your meditation." (Kabir: the Weaver of God's Name , RS Books, Radha Soami Satsang Beas) The harshest words that Kabir ever spoke were directed against the slaughter or consumption of innocent animals.

A Western Master of Sound & Light by the name of Pythagoras once said, "Our Earth has abundance of such pure and harmless foods and there is no need for us to partake of meals for which blood has to be shed and innocent life sacrificed."

Jai Guru, Naamaste',

James Bean