VEGETARIANISM
Around the world today there are millions of people turning to vegetarianism. Their reason ? A whole myriad, ranging from health and economies to ethics and religion. But basically it just makes a lot of sense to a lot of people. Aside from this modern trend lies the fact that vegetarianism has been practised as a way of life by thinking people since time immemorial. People as far as the sages of the East, Greek philosophers and English poets. In their own ways, they have all arrived at the same realization - that in order to come to a higher level of human thought and sensitivity, a vegetarian diet is essential.
The ancient relic literature of India (upon which the vegetarian world's oldest and longest lasting civilization was based) offers what are probably the best reasons for becoming a vegetarian. They explain that the universal law of karma ensures that those who causes violence and suffering to other living beings must themselves experience equivalent violence and suffering immediately, or in the future. The higher law of nature, that for every action there is a reaction is intimately related with the principle of reincarnation.
Sometimes the question comes up, "If plants are also living entities, then what about killing vegetables ?" In response, it may be pointed out that vegetarian food such as fruits, nuts, milk, grains 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 being 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.
KS L6A4
The ancient relic literature of India (upon which the vegetarian world's oldest and longest lasting civilization was based) offers what are probably the best reasons for becoming a vegetarian. They explain that the universal law of karma ensures that those who causes violence and suffering to other living beings must themselves experience equivalent violence and suffering immediately, or in the future. The higher law of nature, that for every action there is a reaction is intimately related with the principle of reincarnation.
Sometimes the question comes up, "If plants are also living entities, then what about killing vegetables ?" In response, it may be pointed out that vegetarian food such as fruits, nuts, milk, grains 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 being 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.
KS L6A4
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