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Be A Vegetarian? Yes-Why?

 

If you are a vegetarian, we would like you to understand why you and your forefathers have been vegetarians and thus remain a convinced vegetarian, rather than a vegetarian by birth.

If you are a non-vegetarian, we would like you to consider the following :

It may be that you have been born in a non-vegetarian family and thus your diet includes flesh foods. But you are now a grown-up person. You must think whether your diet has been a right one. We have no desire it force our views on you, but we would like you no understand and decide, as to what is a normal or natural diet for a human being. We can find mullions and millions of people living a normal healthy life by taking vegetarian food, that is, food derived from non-killing and cruelty to any living being whereas you will rarely find a person who lives only on a flesh-based diet. If one is ever found to be living only on flesh diet, he will be called a barbarian or an aboriginal. How come man takes pride and considers himself civilised after nurturing himself on flesh-food?

Every religion commands, "Thou shall not kill". Individuals have made their own interpretation of this commandment according to their convenience.

Some say that you will not kill human beings. Others say that they will not kill anything unnecessarily. There are many others who say that it is a sin to kill or do cruelty to any living being. There are people who believe in non-killing of living beings themselves, but do not mind eating the flesh of living creatures killed by others, wrongly believing that they are not committing any harm or sin. for that matter associating oneself in any way even in the setting up of slaughter houses is sinful.

The Command in all religions is universal. "Thou shall not kill". Killing is not humane, whether for food or for sport, whether by the person who wants to eat what he kills or by a person such as the butcher who kills for others.

A Beacon Light To The Right Way of Life : Religion is nothing but a beacon light to the right way of life . It is said that religious principle is the chief motivator of vegetarianism, which means that it is the right way of life for human i.e., The Ahimsa Way. Ahimsa surely cannot mean refraining from harming only human beings. It also means refraining from harming any living being. It is true that man has to eat some food in order to live. It is also accepted that animals and human beings have much more developed life than plants. A very strict interpretation of Ahimsa may require that man should not injure even plants for the sake of food . He should consume only fruits and leaves which have fallen from trees. The principle involved is that harm to all life shall be minimised.

Now Compare and Contrast & Decide For Yourself Which Should Be Your Food.

The Non-Vegetarian The Vegetarian

1.

All flesh foods are the result of death of creatures and are, therefore dead food.

1.

All foods from vegetarian are living food

2.

have you witnessed the killing in slaughter house ? Most meat-eaters would not have seen the slaughter of animals. It is likely that many would give up eating flesh if they realised the gruesomeness and cruelty involved in butchery.

2.

Do you have a happy and pleasant feeling right from the time you cultivate fruits, vegetables grains etc. to the time you pluck, gather or harvest them?

3.

How do you like the smell or sight of hanging meat or fish in the store or market?

3.

how do you like the smell or sight of fruits vegetables grains, etc., when you pass by?

4.

Is there any resistance by creatures when being slaughtered? What do you feel when they scream or bleeds?

4.

Can you pluck, cut or gather fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. without any feeling of resistance from the trees and plants?

5.

Can you yourself kill and animal or any other living creature and then cut and eat the same?

5.

Can you slice fruits, vegetable, etc., yourself and eat them?

6.

Do you feel any difference between life in a creature and life in a plant?

6.

Can you take a carrot or cabbage with you for a walk just as you would do with any of your pets?

7.

Can you find out by sight or smell whether the meat is suitable or unsuitable for food i.e., whether the meat is or an animal which is free from disease and not stale?

7.

Can you find out by sight or smell if vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains etc., have become rotten and inedible?

8.

Do you know that a butcher's work or occupation is considered to be the lowest amongst all occupations? Why?

8.

70% of the Indian people are agriculturists. They live an honourable life.

 

Points To Consider :
1. Taking non-vegetarian food is considered fashionable. One cannot stop anyone from thinking on these lines but fashions are rarely based on principles. It is but the exposition of the whims and fancies of individuals or groups. But "Vegetarianism" now is a way to the future.

2. If a man kills and eats a fellow human being, he is called a cannibal and is punishable under law. Whereas those killing animals, birds, fish, etc. and also eating them call themselves fashionable and place themselves high in society. Is this right?

3. Eating meat is no mark of greatness. On the other hand greatness lies in having enough self control and understanding to give up eating meat.

4. Toxins : There are toxins in all flesh foods which add to the humans own toxins. As such all organs like Heart, Kidney, Liver, Spleen and Lungs have to work beyond their normal capacity resulting in their gradual failure, resulting in Cancer, Heart Attack, Blood Pressure, Kidney disease, Arthritis and other chronic diseases.

5. The production of meat involves brutality, cruelty and killing of creatures (which is revolting to human nature).

Vegetarian Diet Is The Right Diet For Human Beings For Several Reasons
1. It is economical and can be produced in abundance. We have to bear in mind that animals are great consumers and plants are great producers.
2. Vegetarian food is first hand food, whereas non-vegetarian food is a second hand one. (Animals and birds eat plant foods and then man eats these animals, birds etc.)
3. Most of the flesh-foods are devoid of carbohydrates which give real energy. The cereals and pulse supply sufficient quantity of carbohydrates and protein and have more calorie value than flesh foods. (See Value Chart Page)
4. Please remember that our daily nutrition requirement is 55% carbohydrates, 15-20% fat and 15-20% protein, rest is vitamin, minerals and fibre.

Moral Values : Indulgence in consuming flesh and blood may lead to fleshy inclinations and thoughts. How does one feel of the flesh eater is made to realise that he is a living grave of murdered beasts? What right have we to kill those innocent birds, animals, fish fowls etc?

Vegetarian is a must for spiritual development which is the goal of life.

Health : Vegetarian food is easily digestible and contains all life sustaining and body building properties. Is not the strong and stately elephant a hundred percent vegetarian? Do you wonder where the horse who builds a magnificent body in a couple of years gets all his energy and proteins from? Of course from the grass and grains he eats.

Nature has made protein available in every naturally occurring food. Every plant, every vegetable, every fruit and every seed contains some proteins and so it is virtually impossible to be without enough protein in your Vegetarian diet provided you have enough to eat this natural food.

Taste : Non-vegetarian foods have hardly any taste of their own, whereas vegetarian foods provide an infinite variety of flavour. In fact, non-vegetarian foods have to be seasoned with ingredients from the vegetable kingdom to make them palatable.

Eggs : The propaganda by the producers of eggs and poultry, describing them as “Vegetarian Eggs” is false. Don’t be misled.

Milk : Milk is a natural food to feed the newly born baby. There is no creative life in it. It is not a plant based food. It is not a product of cruelty or killing. In fact milk as food is the result of mother’s love for the baby. In India almost all vegetarians consider milk as a part of vegetarian diet but milk is never called vegetarian.

These are, in short, some of the salient features of vegetarian food. Will you now agree that vegetarian food is the right and natural food for human beings or will you still support slaughter of animals for food? Judge for yourself and decide what your food should be.

Surely, Vegetarianism is the answer for a better world for humanity and for co-existence with other life.

Nutrition Chart For Comparison (10gms)

S. No.

Plant Foods

Protein

Fat

Minerals

Fibre

Carbohydrate

Calcium

Phosphorous

Iron

Calorie

1.

Rice

8.5

0.6

1.4

0.2

77.2

0.01

0.17

2.8

348

2.

Bajra

11.6

5.6

1.2

1.2

67.1

0.05

0.35

8.8

360

3.

Cholam

10.4

1.9

1.6

1.6

72.4

0.03

0.28

6.2

349

4.

Ground-nut

26.7

40.1

1.9

3.1

20.3

0.05

0.39

1.6

549

5.

Gingelly-seeds

18.3

43.3

5.2

2.9

25.2

1.45

0.57

10.5

564

6.

Wheat

11.8

1.5

1.5

1.2

71.2

0.03

0.29

6.3

334

7.

Bengal Gram Dal

22.5

5.2

2.2

1.0

58.9

0.07

0.31

8.9

372

8.

Black Gram

24.0

1.4

3.4

0.9

60.3

0.20

0.37

9.8

350

9.

Green Gram

24.0

1.3

3.6

4.1

60.7

0.14

0.28

8.4

350

10.

Red Gram

22.5

1.7

3.6

1.5

60.2

0.14

0.26

8.8

345

11.

Soyabeen

43.2

19.5

4.6

3.7

20.9

0.24

0.69

11.3

432

Flesh Foods

12.

Egg (hen)

13.3

13.3

1.0

-

-

0.06

0.22

2.1

173

13.

Fish

21.5

1.6

2.0

-

-

0.06

0.41

2.3

100

14.

Meat

18.5

13.3

1.3

-

-

0.15

0.15

2.5

194

15.

Fowl

25.9

0.6

1.3

-

-

0.03

0.25

1.5

109

 

Every item from 1 to 11 in the chart above is more nutritious, healthful and cheaper than Eggs, Fish, Meat and Fowl and have double or more calories.

Item 12 to 15 lack important Carbohydrate, Fibre, Carotena, Vitamin A & C and have harmful saturated fat and Uric Acid.

 

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Source : The Vegetarian Society News Letter, 114-A, Mittal Court, Nariman Point, Mumbai

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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
www.jainsamaj.org
R261208