Total Vegetarianism is A Must.

The Urgency of Vegetarianism

Nonviolence should be clearly defined to include not
only killing, but also causing injury physically,
mentally or emotionally--even in the most subtle ways.
We can injure ourselves, we can injure our
environment, we can injure nature's other creatures
and thus be a source of pain and sorrow. Or we can
live a harmless life and be a source of healing and
joy. My satguru instructed, "Do good to all. God is
there within you. Don't kill. Don't harbor anger."

Vegetarianism is a natural and obvious way to live
with a minimum of hurt to other beings. Hindu
scripture speaks clearly and forcefully on
vegetarianism. The Yajur Veda (36.18. ve, p. 342)
calls for kindliness toward all creatures living on
the Earth, in the air and in the water. The beautiful
Tirukural, a widely-read 2,200-year-old masterpiece of
ethics, speaks of conscience: "When a man realizes
that meat is the butchered flesh of another creature,
he will abstain from eating it" (257). The Manu
Samhita advises: "Having well considered the origin of
flesh and the cruelty of fettering and slaying
corporeal beings, let one entirely abstain from eating
flesh," and "When the diet is pure, the mind and heart
are pure." In the yoga-infused verses of the
Tirumantiram warning is given of how meat-eating holds
the mind in gross, adharmic states: "The ignoble ones
who eat flesh, death's agents bind them fast and push
them quick into the fiery jaws of the lower worlds"
(199).

Vegetarianism is very important. In my fifty years of
ministry, it has become quite evident that vegetarian
families have far fewer problems than those who are
not vegetarian. The abhorrence of killing of any kind
leads quite naturally to a vegetarian diet. If you
think about it, the meat-eater is participating
indirectly in a violent act against the animal
kingdom. His desire for meat drives another man to
kill and provide that meat. The act of the butcher
begins with the desire of the consumer. When his
consciousness lifts and expands, he will abhor
violence and not be able to even digest the meat, fish
and eggs he was formerly consuming. India's greatest
saints have confirmed that one cannot eat meat and
live a peaceful, harmonious life. Man's appetite for
meat inflicts devastating harm on the Earth itself,
stripping its precious forests to make way for
pastures. The opposite of causing injury to others is
compassion and love for all beings. The Tirukural
(251) puts it nicely: "How can he practice true
compassion who eats the flesh of an animal to fatten
his own flesh?"

If children are raised as vegetarians, every day they
are exposed to noninjury as a principle of peace and
compassion. Every day they are growing up, they are
remembering and being reminded to not kill. They won't
even kill another creature to feed themselves. And if
you won't kill another creature to feed yourself, then
when you grow up you will be much less likely to
injure people.

There are other ways that we as individuals or
institutions can responsibly promote nonviolence. Make
a list of all the things you have purchased in the
last six months that bring harm to humans, animals,
fish, fowl and other sentient beings. Read the labels
on simple things like glue or soap and scratch off the
list all the things that contribute to violent acts or
aid in the destruction of the planet. Then find the
willpower to not, for convenience sake, fall back into
purchasing these things again.

Source K.H.M