An introduction to a spiritual perspective on vegetarian versus non vegetarian
There is a wide debate as to whether it is better to be a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian. People in either camp have pretty much dug their heels in swearing by the benefits of being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian respectively. There however is a worldwide trend of more and more people crossing over and becoming vegetarians. In this article we explore the issue from a spiritual perspective.
There is a wide debate as to whether it is better to be a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian. People in either camp have pretty much dug their heels in swearing by the benefits of being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian respectively. There however is a worldwide trend of more and more people crossing over and becoming vegetarians. In this article we explore the issue from a spiritual perspective.
Spiritual purity of food
Food is no exception and at a subtle level, it too is made up of the sattva, raja and tama subtle components. The proportions of these subtle components vary depending on the type of food. Sattva stands for purity and knowledge while tama denotes ignorance and inertia. Anything that has a higher sattva component assists our spiritual journey and anything that is tama predominant has a tendency to diminish or obstruct our spiritual practice.
Through spiritual research we obtained the subtle component readings for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.
Through spiritual research we obtained the subtle component readings for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.
Please note: These readings are an average across each food category. Fish is included in non-vegetarian food and has a marginally less tama component than white and red meat. The food within a category differs marginally from each other. For example mutton and chicken in the non-vegetarian category differ marginally from each other in terms of their sattva, raja and tama components.
The reason for the increased tama in meat after the animal dies is because of the extent of suffering when it is being killed. Also the thoughts of anger and revenge in the animal are far more pronounced as compared to a plant which has a rudimentary mind and intellect. This is the main reason in the increased tama component.
As you can see from the above table a vegetarian diet would have a higher proportion of the subtle sattva component. As a result of the tama predominance in meat, the act of eating non-vegetarian food is a taamasik activity.
The reason for the increased tama in meat after the animal dies is because of the extent of suffering when it is being killed. Also the thoughts of anger and revenge in the animal are far more pronounced as compared to a plant which has a rudimentary mind and intellect. This is the main reason in the increased tama component.
As you can see from the above table a vegetarian diet would have a higher proportion of the subtle sattva component. As a result of the tama predominance in meat, the act of eating non-vegetarian food is a taamasik activity.
Effect on meat from the treatment of animals in farm factories
Treatment of animals prior to slaughter
In factory farms around the world, animals are very often treated as commodities just to be exploited for profit. In animal agriculture, this attitude has led to institutionalized animal cruelty, massive environmental destruction and resource depletion and animal and human health risks.
Does the method of slaughter have any spiritual impact on the meat?
Some customs and religions in the world require that an animal be slaughtered in a particular way else it is not permitted to be eaten by that community. In slaughter houses it is common practice to stun animals with an electric shock or by use of a captive bolt pistol. This renders the animal unconscious prior to the body being hauled down a processing line where the carotid artery and jugular vein are severed with a knife. This action causes the blood to drain out and the animal dies through exsanguination.
In some communities however one of the requirements while slaughtering animals is that the arterial vein be cut without stunning the animal so that the animal bleeds to death. Only then is the meat permitted to be eaten. This bleeding to death can last for upto two minutes. Animal right groups protest against this method as they say it is cruel and the animal feels a lot of pain. Spokespeople for these communities argue otherwise saying that there is no difference in the level of pain. They maintain that cutting the main arterial vein results in a sudden and quick haemorrhage. A quick loss of blood pressure and the brain is instantaneously starved of blood and there is no time to start feeling any pain. (Ref: BBC.com 2003)
Don’t plants also experience pain when killed?
In some communities however one of the requirements while slaughtering animals is that the arterial vein be cut without stunning the animal so that the animal bleeds to death. Only then is the meat permitted to be eaten. This bleeding to death can last for upto two minutes. Animal right groups protest against this method as they say it is cruel and the animal feels a lot of pain. Spokespeople for these communities argue otherwise saying that there is no difference in the level of pain. They maintain that cutting the main arterial vein results in a sudden and quick haemorrhage. A quick loss of blood pressure and the brain is instantaneously starved of blood and there is no time to start feeling any pain. (Ref: BBC.com 2003)
Don’t plants also experience pain when killed?
Yes plants too experience pain when killed or parts of it are severed. The comprehension of pain however is less than animals. This is because the mind and intellect of a plant is rudimentary as compared to animals. However if a fruit or vegetable is plucked when it is fully ripe or has fallen from a tree there is relatively no pain to the plant.
Method of cooking meat
Method of cooking meat
When grilling meat there are 3 generic ways of cooking it, i.e. rare, medium or well done. Rare is close to raw meat. It has a reddish centre and cooked on the outside. On the other end is meat that is ‘well done’ that is charred on the outside, thoroughly brown and chewy on the inside.
People who like their steaks rare are more likely to be taken advantage of or possessed by ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.). This is because meat that’s raw is the meat of preference by the demon type of negative energies. Steaks that are well done have less of the tama subtle component in it as compared to steaks that are cooked ‘rare’ to ‘medium’.
How long does the effect of the increased tama component last?
When tama predominant food is ingested on a regular basis the body is burdened with an excess of the tama component. A rise in tama component in a person has many negative side-effects. This tama component can only disintegrate if one is doing spiritual practice that is aligned to the six basic principles of spiritual practice. However since most people do not do spiritual practice this tama component accumulates in a person’s body, mind and intellect.
If a person of an average spiritual level were to give up meat eating and become a vegetarian it would take him approximately 30 years to overcome the effects of the increased subtle tama component due to ingesting a tama predominant non-vegetarian diet.
Even if a person is doing spiritual practice that is aligned to the six basic principles of spiritual practice, it would on average take him 5 years to overcome the ill-effects created by ingesting a tama predominant diet. This is if he gave up a non-vegetarian diet immediately and did spiritual practice (as per the six basic principles) of 4-5 hours a day. If he were to gradually give up a non-vegetarian diet it would take him 10 years to overcome the ill-effects of ingesting the higher tama predominant meat diet.
Are canine teeth in man not meant for consumption of meat?
People who like their steaks rare are more likely to be taken advantage of or possessed by ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.). This is because meat that’s raw is the meat of preference by the demon type of negative energies. Steaks that are well done have less of the tama subtle component in it as compared to steaks that are cooked ‘rare’ to ‘medium’.
How long does the effect of the increased tama component last?
When tama predominant food is ingested on a regular basis the body is burdened with an excess of the tama component. A rise in tama component in a person has many negative side-effects. This tama component can only disintegrate if one is doing spiritual practice that is aligned to the six basic principles of spiritual practice. However since most people do not do spiritual practice this tama component accumulates in a person’s body, mind and intellect.
If a person of an average spiritual level were to give up meat eating and become a vegetarian it would take him approximately 30 years to overcome the effects of the increased subtle tama component due to ingesting a tama predominant non-vegetarian diet.
Even if a person is doing spiritual practice that is aligned to the six basic principles of spiritual practice, it would on average take him 5 years to overcome the ill-effects created by ingesting a tama predominant diet. This is if he gave up a non-vegetarian diet immediately and did spiritual practice (as per the six basic principles) of 4-5 hours a day. If he were to gradually give up a non-vegetarian diet it would take him 10 years to overcome the ill-effects of ingesting the higher tama predominant meat diet.
Are canine teeth in man not meant for consumption of meat?
The function of canine teeth for human beings is to tear food. Proponents of a non-vegetarian diet maintain that God has given us canine teeth for a meat diet. This is no argument. It is like saying just because we have nails we should scratch others as animals do. Just because humans have canines it doesn’t mean that they should eat meat.
From a spiritual perspective the purpose of a human birth is for God Realisation. The key difference between human beings and animals is that only human beings have a developed mind and intellect that can be channelized towards saattvik activities to further a person towards God-realisation. Accordingly it is spiritually recommended that they do not copy what carnivorous animals do and eat.
From a spiritual perspective the purpose of a human birth is for God Realisation. The key difference between human beings and animals is that only human beings have a developed mind and intellect that can be channelized towards saattvik activities to further a person towards God-realisation. Accordingly it is spiritually recommended that they do not copy what carnivorous animals do and eat.
Effects of diet on man
At a physical level
By eating a non-vegetarian diet since there is an increase in tama component it is more likely to cause various diseases.
At a psychological level
The increase in tama component from a non-vegetarian diet leads to increase in thoughts of various desires and other taamasik thoughts such as sexual thoughts, greed, anger etc.
At a spiritual level
The higher proportion of sattva component in a vegetarian diet is conducive for spiritual practice.
Thank You
Om Shanti
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