Svayambhu, the Self-Existent [Supreme Reality] himself created animals for the sake of sacrifices; sacrifices have beeninstituted for the good of this whole world; hence the slaughtering of beasts for sacrifices is not slaughtering in the ordinarysense of the word.
- Manu Smriti
It is a subject of great debate that if the consumption non-vegetarian food is permitted by Ancient Hindu texts.
There are many verses in Vedas, Puranas and ayurvedic texts that both support and condemn the consumption of meat. It may look contradictory and confusing. But a close look reveal the wisdom behind.
The only creature that need to refer books to know what to eat is Human.
Its because we live so unnaturally and unconsciously, conditioned so badly by society. We have even forgot the original purpose of eating. Many food we eat is for satisfying tongue and even food is used in the society to display people's vanity.
To know what is right for our basic needs, only thing we need to do is to just become simple, natural and live consciously.
come to the basic first.
The Paleo man
Go back to the jungle, mentally. See yourself naked like any other animal. Become hungry, search for food.
Your first option will be fruits and vegetables, because its easy to collect. No much physical work is needed to do that.Also you dont need to hurt other animals. But what if they are not available enough?
What will you eat if you are living in a desert or a place covered with snow? Unfortunately neither Manu is your neighbor nor you have a vedic library to inquire about what will you eat in that situation. You have two options:
You can starve and become weak so that you can become a food for beasts or you can become a beast and hunt animals to survive.
Here you are eating for survival. Which is natural (basic)
If this is a sin, then all meat eating animals are also sinners.Then thats god's mistake.
Here your Karma is neutral
The Spiritual Paleo man
Ok.. Now see yourself as more evolved spiritual person who have a purpose in life.But still staying in jungle naked (You do not need to live in a civilized society, live in a house or eat rice to become spiritual).
You are a scholar, have knowledge of karma. You have a goal, you know the path and obstacles to the path.(Again you dont need to live in a civilized society for that). You have changed, but not the situations out side. Availability of food is same. What will you do if you have to hunt for survival?
Of-course , now you have more concern about other creatures and the negative effect that animal food on your consciousness. But Without having enough energy, you wont be able to meditate or even pray or even think. Without that you will not be able to reach the goal of human life or even survive.
When you kill an animal, It gets an other higher form of life. So have no worry about animals. We only need to worry about us.
Your destiny is governed by energy. You gain energy from food and air.
A spiritual person eat food with a Yajna Bhava, the energy obtained from that food goes to higher centers and will be used for expansion of consciousness
Here you are eating for the survival of your body and also for attaining the goal of life.
First one is neutral and second is Highly Positive.
Your intentions are good any way.
Here also there is no sin.
Civilized Man
Now become a civilized man, who does lots of artificial things.
You have a home, Does Farming, wear clothes and have money.
You eat cereals which were originally the food of the birds. But you do not like them coming to your farm and eating your crops. You think that this much of part of the earth is yours. You have forgotten the reality that not a single grain of sand is nobodies own.You are in illusion. Agricultural farming is the basic foundation of your civilization. If the foundation itself is based on a great illusion, what about the things that grew up on it!!
When your base is associated an illusion, whatever you do standing on that also will becomes associated with illusions. This creates layers and layers of illusions and you will become totally unconscious.You will not know why you are doing a certain thing. You eat , sleep, mate, study and work unconsciously.
Now you have animals at home. You give them food. Their products are your food.Once they are become old, will you kill them or take care of them?(about cows)
When you where in jungle you used to eat for survival. But now you eat also for enjoying. You have discovered complicated recipes for that purpose. Now the intention of eating have diverted from its real purpose.
Eating for sensual indulgence have following problems:
When our intentions of an act is directed towards sensual enjoyment,its the lower brain circuits that take control. If this is continued, the lower circuits becomes predominent and our will power will be suppressed. We become the slave of our senses. Then suffering is inevitable.
A person of this kind will eat unnecessary food which he doesn't need for the health of his body and become physically and mentally ill. So, this attitude is a sin.
Even vegetarian food eaten in that attitude is sinful,Then what to say about killing animals!!!!
Animal food contain animal hormones that can contract our consciousness which is opposite to the expansion of consciousness experienced through spiritual practices.
Those who eat animal food for satisfying their tongue have a tendency to consume it everyday. They become addicted to that taste.You know what will happen then. They will become the children of suffering.
Here the karma is negative, Full of sins
-The paleo man didnt have to read books to know what to eat, because he ate for the real purpose of eating. He ate everything moderately.
-The spiritual paleo man also cannot make mistake in eating. He can progress spiritually fast with a balanced body.
-Civilized man can make lots of mistakes in eating. But he can correct it by adapting the diet of paleo man and living a simple and conscious life.
In Vedic texts, Puranas and ayurveda. You will see verses that supports and also condemn meat eating. We make big debates asking "Did Rama ate meat or Rama meat ate?" :D
If you know the critaria of eating meat. You know what to do.
"Svayambhu, the Self-Existent [Supreme Reality] himself created animals for the sake of sacrifices; sacrifices have been
instituted for the good of this whole world; hence the slaughtering of beasts for sacrifices is not slaughtering in the ordinary
sense of the word." - Manu Smriti
What is sacrifice(Yajna)? what is Good for the whole world?
Ultimately the good for the whole world is, when Dharma radiates in the world, when every person in this world act towards the goal of his life and bath in the bliss of the self.
There are two types of yajnas:
1.Yajna done as rituals to radiate spiritual energy to the wold for elevating human consciousness..
2.Any act by a person that is directed towards self realization,done with yajna bhava(attitude) ie. the act dedicated towards the will of god, by surrendering his personal desires.
This is also called Karma yoga.
The second one is higher form of yajna because it is the aim of the first yajna.
The highest form of yajna happens automatically in self-realized jnanis without any effort or act of surrendering.
Any act done by a jnani(Gyani or sage) creates no sin for him because he is completely detached from this body and mind. His body goes on doing its work according to its destiny.
When an animal is killed or eaten with this attitude it does not create any sin.
After-all its not the act but the intention of the act that is sin or virtue.
according to Tantra and yoga there are six chief sins
The six chief sins are kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, matsaryya – lust, anger, covetousness, ignorance or delusion, pride and envy.
