Why vegetarianism?

[Guest guest]

Neeta & David Sanders

 

 

Many of you would say "Why vegetarianism?" Isn't everyone on the

spiritual path vegetarian? Over the past year or so I have come

across several Sai devotees and other spiritual aspirants who are

not vegetarians, so I decided that this would be a very good topic

to cover to make people aware of why it is so important to be a

vegetarian if you are on the spiritual path, especially if you take

Swami to be your guide and Guru.

 

On November 23 1994, Swami gave a very powerful discourse and below

is a small excerpt from that discourse:

 

"Today, let it be anyone, whether one deems himself a devotee or

not, he should give up meat eating. Why? Meat eating promotes only

animal qualities and demonic tendencies. It has been well said that

the food one consumes determines one's thoughts. By eating the flesh

of various animals, the qualities of these animals are imbibed.

Hence those who genuinely seek to become devotees of God have to

give up non-vegetarian food. Calling themselves Sai devotees or

devotees of Rama and Krishna, they fatten themselves on chickens.

How can they be deemed Sai devotees? Therefore, whether they are

devotees in India or outside, they should give up from this instant

meat eating. Those who aspire to become true devotees of God have to

give up meat, liquor, smoking and gambling". (Sanathana Sarathi,

December 1994, page 315)

 

There are several other reasons why adopting a vegetarian life-style

is more beneficial than a meat-eating lifestyle.

 

The structure of our body

Health reasons

Ecology and Environment

Animal Suffering

Karmas

Meat-eating affects our minds

All spiritual masters and great men are vegetarian

1. The structure of our body:

 

Studies of human evolution have shown that our ancestors were

vegetarian by nature. Moreover, the structure of the human body is

not suited for eating meat. Carnivores have short intestines. Their

large intestine is very straight and smooth. In contrast, vegetarian

animals have very long intestines - approximately 28 feet. Because

of the low fiber content and high protein density of meat, the

intestines of meat eating animals do not require a long time to

absorb nutrients and thus meat is more well-suited for the

carnivores whose intestines are shorter in length. If humans eat

meat, the meat just sits there for a long period of time causing it

to decay and release toxins. This may lead to colon cancer. The

toxins released also increase the burden on the liver which has to

work extra hard to get rid of the toxins. Thus this may also lead to

liver problems.

 

Our teeth

 

If you look at the teeth of carnivores, they have sharp fangs which

are used in tearing up meat whereas herbivores do not have sharp

teeth. Our human teeth are like those of herbivores and thus God

never intended for us to eat meat otherwise we'd all be looking like

Count Dracula with fang like protrusions.

 

Our nails

 

Meat-eating animals have sharp claws to kill their prey. God did not

give us sharp claws to tear open the bodies of any animals and so

this is yet another indication that our bodies were not made for

meat-eating.

 

2. Health reasons:

 

Meat contains a lot of urokinase protein and urea, which add to the

burden on the kidneys and can destroy kidney function. There are 14

g of urokinase protein in every pound of steak. An experiment was

done in Columbia University where living cells were put into liquid

urokinase protein and the result was that their metabolic function

degenerated. When an animal is hunted or about to be killed, the

animal knows and feels fear. Thus the animal's heart rate increases

and its body pumps more adrenaline to its muscles. Even after the

meat is cooked, the adrenaline build-up in the animal's muscles

cannot be broken down and is very high in cholesterol. This leads to

cardiovascular disorders. Heart attacks are the number one leading

cause of death in the United States. Moreover, we also take in all

the negative feelings, including fear and anger, that the animal was

feeling when it was being killed. This leads to mental agitation.

 

Meat lacks cellulose and fiber. This causes constipation.

Constipation can lead to more serious ailments like rectal cancer

and piles.

 

Meat-eating is a chief cause of cancer. Experiments show that the

burning and roasting of flesh creates a chemical element, known as

Methyl-cho-lanthrene, which is a powerful cancer causing substance.

Mice in labs that have been given this chemical have developed bone

tumors, blood cancer, and stomach cancer.

 

Most people assume that meat is clean and safe and that there are

inspections done at all butcheries. There are far too many cattle,

pigs, poultry killed for sale every day for each one to actually be

examined. It is very difficult to check whether a piece of meat has

cancer in it. Currently the meat industry just cuts off the head or

leg if it is diseased and removes the bad parts and sells the rest

of the animal. When human cancer cells were injected into animals,

the animals also developed cancer. The same is true for eating meat

with cancer in it. How can anyone know if they are eating a piece of

meat that came from an animal with cancer? A famous vegetarian, Dr.

J H Kellogg of Kellogg's Cornflakes said, "When we eat vegetarian

food, we don't have to worry about what kind of disease the food

died of. This makes a joyful meal!"

 

Antibiotics, steroids and growth hormones are either fed to the

animals or injected directly so they will be fatter and produce more

meat. People eating these animals will absorb these drugs into their

bodies.

 

A lot of people argue that animal protein is superior to plant

protein because it is considered more complete. Vegetarian food

combined can create complete proteins. The World Health Organization

recommends that 4.5% of daily calories be derived from protein.

Wheat has 17% of its calories as protein, broccoli has 45%, and rice

has 8%. Soybeans, tofu, beans and lentils have 100% of its calories

derived from protein. It is very easy to have a protein rich diet

without eating meat. How much protein does a person need to take in

every day anyway? In fact, if a person takes in more protein than is

necessary, it may lead to degenerative diseases like osteoporosis

and obesity. The way to calculate how much protein is needed is to

multiply your weight by 0.36. So if you weigh 110 lbs, your daily

protein requirement is 39.6 g. Earl Mindell writes in the Vitamin

Bible, "A good rice and beans dish with some cheese can be just as

nourishing, less expensive and lower in fat than a steak".

 

It is falsely believed that meat eaters are stronger than

vegetarians. An experiment was conducted by Professor Irving Fisher

of Yale University with 32 vegetarians and 15 meat eaters in which

he had everyone hold out their arms for as long as possible. Among

the 15 meat eaters only 2 people could hold their arms for 15 to 30

minutes, whereas amongst the vegetarians, 15 people held their arms

out for 15 to 30 minutes, 9 people for over 1 hour, 4 people for

over two hours and one vegetarian held his arms out for over 3

hours! Many long distance track athletes keep a vegetarian diet for

the time before their competition. Dr Barbara More, an expert in

vegetarian therapy completed a 110-mile race in 27 hours and 30

minutes. A woman of 56 years of age broke all records held by young

men.

 

3. Ecology and Environment:

 

Raising animals for meat has its consequences. Since 1960, some 25%

of Central America's rainforests have been burned and cleared to

create pasture for beef cattle. Every 4 oz of hamburger destroys 55

square feet of tropical rain forest! In addition, it only takes 29

gallons of water to produce a pound of tomatoes while it takes 464

gallons of water for the production of each pound of beef! So much

water is being wasted.

 

World hunger would end if everyone became vegetarian because if more

land were used to produce crops to feed people instead of producing

feed for livestock, then resources would be more efficiently

utilized. In the United States alone, livestock consume 70% of all

the grain produced.

 

Moreover, Swami says, "the reason why human population is on the

increase is because all the animals we kill and eat are reborn as

human beings and with the number of animals being killed for food,

it is no wonder that there are so many people in the world" (Summer

Showers in Brindavan, 1977, page 182)

 

4. Animal Suffering

 

Are you aware that more than 100,000 cows are slaughtered in the US

every day?

 

Most animals are raised on "factory farms". These facilities are

designed to produce the maximum number of animals for slaughter at

the minimum expense. Animals are crowded together, disfigured and

treated like machines before they are slaughtered. As I mentioned

earlier when these animals are about to be killed, they know and

they are terrified.

 

Swami said, "Anything that has life tries to stay alive. No living

creature would give itself up as food for another living being.

Animals, birds and fish also feel the desire to live just as humans

do. They too would struggle, cry and feel the pain in being hurt,

just like the way we would if we were captured and threatened to be

killed". The only difference is that animals cannot verbally express

to us the agony that they feel. It has been reported that pigs that

are being slaughtered cry in a manner similar to the way humans

scream." ( Summer Showers, May 1996, pages 131-133)

 

It is said that one visit to a slaughterhouse will make you a

vegetarian for life.

 

Swami says, "Violence in any form is evil and to kill innocent

animals is tantamount to blatant savagery." (Sanathana Sarathi,

December 1994, page 323)

 

5. Karmas:

 

Another reason to be vegetarian is karma. For those of you not

familiar with the law of karma, this is the law where every action

leads to a reaction. Just like the Bible says, "As ye sow, so shall

ye reap." So when one kills animals, or causes others to kill for

them in order to satisfy one's desire for meat, one incurs a karmic

debt which must be repaid. Baba says that we have made many karmas

in our previous births and we can't go back in time to change what

we have done. But now that we are aware of Swami and the spiritual

path, we must at least strive not to make any new bad karmas and

eating a vegetarian diet is the easiest step to avoid bad karma.

Some people may say, "But I don't actually kill the animal, the

butcher kills the animal. But Swami says, "If you had no desire to

eat meat, then the butcher would not have the need to kill and sell

the animals." (Sathya Sai Newsletter, Spring 1995, page 16)

 

You might say that killing a plant also creates karma, but the level

of karma is not as high. Let me give you an example. If you go into

a man's garden and pick a rose, the man might get upset with you for

doing this. What if you take his cow? He will get even more upset.

Thus eating plants gives you the lowest level of karma. Swami

says, "It is a fact that plants also have life like animals. But

animals are endowed with mind, and nervous systems while plants do

not possess the same. Animals cry and weep when they are being

killed. It is not the case with plants. Plants do not feel pain."

(Sathya Sai the Avatar of Love, page 132)

 

6. Meat-eating affects our minds:

 

On the spiritual path, one is always told to eat a satvic diet,

which means a simple and wholesome diet free of spice and taste so

that you are eating just to live, and not living to eat and satisfy

your taste buds. Besides, a satvic diet leads to a clearer mind

which aids in spiritual practices such as meditation. Swami says

that eating meat makes man acquire beastly qualities and demonic

tendencies. These are Swami's words: "Food conditions the nature of

the mind. The mind guides the thinking. Thinking results in action.

Actions lead to corresponding results and effects. This chain of

action between the food we eat and the results of our actions

highlights the fact that meat eating leads to beastly actions and

evil effects"(Sathya Sai Avatar of Love, page 132)

 

 

Swami goes on to say in the book Conversations with Sai Baba by Dr.

John Hislop that "meat gives the blood its effect, like passion and

similar qualities. Dirty thoughts come with fish. Fish has a bad

smell".

 

Swami in one of His discourses explained how each type of meat

affected our minds. These are our beloved Bhagavan's words: "If the

mutton of sheep is eaten, you must ask yourself 'What is the quality

of the sheep?' They only follow, follow, follow. Thus you lose

discrimination. If you eat pork, you will develop the quality of the

pig, i.e. arrogance."(Sathya Sai Newslette,r Spring 1995, page 16)

 

7. All spiritual masters and great men are vegetarian

 

People argue that Jesus ate meat but there is growing evidence that

Jesus and His immediate followers were vegetarians. Swami Himself

says that the New Testament was written many years after the

crucifixion of Christ and a lot of the information in the Bible

today is incorrect as it has been translated from the original

Hebrew text and rewritten many times. Swami had materialized the

original Bible for a devotee a few years ago. In one version of the

Bible called "The Essence Gospel of Peace", it tells us that one day

the disciples asked Jesus, "What are the sins we must shun, that we

may never more see disease?" And Jesus answered, "It was said to

them of old time "Thou shalt not kill", for life is given to all by

God, and that which God has given, let not man take away. For I tell

you truly, he who kills, kills his brother. And from him will the

Earthly Mother turn away and Satan will have his dwelling in his

body. And the flesh of slain beasts in his body will become his own

tomb. He who kills, kills himself and who eats the flesh of slain

beasts, eats the body of death".

 

In the book of Genesis 1:29, we read, "And God said, 'Behold I have

given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the

earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding

seed; to you it shall be for meat.'"

 

This clearly shows that God never intended for man to eat animals.

 

The great Pythagoras also preached vegetarianism "Beware O mortals,

of defiling your bodies with sinful food! There are cereals, fruits,

sweet vegetables and herbs which the flame can render palatable and

mellow. Nor are you denied milk, nor honey. The bountiful earth

offers you an abundance of pure food and meals obtainable without

slaughter and bloodshed."

 

Gautama Buddha advocated vegetarianism and till today all Buddhists

are vegetarians. He said to Ananda, one of His close disciples, "You

must teach people to put an end to killing and brutal cruelty. If

one is trying to practice meditation and is still eating meat, he

would be like a man closing his ears and shouting loudly and then

asserting that he heard nothing."

 

George Bernard Shaw, the great author, was a vegetarian and one day

got very sick and visited the doctor. The doctor told him that he

had to start eating meat in order to survive. George Bernard Shaw

said, "My situation is a solemn one. Life is offered to me on

condition of eating beefsteaks! But death is better than

cannibalism!" He put in his will that his funeral would not be

followed by mourning coaches but a procession of animals and a

travelling aquarium of live fish all wearing white scarves. He ended

up living until the ripe old age of 98 and he did have the

procession of animals when he died.

 

The list is endless of all the great spiritual masters and other

famous men who have advocated vegetarianism. If I started to quote

each and every one of them, this article could turn into a whole

book! But let me quickly list a few great names in history who were

vegetarian: Virgil, Horace, Plato, Ovid, Petrarch, Pythagoras,

Socrates, Mahatma Gandhi, Shakespeare, Voltaire, Sir Isaac Newton,

Leornardo Da Vinci, Charles Darwin, Benjamin Franklin, Emerson,

Albert Einstein, Leo Tolstoy and many more.

 

There was a time when vegetarianism was regarded as a "cult of the

crazy". People would make jokes about it. Nowadays, vegetarianism

has almost become a fashionable way of life. Many Hollywood actors

and pop stars are vegetarian realizing that it promotes a healthier

lifestyle. These include Paul Newman, Madonna and Paul McCartney to

name just a few.

 

Vegetarianism is not an end in itself. It is only a means to the

end. The end is the Vision of the One-in-all. Swami says "It is the

responsibility of man, having reached the pinnacle to lead himself

and all living creatures towards this goal of liberation and evolve

towards higher consciousness. When we begin to recognize this Unity

indiversity, sacred thoughts will begin to permeate our attitudes

and actions. It would then become meaningless to take the life of an

animal, no matter for what reason, least of all for food." (Summer

Showers, May 1996, pages 131-133).

 

Here is a word of warning to all you strict vegetarians out there.

Did you know that gelatin is made out of the bone and hide of

animals. Of late, I have been finding this ingredient on a lot of

foods out there, foods that you wouldn't ordinarily even think

gelatin was in, such as peanuts, chip dips, marshmallows, salad

dressings, most yogurts, ready to eat pastas and pasta

sauces,certain breath mints and candies. So before you buy anything,

it is advisable to check the ingredients.

 

Also watch out for those Indian mithais (or sweet desserts) with

silver foil on them. The silver foil is made paper-thin by being

pounded between animal tissue. So next time you pick up an Indian

sweet that is so beautifully decorated with silver on it, please

think twice.

 

For all you new vegetarians out there, eating vegetarian food

doesn't have to be boring. There are a lot of soy products out there

that can make vegetarian cooking a delight. Vegetarian food is no

longer just peas, beans and carrots.

 

Wishing you all the best on your spiritual journey!