Eating Meat and Fallen Leaves

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

> From: Rushikesh K. Joshi <rushi at BRONTO.IITM.ERNET.IN>

> I don't think that Vedic tradition is to be a vegetarian.
> It is that what kind of work you do matters.
>

According to the shastras beef is certainly out.  Also eating some animals
like porcupines(?) is explicitly forbidden.  But other than that there is
no explicit condemnation of meat-eating.  It should be noted that
shishtachara or tradition is of equal authority and among many castes
vegetarianism is the tradition so it should be practised by those who
belong to theose groups.  Also, even for those whose customs include
meat-eating, vegetarianism is superior.  Even if we cannot avoid violence
altogether we can minimize it.  Plants don't fight back :-)

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