Leather

[SeekingPeaceOfMind]

Namaste,

I'm currently turning Vegetarian to further support Dharma and decrease incurring anymore negative karma however before I became interested in Hinduism I bought a leather jacket which is obviously made of animal skin and not just that but cow skin.

Should I buy a new jacket? And in the meantime do you think it is still OK to wear the leather one on cooler days?

My thanks,
Seeking

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namast�

I'm currently turning Vegetarian to further support Dharma and decrease incurring anymore negative karma however before I became interested in Hinduism I bought a leather jacket which is obviously made of animal skin and not just that but cow skin.

Should I buy a new jacket? And in the meantime do you think it is still OK to wear the leather one on cooler days?

I think you have missed the point. Becoming vegetarian is a noble effort yet the big picture item is ahiṃsā - non-injury; non-violence.
We take our lead from pata�jali’s yogadarśana, chapter 2.
( I do not expect you to read this so let me assist)

ahiṃsāpratiṣṭhāyāṃ tatsamnidhau vairatyāgaḥ || 35
(ahiṃsā pratiṣṭhāyāṃ tat samnidhau vaira tyāgaḥ)

• ahiṃsā - non-injury; non-violence.
• pratiṣṭhāyāṃ - to stand firm , based or rest on ; established ; to stand , stay , abide , dwell
• tat - that
• samnidhau - sam - together with , along with + nidhā - to be contained or situated or absorbed in , to rest in
• vaira (from vīra) hostile , inimical , revengeful
• tyāgaḥ - giving up; leaving , abandoning

What this says,
the one that is firmly established in ahiṃsā those that approach/come near abandon hostility ( to that practitioner)

What does this suggest? No animosity comes to one that rests ( firmly established - pratiṣṭhāyāṃ) in this practice of non-injury.

Now one must ask - what is firmly established ? This observance is substantial -to bring no harm to any being.
What of swatting a fly? Or a mosquito? Some even argue , what of bacteria, or the insect world so small that when you walk or drive one brings death to these creatures.
It seems to be easier not to bring violence to another person, as it's more overt. Yet the notion here is to do the least harm while on this earth.


iti śivaṁ

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste,

I'm currently turning Vegetarian to further support Dharma and decrease incurring anymore negative karma however before I became interested in Hinduism I bought a leather jacket which is obviously made of animal skin and not just that but cow skin.

Should I buy a new jacket? And in the meantime do you think it is still OK to wear the leather one on cooler days?

My thanks,
Seeking

Vannakkam: I'm glad you're making this choice. As far as the jacket goes, I know I'd wear it still, at least for some time. I wouldn't buy another though. The action of killing that animal for that jacket is done, and you bought it back then.

Working at labour or construction, one almost has to wear leather. It's the only material really tough enough, and as far as I know there are no easily accessible non-leather. But non-leather belts are easy to find.

If you have guilt from it, that's probably worse than the leather itself.

Aum Namasivaya

[Viraja]

This is a good question, I myself am confused over whether to wear pure Kanchipuram silk sarees, that are made out of killing silk worms - being a Tamilian South Indian, this is the silk that is commonly purchased for any grand occasion, including marriages and other ceremonies. I envy North Indians here, because they wear different type of silk, such as Banaras, etc, that doesn't involve killing silk worms. I don't know what to do with my silk sarees, although I wear them close to never.

[satay]

Namaste,

I don't know what to do with my silk sarees, although I wear them close to never.

You may consider sending them to my wife.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namast�


Like most questions on HDF there are transactional answers ( yes/no do this or that) - we can call those bhautika�. Note too I find no issue with these answers. But most questions (unbeknownst to the questioner) also have deeper knowledge that can arise from it. This we can call ādhyātmika�. So too with the initial question on the jacket, karma (karman), etc.

My offering on karman (properly spelled) is offered here if there is any interest:http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=8360&highlight=karman then I will not have to repeat the key terms for those that have read the post already. My point is, for new people to this notion of karman it is mostly in vogue, but mostly misunderstood.

That said, back to the coat. In the production of that coat , all that are part of the manufacturing, selling and buying are all involved in the coat. This principle of co-mingling actions (kṛt�) takes residence in the principle of ṛṇānubandhana�. It is the rounding-up, binding up, roping up - the co-mingling and influence of others on each other. This , as mentioned is the selling, making, buying , transporting of the coat and the cow. There is influence on all.

In each case of manufacturing something is sold, and something is received. The manufacturer pays for the materials to make the coat, the transporter is paid to ship the product, the retailer pays the manufacturer for the product, the customer pays the retailer for the coat. Who paid the cow ? Debts (ṛṇa�) are paid along the way, yet it is the cow that is the giver , no ? Actions are not performed in a vacuum. There is ṛṇa owed to the cow for all in the value chain. There is a connection there.

This goes on millions of times a day with all the transactions that are made - some with full knowledge some with none.

So getting rid of the coat ? Or only using it on cold days ?. It is like someone breaking a window and saying I will only look though it on sunny days; other days I do not need it. Yet the window remains broken.

re: dharma - another word that people feel they have a grip on - I suggest it is once again mis-understood. There is personal dharma, community and societal dharma, not to mention universal dharma. Some think this word dharma means 'duty' . That is like boiling down the ocean and putting it in an eye-dropper. It is rooted in dhṛ to uphold, maintain, to direct or turn (attention , mind) towards, resolve upon.
What is one upholding? Universal principles , that of sattva, expansion, etc. If it is 'duty' then it is in light of a person living dutifully i.e. that best agrees with the laws of nature, that are uplifting and life-supporting some call right-action. One can consider ahiṃsā - non-injury, non-violence right action for those on their spiritual unfoldment; is it the same for a snake or tiger ? No.
If one follows yama and niyama dutifully, then right actions emerge with time and practice. The snake and tiger are following their dharma by doing what nature instructs them to do.

In kali yuga many lose their way. But know this, kali yuga is on the outside of you; you can unfold the proper yuga inside of you.

iti śivaṁ


words

• bhautika = belonging to created beings, primitive material
• ādhyātmika - the spiritual

• ṛṇānubandha = ṛṇa+anubhandhana or ṛṇa+ anu + bhandhana
  • ṛṇa = anything due , obligation , duty , debt ;
  • this word ṛṇaṃ (within one root of √kṛ ) , is to get into debt
  • kṛ is an action , it is 'to make liable to' as one of its definitions. It also means to procure for another , bestow , grant ; to to form or construct one thing out of another
  • anubandha = binding , connection , attachment
  • bhandhana = binding , tying , fettering
• kṛt� = cultivated, done, result, accomplished, made

[philosoraptor]

Namaste,

I'm currently turning Vegetarian to further support Dharma and decrease incurring anymore negative karma however before I became interested in Hinduism I bought a leather jacket which is obviously made of animal skin and not just that but cow skin.

Should I buy a new jacket? And in the meantime do you think it is still OK to wear the leather one on cooler days?

My thanks,
Seeking

Pranams,

You would be better off giving up the leather jacket, if for no other reason than just to set a good example and to show people that you are consistent in your principles.

You probably have gained the bad karma for purchasing the jacket. However, let me make a suggestion: give it away to someone who needs it, like a homeless person or anyone else in need who does not have protection from the elements.

Non-leather and faux-leather items cost much less than leather, and I am sure you will be able to afford another one.

Being vegetarian is important. There is no question of self-realization if one cannot empathize with the plight of other living entities regardless of the bodies in which they are found.

[Viraja]

Namaste,

You may consider sending them to my wife.

Oh, yes, Satay ji, for sure I can send one sari to your wife. Will she accept it? (But you have to bear with the shipping though)

[SeekingPeaceOfMind]

Thank you everyone for your responses.