Hi, I do not class myself as Vegetarian!

[Sudas Paijavana]

Vannakkam: You're kidding, right? (Just in case you're not, yes it is. It's Tamil Saivism's greatest ethical scripture, penned some 2200 years ago.)

Aum Namasivaya

Pranam-s,

No, I was not kidding. Like I said, my ignorance of Tamil Sangam literature is appalling.

I asked for clarification because a few Tamil Brahmins I have spoke to about Sangam literature have told me that most books on Tamil Law are secular or have Jain influence.

It is good to know that the Tirukkural is a Shaiva scripture.

I have also heard rumors from a few Tamil South Indians that the Tirukkural is Christian and was created after Thomas' visit to South India. None of that is true, right?

From what I know, Kannagi from one of the Sangam scriptures mentions the Tirukkural and talks highly about the Brahmins of that time period and even assists many Brahmins during her ventures. And, she herself was a Hindu, and I think she was a Brahmin as well, if I'm not mistaken...

[Eastern Mind]

I have also heard rumors from a few Tamil South Indians that the Tirukkural is Christian and was created after Thomas' visit to South India. None of that is true, right?

Vannakkam: That claim sounds very rumorish! I certainly don't believe it.

Aum Namasivaya

[Sudas Paijavana]

Vannakkam: That claim sounds very rumorish! I certainly don't believe it.

Aum Namasivaya

Pranam-s,

Yeah, I don't buy it either. In my opinion, I believe the Tirukkural was finalized/penned around 100-30 BCE. But, it's philosophy was already vivid in terms of being acted upon in South India much before 100 BCE.

To me, it seems that the Tirukkural is one of the first scriptures in the world advocating not just vegetarianism but speaking out, instead, against the consumption of meat.

[redifflal]

Namaste,

Excuse the digression, but curiosity got the better of me and this is a learning opportunity for me.

What exactly is Kaulachari thought? How do you practice Hinduism in this line of thought? What are the pujas performed, rituals conducted, and which deities are revered? I would appreciate if you could explain in detail about your daily religious observances, activities and sadhana in pursuit of higher consciousness through this line of thought. Do you celebrate the mainstream Hindu festivals like Janamashtami, Diwali, Ramnavami etc.? Thank you.

Pranam.

I don't profess to be a practitioner of it, and all information I know of it is from the internet and some personal acquaintances back in India. There was a poster on this forum named Arjuna, he had a lot of good information about it. It is generally tied with Shakta and/or Shaiva worship in the Tantric philosophy. For example, Durga Puja is a big deal for us, not just a cultural function as is treated by general society around us to show off new clothes...I'm digressing. Just like other Hindu groups, it's not that Vaishnavs don't celebrate Durga or Kali Puja or that Shaivas don't celebrate Janmashtami...it is still celebrated and with equal fervor, but Shaktas view Devi as supreme, so Krishna/Ram etc are Her sons, as attested by Shri Ram praying to Durga before battle.

[fem_phoenix1109]

Namaste,

Vegetarianism was just something that occurred naturally, I wasn't really trying to be vegetarian. But the last few times I went to prepare meat, the flesh just disgusted me. At first I tried to resist, since I hate wasting perfectly good food, but even once it was prepared I couldn't bring myself to eat it. The smell, the texture, everything about it was off-putting. It was way before the exp. date, and I even asked a few people if they thought it had turned, but they said it was fine. So I guess it was just my perception. So naturally, I gave it up.

Thank you for letting me share my experience on this matter.

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste,

Vegetarianism was just something that occurred naturally, I wasn't really trying to be vegetarian. But the last few times I went to prepare meat, the flesh just disgusted me. At first I tried to resist, since I hate wasting perfectly good food, but even once it was prepared I couldn't bring myself to eat it. The smell, the texture, everything about it was off-putting. It was way before the exp. date, and I even asked a few people if they thought it had turned, but they said it was fine. So I guess it was just my perception. So naturally, I gave it up.

Thank you for letting me share my experience on this matter.

Vannakkam fp: I think this is reasonably common ... a natural progression to a general distaste. Sure beats mentally having to work on it, if it just comes naturally.

Aum Namasivaya

[sunyata07]

Namaste,

Vegetarianism was just something that occurred naturally, I wasn't really trying to be vegetarian. But the last few times I went to prepare meat, the flesh just disgusted me.

I became vegetarian-minded a little while before I discovered Sanatana Dharma, so when I realised a meat-free diet was recommended for a spiritual life it wasn't nearly so difficult because like yourself, I began to abstain purely because the smell, the taste and even the texture of meat began to put me off dinner. IMO, the more you begin dwelling on the idea behind vegetarianism based upon self-enquiry and compassion for the animal which has died for your consumption - where did it come from, what soul inhabited this body before being taken to the slaughterhouse, what did it feel before it died, did it know it was going to die, etc.? ... when all these thoughts begin filling your head, it's only a matter of time before you find you cannot bring the animal's flesh to your lips anymore. There is that famous quote from Paul McCartney when he says that if abbatoirs were made of glass nobody would want to eat meat anymore, at least not anyone with a sense of empathy for his fellow creature. It becomes no longer simply a case of wanting the pleasure of taste sensation. You even begin asking questions like the ones you just asked - how does my not eating meat affecting my spiritual life? Does it make a difference to God if I do or do not?

I don't think eating meat makes you a "bad" person or any less spiritual than the next being, but it certainly could get in the way of fostering a complete and sincere understanding of the precept of ahimsa, extending beyond just abstaining from being violent to others. Not only are you trying to keepwhat physically enters into your body as sattvic as possible, but you are also reinforcing that concept of compassion each time you refrain from meat eating not because you'd rather not (although eventually it does come to that point when you have abstained from eating it long enough), but because you choose to live without it.

Good luck with whatever you choose for your spiritual life.

Om namah Shivaya

[Mystical Soul]

Pranams, EM:

Because my ignorance of Sangam Literature and Tamil Books of Law is appalling, I have always wanted to ask the following:

Is the Tirukkural a Hindu text?

Thank you for asking this. I did not know either. In fact I copied and pasted it into Word so I could look it up later. Sometimes I see words of which I have no clue as to their definition and in order to keep from seeming so ignorant I look them up later. Sometimes it only adds more questions. At any rate thanks to Eastern Mind for answering because I will now have more background when I do research and read more about meat eating. This whole thread has been very informative. Thanks to all who contributed and to the original poster
Aum

[ArjunAchary4]

Nor do I wish to, lol,
How does Being Vegetarian effect you and your life? does it make much of a difference to God? Does it affect our spiritual journey as Im on one, although now it is in relation to God?

I'm not a vegetarian and not at all trying to be, but Hindus who are/do become vegetarians don't do it because "it makes a difference to God", but instead to avoid eating the product of cruelty and killing to sentient beings. This of course would decrease one's bad karma as one would no longer be eating creatures which had to be killed (ultimately) for our own consumption.

[Aanandinii]

Namaskar,

Since this thread has been revived, and it actually seems to be a good place to put this:

I am a vegetarian because I don't wish to eat the flesh of dead animals, particularly ones raised and slaughtered the cruel way we do here, and being a Human omnivore I have that choice to make. I will eat egg only if it comes from my brother-in-law's chickens, who each have names, are doted on and downright spoiled, and get acres of land to forage through every day - he has no rooster.

Anyway, that was my main reason, and there are others that other people have cited. However, if you're looking for yet another reason, here is a recent study showing that high meat-protein diets can actually boost memory loss. I have to wonder if the growing meat industry and lobby here has contributed to the huge and unexplained rise of Alzheimer's and Dementia.

~Pranam