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Thread: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

  1. #1
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    Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    Namaste


    I am practicing strict vegetarianism for about 4 to 5 years.

    Because I had been consuming N.V diet in the past it becomes difficult to practice strict vegetarianism like in parties or get together where we don't have the control over the plates, spoons, kitchen etc. It is very difficult to find pure vegetarian hotels in cities.

    I can order/request for a Vegetarian items, but my silly mind questions if the same vessel. stove or the plate was used to cook or serve N.V items.The same happen when I visit friends and relatives.

    I really can't run away from this worldly life but don't see a solution other than carrying my food where ever I go. Sometimes people see it as an offense if I refuse politely.

    This is not a new issue because all vegetarian people would have faced this issue in the past, can you please share your ideas.

    PS: I didn't check if anyone had raised same question in past.
    Anirudh...

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    Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    Hari Om!

    Although I would like to live up to your standards of not eating from utensils, plates, etc that have touched non-veg, I find it too difficult to do so. In a perfect world this could happen but as we know, the world is far from perfect!

    Saving grace though is when visiting some cities, there sometimes seems to be the option of a pure veg restaurant nearby. Perhaps at parties you could bring a dish to share, thus knowing of the purity and also being able to share with others. This is an acceptable custom in the U.S., perhaps in India or elsewhere too. Last thought, how about visiting a temple and eating there when traveling?

    Not certain if any of this is helpful but in my career as a Flight Attendant, am gone from home much of the time. It is impossible to bring all of my food with me though I carry as much fruit as possible as fruit and milk is my main diet. Otherwise I use the tips mentioned above.

    All the best.

    Om

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    Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    Vannakkam Anirudh: I'm not sure where you live and that has quite the bearing on this discussion. The more vegetarians in a given aream the easier it is.

    I do know that some folks are incredibly strict. I travelled with our local priest, and we couldn't go to a restaurant that served both. Only the pure vegetarian ones were acceptable.

    In our case personally, I'm still totally vegetarian, but have relaxed the utensil issue, rationalising how clean pots and pans get with the restaurant machines. Yes, there may be a subtle vibration there, but to me that's a necessary fact of life given we live in a society where meat is eaten. I view it similarly to insects hitting the car.

    Vegetarianism itself is much easier theses days than it used to be. Forty years ago many placed didn't even have a salad on the menu. These days places like Subway and Panda Express, in the US are easy options. Before setting out, I always google 'nearby vegetarian restaurant' on google maps. 'Happy Cow' is another site that lists vegan and vegetarian restaurants.

    For staff parties, and social outings, I never had a problem, unless it was a sit-down affair with a pre-arranged meal. But those are rare. I fasted on many an occasion.

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    Namaste Anirudh,

    Quote Originally Posted by Anirudh View Post
    I am practicing strict vegetarianism for about 4 to 5 years.
    Because I had been consuming N.V diet in the past it becomes difficult to practice strict vegetarianism like in parties or get together where we don't have the control over the plates, spoons, kitchen etc. It is very difficult to find pure vegetarian hotels in cities.

    I can order/request for a Vegetarian items, but my silly mind questions if the same vessel. stove or the plate was used to cook or serve N.V items.The same happen when I visit friends and relatives.

    I really can't run away from this worldly life but don't see a solution other than carrying my food where ever I go. Sometimes people see it as an offense if I refuse politely.

    This is not a new issue because all vegetarian people would have faced this issue in the past, can you please share your ideas.
    I became strict vegetarian (I consider milk products as vegetarian) 6 years ago. I have faced very ridiculous situations after that. I was in another country when I became vegetarian and people there didn't correctly understand what I mean by being a vegetarian. I was into a party there by one of my local friends and when he learnt that I had turned vegetarian, he said to me that he had made special arrangements for me. However, when I was served fish (mind it, it was done with full respect and believing that eating fish is ok for vegetarians), I didn't know whether to laugh at that or weep ! So, I politely explained my position and finished my dinner with whatever was vegetarian there !!

    However, I don't act fussy on my being a vegetarian. I have no qualms if a person eats non-vegetarian food beside me, or he touches my plate during the course etc. Instead of hurting a person by my behaviour, I would prefer eating meat because imo, people who are alive are more important than a dead animal. My eating non-veg or veg is not important but what is important for me is that I shouldn't have any desire to eat meat. The Karma is in mind and not in physical action.

    Till now, God has helped me that I never was forced to go hungry because of choosing to be a vegetarian and may be God takes care in the time to come too. There have been times, when I had to manage with Curd+rice, Rice+Salad, Roti+Curd, Roti+Banana etc. So, I am able to manage till now but if, someday, there comes a time when there is nothing but non-vegetarian food and I am forced to starve, I may even eat non-vegetarian food. But I don't see this possibility. There is always something available with which I can manage. My main aim is to guard against my desires and if I am to able to do that, it is good enough.

    OM
    "Om Namo Bhagvate Vaasudevaye"

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    Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    Namaste,

    At restaurants all the utensils may be interchangeable between veg and non-veg food. When you associate with people who are non-veg, you will have to partake in the food which may be contaminated. When you buy a pizza, the store employees use the same knife to cut the veg and non-veg pizzas into slices. So, it is almost impossible to avoid contact with the undesired food. One has to tolerate that.

    As you grow older, you travel less, your visits to other people's houses decrease and your friends circle becomes smaller. Only then can you practice what you are desiring - pure vegetarianism.

    Whereas it is a good practice for a saadhak to stay as close to vegetarianism as possible, one must remember that the khastriyas of the past or the soldiers of today do not necessarily train using only inanimate objects as targets. They don't suddenly go to the battlefield and get the courage to shoot arrows or fire bullets at live human beings. The desire to kill an enemy for self protection is inculcated in them. If humans are fair game then animals would not be treated any differently. And if an animal is killed, it will not be wasted and will most likely be used for food. So, for many people, non-vegetarianism goes with the demands of their profession. We can't classify them to be all bad or of lower moral/ethical values. I cannot look down upon the conditioning/training of a person who protects my country. Saadhaks have the option to act virtuous only because of the safety cover provided by and the sacrifices of the security forces.

    To summarize, vegetarianism is not an option for everyone and the non-conformers should not be looked down upon. The saadhaks may try their best to adhere to it and not feel guilty when things are not as pure as they would like them to be because of eating outside of their homes. As a footnote, at ISKCON temples, all the prasad food is cooked at temple premises to ensure its purity. Limiting yourself only to food cooked at home is the only way to ensure its purity. But when we associate with other people or are on the road, that cannot be always ensured. So, for now, let it be!

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 04 October 2016 at 11:31 PM.

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    Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    Thank you every one for sharing your views and experiences.

    I understand although there are CLEAR rules, our conditioning pull us to the favorable positions and ALSO crib about it.

    Challenge, is our intent coupled with actions to break the conditioning. That means adaptation to a new world along with the regulations it poses. Sadly, I am not yet ready to BREAK this conditioning. Winners are not runners hence serves no good to feel sorry citing constraints instead should work to find a way out within the constraints and slowly out grow them.

    After reading all of your personal experiences, I understand it is not easy but not impossible too. So, will strive to prepare myself for the new world taking inspirations from my own footprints.

    Anyone who is in the same state as mine, should carefully ponder Believer's words

    To summarize, vegetarianism is not an option for everyone and it should not be looked down upon. The saadhaks may try their best to adhere to it and not feel guilty when things are not as pure as they would like them to be because of eating outside of their homes. As a footnote, at ISKCON temples, all the prasad food is cooked at temple premises to ensure its purity. Limiting yourself only to food cooked at home is the only way to ensure its purity. But when we associate with other people or are on the road, that cannot be always ensured.So, for now, let it be!
    Anirudh...

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    Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~

    svāgataṃ te¹ (welcome for you)


    Practicing vegetarianism. I see this slightly differently.

    What is being practiced is ahiṁsā अहिंसा we know as non-injury. Some call this non-violence. This infers to all beings ( even ourselves). At the ultimate level this ahiṁsā when in full bloom brings no harm in thought, deed, word or action. This observance is substantial -to bring no harm to any being.

    Hence, one p
    ractices ahiṁsā and applies this practice to the food one eats.

    Consider this post:

    http://hindudharmaforums.com/showthr...-or-non-injury



    इतिशिवं
    iti śivaṁ

    1.
    'te' is an enclitic (shortened form) of tubhyam which = 'for you' ; think of enclitic like the English contraction don't for do not, or can't for cannot, or William's as
    William possesses or owns something. It is that form that which is added with the least emphasis and is attached to the preceding word or term.
    Last edited by yajvan; 06 October 2016 at 03:14 PM.
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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    Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    Namaste Yajvan

    This observance is substantial -to bring no harm to any being.
    Thanks for link and your comment.

    Don't want to cherry pick.

    I think it is practically impossible not to harm anyone unless the act of harming is explained. Link you provided has tried to discuss that point but sounds illogical in few cases. Like for eg this one. I don't want to kill an animal directly or indirectly or (be the cause for killing) for the sake of food. In an unavoidable situations (like: dependencies on the articles that touched Non vegetarian) wanted to know how an vegetarian will deal that, and I agree with explanation given by c.smith, Devotee and Believer.

    Also, I will fully support if terrorists are eliminated COMPLETELY to secure the lives of innocents, slightly different from the view that had been offered. For instance, a poor parent can not afford ointment or a mosquito net when the child is suffering from malnutrition due to poverty.

    Again I wish to clarify my intention is not to cherry pick.

    Thanks for the link as it gave a different dimension to my question. I ll delve on the points discussed in that link especially "do the least amount of harm". Might be, you wanted to say, "required amount of harm"?
    Last edited by Anirudh; 07 October 2016 at 12:16 PM.
    Anirudh...

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    Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    Namaste,

    I grew up vegetarian but started eating meat when I moved to Canada largerly because there was not much choice of vegetarian foods then (25 years ago) especially in schools and universities but perphas also because of convenience and peer pressure. However, I stopped eating meat about 14 years ago. Along with God, I think my wife has helped me achieve the vegetarian life style. When outside at a restaurant I order stuff without meat without wondering if they are using the same utensils to cook and prepare my meal as they do for other meals. Most probably the same utensils are being used and that's the consequence of living here abroad.

    Once at a famous American stake house with colleagues for dinner I asked the server if they had anything vegetarian and the girl said, "sir you are at a stake house!" Correct, I said and ordered a side of salad and that was my meal for the evening.

    This weekend I was in the US and decided to go to an Indian restaurant ordered some daal and Aalo gohbi...found a piece of meat in my mouth. Somehow the Piece of goat flesh had ended up in my mouth even though I had ordered vegetarian food. I just quietly took it out as soon as I realized the taste. Crazily it happened on durga ashtami. All i can say is that these kinds of accidents happen but as Yajvan said the underlying point is of practicing ahimsa.
    satay

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    Re: Trivial issue, but unable to find solution

    Namaste Satay,

    Thanks for the post. I am not arguing, understand clearly your view on the subject.

    But, Ahimsa is one subject that always confuse me. From one end we believe Sri B.G 4.7 and from the other we advocate Ahimsa (non-violence). Especially after recent URI attacks and subsequent India's reply I am beginning to think Ahimsa is not what we generally think it as. Few months down the lane will get MORE clarity on this subject.

    Let us continue the discussion in a separate thread on a later date.

    Thanks again
    Anirudh...

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