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Thread: Thoughts on Silk

  1. #1
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    Thoughts on Silk

    According to the principles of ahimsa we should not harm other creatures - that's why the majority of Hindus are vegetarian, yes? So what are our thoughts on the use of silk? Millions of pupating silk worms must be destroyed in order for us to make silk garments, so what are your thoughts? Is this against ahimsa or a necessary evil?

    I bring this up because it was brought up on an email group I'm on and I wanted to hear the thoughts of my fellow members here.

  2. #2
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    Re: Thoughts on Silk

    Hari Om!

    Perhaps we're getting the same emails - I've seen so much controversy around this lately.

    My own personal opinion is that in the spirit of ahimsa, we must put aside our selfish desires. I'll draw a comparison if I may. Cattle that is raised naturally and dies naturally and is then used as food or product is much better than that which is raised only for the purpose of providing meat and material goods for man - raise the cow, pump it full of hormones to make it grow faster and to produce more, take it to a slaughter house and kill it for purely selfish reasons. Big difference. Yes, perhaps the example is a little overboard, but perhaps you see the point. I don't feel like I've articulated my point especially well, but hope you get the drift none the less. Needless killing for selfish reasons = BAD! Taking from nature as a normal course of events = ACCEPTABLE! (in many cases).

    So, do I wear silk clothes? Only the ones that are uniform pieces for work that I am required to wear and no other.

    Would like to hear more on this issue from others.

    Om Namah Sivaya!

  3. #3

    Re: Thoughts on Silk

    Namaste,
    It's totally upto you whether to wear silk or not. I personally avoid silk not only for this reason but I feel comfortable in cotton clothes. My view on this is if it is avoidable why not avoid it? I agree with c.smith, we should put our selfish desires aside in the spirit of ahimsa.

    OM
    यस्मिन् सर्वाणि भूतान्यात्मैवाभूद्विजानत:।
    तत्र को मोह: क: शोक एकत्वमनुपश्यत:॥ ७॥



  4. #4
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    Re: Thoughts on Silk

    Vannakkam: There are options available now. One is silk made from worms that have died a natural death. Another is polyester so fine as to very closely resemble silk. A third is the blend of these two. These options are becoming increasingly available as more and more people adopt ahimsa towards this creature.

    Aum Namasivaya

  5. #5

    Re: Thoughts on Silk

    The answer seems pretty obvious...

    Or is it?

    Not all silk is produced by silk worms, you know.

    In the modern world, I think there is simply information overflow in regards to injury. You need to make judgment on your own.... or spend infinity debating academia....

    Traditional silk production kills the cocooned moth. Some new methods of silk production comes from arachnids - while they aren't (usually) killed as a result, they certainly are restrained in many cruel ways to harvest fiber.

    Horses, cows, ox, etc "workbeasts" were shackled for millenia to produce work. While not being killed, they often received injuries as a result. Horse shoes are a result of the weaponization of horses during war.

    If you don't shoe your horse and you live in a very rocky/urban area, it will have detrimental effects to it's health with the hoof cracks or is otherwise damaged by it's environment. If you do shoe your horse, you risk the possibility of destroying it's natural gait, causing infection and significant amounts of pain as a result of unbalances/defects in the shoe.

    Modern eggs are not embryonized - that is, chickens are promoted to lay eggs that will never hatch. Is eating that egg actually eating the flesh of a chicken or are you eating something that never had the potential to live to begin with?

    The act of breathing destroys all sorts of life. Not breathing destroys the potential for life (in yourself and in other organisms). Bathing is the same. Brushing your teeth is armageddon!

    People can intellectually debate this for years and never come to a legitimate, acceptable conclusion. Especially not a definable, acceptable spiritual conclusion.

  6. #6

    Re: Thoughts on Silk

    Namaste,

    On Dharma --> Silk

    However, did you know about Banana-silk, made from threaded banana leaves, in addition to yards and yards of artificial silk that is sold as "pure silk" ?

    I think cotton is best.

    praNAm
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  7. #7
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    Re: Thoughts on Silk

    Quote Originally Posted by smaranam View Post
    Vannakkam smaranam: Yes, I thought we did this before... thanks for finding it. I either can't remember previous discussions or can't find them. So much for the power of memory I guess.

    Aum Namasivaya

  8. #8

    Re: Thoughts on Silk

    Vannakkam EasternJi

    I remembered our conversation of weddings and silk sarees seeing this thread

    The advanced search feature here is quite good, it allows filtering on username as well as keywords and forum/folder names.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

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