harmanjit_kaur
Waheguru Waheguru
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=+7]Sikh Meat Issue[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]A Sikh is instructed to keep complete 'suchum', that is cleanliness of the body and soul. A Sikh is instructed to rise early in the morning and bathe daily, to keep clean thoughts in his/her mind and to cleanse the soul by repeating God's name. The body is regarded as a temple and if you want God to come and take residence in it then it must first be cleaned. The soul needs it nurishment, that of Naam and it is nurished by a daily dose of Gurbani and Simran. In the same way the body must also be kept clean and purged of all pollutants. A Sikh is instructed to refrain from alcohol, drugs and tobacco, but hand in hand with this a Sikh must refrain from consuming the flesh of other animals, for the polluting properties of meat cannot be ignored. For those Sikhs who are in name only this will be a tall order but for those who have been blessed by their Guru it is an absolute must. [/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]It is a disturbing thought that many Sikhs today have lost sight of their spiritual objective and now freely indulge in consuming the flesh of animals without a second thought to the consequence on the soul. The karmic penalty of eating flesh cannot be ignored. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Sant Ji never advocated eating meat. [/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]According to the rehat maryada booklet , Kuttha the meat prepared by the Muslim ritual killing is prohibited for a Sikh, regarding eating other meat, it is silent. Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (SGGS) makes various references to not eating meat but since it does this in a subtle way this has been ignored by many. Unless you are 'naam-abyasee' then you cannot begin to understand the implications of meat consumption, alas the majority of Sikhs today are so engrossed in daily life and activity and their access to Sikh principles are through the internet or hearsay that most have a very eskew idea of their faith. And lets face it, if you enjoy chicken kebab then you are going to listen and agree with those arguments that allow you to indulge, it is only a blessed soul who will really understand the arguement against meat and act upon it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Many 'modern' Sikhs will say that man as a hunter gatherer evolved with a meat diet and that infact it was the meat diet that increased the size of the human brain that let to the superiority of man. Now, it is true that man has evloved over the ages, but if he was a monkey once does he still have to retain the monkey urges? If man can now survive quite adequately without a meat diet and man knows that eating meat slows his spiritual progress then is that not enough to refrain from this act? Only we have the capacity to evolve spriritually, and to do this we must have dicipline and fortitude. As for meat being an essential part of our diet, there are millions of vegiertians and vegans who would disagree.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]One 'evidence' the pro-meat lobby will site is that Guru Hargobind Sahib ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji were accomplished hunters, if they hunted then so can we, "if they hunted meat then they must have consumed it, right ?" Wrong. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Firstly our ego filled minds bring down our glorious Gurus to our level, we treat them as if they were like one of us, they were not. They were the divine light and what acts they performed we can only stand back in awe, we can never emulate what they did. Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji recited one thousand shabads every day as part of their daily routine, can we even begin to emulate this? Yet we are all so quick to make assumptions that if the Gurus hunted then so can we, and then consume it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]The author of a called Sikh & Sikhism writes about the Gurus hunting, he states : "The game would have been cooked and put to good use, to throw it away would have been an awful waste."[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]The author provides no evidence to back up his claim, pure conjecture. We cannot see past the physical world, the Guru's were pure souls, at One with the Almighty. Guru Gobind Singh Ji in his glorious autobiography Bachittar Natak writes that after many eons of tapasia (meditation) the two (Guru Ji and God) became One. There is no doubt that Guru Sahib Ji had merged with the Almighty. If a glass of water is poured into the ocean who is to say which part is now the water from the glass and which is not, it becomes one, in the same way the Guru's were at One with God. Where ever they went they granted mukhti (salvation) to all who were ready to take it. Guru Nanak Dev Ji on his udasis's (journeys) saved such people like Sujjan Thug - who would invite people to his house and then in the dead of night strangle them, Kaudda Rakhsh, who indulged in cannibal activites and Walli Quandhari the mean fakir who would not let anyone use his well. So, from the very begining the Guru's have been blessing and granting mukhti to those souls whose karmic circle needed breaking, and who can do this ? Only the True Guru.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]In the same way Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and Guru Gobind Sahib Ji went hunting, not for pleasure - for the Guru's were way above the pleaseures of this world - or the need to satisfy their taste buds, they were above this also , it was to instill a sense of pride and self confidence in the downtrodden people of India who for centuries had grovelled to any invader who happen to come their way. Guru Sahib Ji indulged in royal activities, like wearing of the Kalgi, jewelled plumes on the turban, use of the chaur sahib, as symbols of royalty, not because Guru Ji had any need for these superfluouse items, but rather to instill a sense a self pride within the ordinary Indian, and also in the process to settle long overdue 'accounts', to release the souls of the poor unfortunate animals who may have wronged in the past, to grant them Mukti (salvation). [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]There is a story of Guru Gobind Singh Ji who sent out his white falcon to hunt an animal, once caught Guru Ji watched as the baaj tore into the animals flesh. Asked by one of his Sikhs what was the reasoning behind this Guru Ji stated that in a previous life this animal was a man and had borrowed some money from the baaj and swore on Akal Purkhs name that he would pay it back, he never did and now it was pay back time. There are many instances like this which illustrate that the Gurus were not hunting for meat but to save these souls from the continuous cycle of birth and death. In two Hukamnamas of Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji there are clear cut instructions prohibiting the eating of meat, fish etc.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Dr Gopal Singh in his History of the Sikh People writes something rather curious:" In the Gurus kitchen (or Guru Ka Langar) meat dishes are not served , maybe it is on account of it being perhaps expensive, or not easy to keep for long."[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]When has money been an obstical for the Sikhs? An appeal at any local Gurudwara for donations for a project or disaster fund will yield hundreds of pounds by the sangat on the spot, and Guru ka langar is 'untuth' (unbroken or without bounds) so to say that meat dishes are expensive for then langar is a bit of a red herring, reading between the lines it seems apparent that doubt is being planted in the minds of the Sikhs regarding meating. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Giani Sher Singh in his Philosophy of Sikhism writes : "Kabir held the doctrine of Ahinsa or non-destruction of life, which even extended to his followers. The Sikh Gurus, on the contrary allowed and even encouraged the use of animal flesh for food……"[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]However the author does not expand on this, he provides no evidence for this, again pure conjecture and speculation. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]One should step back and think for a moment what is being said here. The Gurus were pure souls, Sikhs believe them to have merged with Akal Purkh, are we then to believe that they would tear into a chicken leg at meal time? Piayrio don't even go there. Eating meat is a very primitive act and the Gurus taught us to be above this, to control our emotions and urges if we were to develop spiritually. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]H.S Singha in his Mini Encyclopedia of Sikhism : 'Guru Amar Das Ji ate only rice and lentils but this abstention cannot be regarded as evidence of vegetarianism, only of simple living.'[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]The key phrase here is 'simple living', the Gurus promoted simple living above all - Naam jappo (sing the Lords praises), kirat karo (earn an honest days living) and whand kay shako (share your food with those around you) - these are the fundamentals of Sikhism and simple living is at the heart of it. Simple folk live on simple foods and that does not include meat. Remember when Guru Nanak Dev Ji on his first Udassi (journey) met Malak Bhago the merchant, Guru Ji refused to eat his rich food perfering to eat the dried chapatti of Bhai Lalo. If we look at the lives of the Gurus we should try to emulate as much of them as possible because we regard their lives as ideal living, then simple living on a vegetrian diet should be part of it.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Guru Gobind Singh Ji's "updesh" or instruction to Bhai Daya Singh ji which is mentioned in "SUDHARAM MARAG GRANTH" say quite clearly : [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]"One who does not Steal, Commit adultery , Slander anyone , Gamble , eat meat or drink wine will be liberated in this very life (i.e. Jeewan Mukt)".[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Mohsin Fani (1615-70), the well known historian and a contemporary of Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib, rites in his work DABISTAN-E-MAZAHIB as follows:[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]"Having prohibited his disciples to drink wine and eat pork, he (Nanak) himself abstained from eating flesh and ordered not to hurt any living being. After him this precept was neglected by his followers; but Arjun Mal, one of the substitutes of his Faith, renewed the prohibition to eat flesh and said: This has not been approved by Nanak."[/FONT]
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[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Mata Ganga Ji longed for a son. She confided in her husband, the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji. "My Lord when shall we be granted a son?" she asked. It must be remembered that Guru Arjun Dev Ji was Lord of all the worlds, people from far and wide came to seek blessings from Guru ji and have their minds wishes fulfilled, they left with blessings overflowing, yet here we have Mata Ji asking for a son but Guru Ji not granting it directly. The reason is that as in all of the incidents relating to the Gurus it was a lesson for us folk. Guru Ji could have granted a son to Mata Ji but instead to illustrate an important principle Guru Ji played out this incident to show people like us the importance of humility and devotion and the high regard Guru Ji had of his Sikhs. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Guru Sahib Ji instructed Mata Ji to prepare some food and seek the blessing of Baba Buddha Ji, a learned Sikh who had served all the previous Gurus in complete devotion, and spiritially a Braham Giani. Mata Ji prepared all manner of dishes of rich and spicey foods and went with great pomp and ceremony on a chariot to be blessed by Baba Buddha Ji. When Baba Ji saw the dust trail in the distance coming toward his place of residence he was not impressed. Baba Ji was also not inpressed by all the fuss and rich food, despondent Mata Ji returned home. Upon enquiring the outcome Guru Arjun Dev Ji urged her to prepare another meal but this time a simple meal of Missi roti (chapatties) , yoghurt , achaar (pickle) , onions and lassi , and to make it with her own hands and this she did. This time she went on foot and with great humbless and Baba Ji was very impressed. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Baba ji was a Brahm Giani (a stage of spiritual enlightenment) and ate simple wholesome foods, he did not care for rich spicey foods, instead he was happy to eat missi roti and yoghurt. [/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]He took the onion and brought his fist upon it to break it open, and said " You will be blessed with a son Mata ji and like this he will crush the heads of the oppressors", in due course Mata ji was blessed with a son who later became the sixth Guru, the fearless mighty Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]The point being made here is that all spiritually enlightened souls lead simple lives and eat simple food. In fact they eat very little and what they do eat is purely vegetarian, the Name of the Lord is their sustainer, they have no need to entertain their taste buds with rich spicey food let alone the spiritually corrupting meat.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sikh Meat Issue II [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]It is all too easy to go to your local supermarket pick up a juicy steak, cook it and tuck into it without thinking of the animal lying on your plate, what kind of life it led, what kind of suffering it endured just so that you could satisfy your taste buds. It has been said earlier that we are designed to eat meat and that we evolved to eat meat. There are many things that we can do but that does not make them right. Recent research has suggested that man maybe should not be monomagus and should take many partners to increase his chances of passing on his genes, are we also to follow this? We as gursikhs need to overcome these primal urges, we need to rise above them. We can exist quite happily without meat so why do many people feel the urge to consume it, taste plays a large part of it. Can we in our hearts believe that the Gurus advocated this?[/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Question : Are beings born on this earth and have living bodies just to be a convenience food ? Or are beings born into a life with a body so that they can develop and eventually evolve away from karma and into Dharma ?[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Guru Granth Sahib Ji says , [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]This human body has been given to you.
This is your chance to meet the Lord of the Universe.
Nothing else will work.
Join the SaadhSangat, the company of the holy.
Vibrate and meditate on the Jewel on the Naam.
Make every effort to cross over this terrifying world-ocean.
Your are squandering this life uselessly in the love of Maya[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]I have not practiced meditation, self discipline,
Self restraint or righteous living.
I have not served the holy;
I have not acknowledged the Lord, my king.
Says Nanak, my actions are contemptible!
O Lord, I seek Your Sanctuary, please preserve my honour.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]This 'body' is given to all in order to meet Akal Purkh and the Guru says that there is no other way to meet him. Even the devtays long to be given a human life so that they can also engage in Naam simran and break free from the circle of life and death (Anand Sahib Ji). We are so fortunate that in Gods wisdom he has blessed us with a human body, for it is only a human who can meditate upon His Name and gain salvation, no other animal has this ability. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]By killing a healthy animal for consumption interrupts its life experience and its evolution towards meeting God. Animals can sense impending doom especially if they can hear the death throws of their colleagues. This can evoke a very powerful glandular response in the animal, pumping hormones around its body. When you eat that flesh you take on those hormones, and more importantly you take on its karma. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]This has a great effect on your Atma (soul) , for the Atma feels pain. Why do you think we are always restless and only catch brief moments of inner peace ? This is beacuse the atma is seperated from its maker, it longs to be reunited with it, but adding the karma of another soul to yours you are 'weighing' yourself down even more with paap, you are also interfering with your own desire to meet Akal Pukh. If you have not cleared away your own karma why would you want to create new karma of killing and consuming the flesh of another being and adding it to yours?[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Sikhs do not eat or take into their bodies anything which is harmful or have an ill effect upon the body or mind. Sikhs - and I do not mean the ones who are Sikh in name only - refrain from alcohol for it has a negative effect on the mind, they refrain from tobacco for it is addictive, a stimulant and dirty, they refrain from drugs as this gives you a temporary high in which you waste away your life and not to mention your hard earned money that should be used on your family and the needy. Meat is a stimulant of the gross passions of the mind and body. Meat is harmful on a physical, mental and spiritual level. Where ever you see spiritual people gathered, be they sadhus, sants you will never see any meat nearby. Where ever there are people who are partying, taking drugs, gambling, drinking then more often then not there is a pot of meat on the cook. Think about it! [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]You are killing a soul who is in the process of evolving towards God this is not going to help you in any way on your journey towards the Almighty. Meat stimulates your 'lower nature' making it impossible to achieve a meditative spiritual mind set, try sitting down and clearing your mind to meditate after comsuming meat, it cannot be done. If you want constant confusion and irritation then chew on a piece of flesh, if you want to feed your lower passions then carry on as you are. Most western people drink and eat meat, they have no concept of spirituality, coincidence you think? Yet go to a place that most people will call a bit wierd, like a commune where alternative living people hang out, vegans, vegetarians, new age people and invariably there is a calmness amongst them and conversation tends towards nature and spiritual topics, this is no coincidence.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Make no mistake, when the noose of death is around your neck and the jaal (net) of maya (illusion) is finally lifted then all will become clear, but my friend, it will be too late. If on the other hand you want to evolve spiritually , open up the capacity for meditative comprehension of higher truths, gain inner peace of which you have never known before, then the karmic and polluting nature of meat cannot be ignored. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]It is said by many that plants also have life so why do we not abstain from eating plants ? [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]It is very true that plants do have life, Guru Nanak dev Ji has said "patti toray maalni, patti patti geeo" (The gardener plucks leaves from the plant, (but she does not know that) there is life in each leaf) but the karmic energy and consequences of eating plants do not compare to those of an animal which has feeling, possible thoughts, parental instincts towards its offspring. Plants (lentils, maize , spinach etc) are not harmful on a mental, spiritual level but are in fact good for the digestion.
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The shabad that is quoted by all pro-meat lobbiests is a shabad by Guru Nanak Dev Ji [FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]in the Var of Raag Malhar on pages 1289-90. This shabad is sited by people as evidence that quarreling over meat is a fools game as it is not significant whether you eat it or not. But what these people fail to do is think deep into the shabad and to understand in what context the shabad was composed in.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Maas Maas Kar Moorakh Jhaghrrey.
Gian dhian Nahin Jaaney.
Kaun Maas Kaun Saag Kahaavey
Kis Mah Paap Samaaney. (pg. 1289-1290) [/FONT]
First Mehla:
The fools argue about flesh and meat, but they know nothing about meditation and spiritual wisdom.
What is called meat, and what is called green vegetables? What leads to sin?
It was the habit of the gods to kill the rhinoceros, and make a feast of the burnt offering.
Those who renounce meat, and hold their noses when sitting near it, devour men at night.
They practice hypocrisy, and make a show before other people, but they do not understand anything about meditation or spiritual wisdom.
O Nanak, what can be said to the blind people? They cannot answer, or even understand what is said.
They alone are blind, who act blindly. They have no eyes in their hearts.
They are produced from the blood of their mothers and fathers, but they do not eat fish or meat.
But when men and women meet in the night, they come together in the flesh.
In the flesh we are conceived, and in the flesh we are born; we are vessels of flesh.
You know nothing of spiritual wisdom and meditation, even though you call yourself clever, O religious scholar.
O master, you believe that flesh on the outside is bad, but the flesh of those in your own home is good.
All beings and creatures are flesh; the soul has taken up its home in the flesh.
They eat the uneatable; they reject and abandon what they could eat. They have a teacher who is blind.
In the flesh we are conceived, and in the flesh we are born; we are vessels of flesh.
You know nothing of spiritual wisdom and meditation, even though you call yourself clever, O religious scholar.
Meat is allowed in the Puraanas, meat is allowed in the Bible and the Koran. Throughout the four ages, meat has been used.
It is featured in sacred feasts and marriage festivities; meat is used in them.
Women, men, kings and emperors originate from meat.
If you see them going to hell, then do not accept charitable gifts from them.
The giver goes to hell, while the receiver goes to heaven - look at this injustice.
You do not understand your own self, but you preach to other people. O Pandit, you are very wise indeed.
O Pandit, you do not know where meat originated.
Corn, sugar cane and cotton are produced from water. The three worlds came from water.
Water says, ""I am good in many ways."" But water takes many forms.
Forsaking these delicacies, one becomes a true Sannyaasee, a detached hermit. Nanak reflects and speaks. ||2||
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]On Guru Nanak Dev Jis udassi (journey) Guru Ji met many different types of people, many who were stuck in their own rituals, many performing all manner of absolutions but without the divine knowledge. They were all stuck in meaningless ritual and falsehood. One of the groups Guru Sahib Ji met were Vaishnav's, a group who refrain from eating meat, and Guru Ji observed them and then met in discussion with them. Upon listening to their explanation as to why they refrain from eating meat and observing their treatment of those around them Guru Ji composed this shabad. This shabad is aimed at these Vaishnav Hindus who were so engrossed in their rituals and supposed superiority that they had missed the whole point of refraining from meat.[/FONT]Gian dhian Nahin Jaaney.
Kaun Maas Kaun Saag Kahaavey
Kis Mah Paap Samaaney. (pg. 1289-1290) [/FONT]
First Mehla:
The fools argue about flesh and meat, but they know nothing about meditation and spiritual wisdom.
What is called meat, and what is called green vegetables? What leads to sin?
It was the habit of the gods to kill the rhinoceros, and make a feast of the burnt offering.
Those who renounce meat, and hold their noses when sitting near it, devour men at night.
They practice hypocrisy, and make a show before other people, but they do not understand anything about meditation or spiritual wisdom.
O Nanak, what can be said to the blind people? They cannot answer, or even understand what is said.
They alone are blind, who act blindly. They have no eyes in their hearts.
They are produced from the blood of their mothers and fathers, but they do not eat fish or meat.
But when men and women meet in the night, they come together in the flesh.
In the flesh we are conceived, and in the flesh we are born; we are vessels of flesh.
You know nothing of spiritual wisdom and meditation, even though you call yourself clever, O religious scholar.
O master, you believe that flesh on the outside is bad, but the flesh of those in your own home is good.
All beings and creatures are flesh; the soul has taken up its home in the flesh.
They eat the uneatable; they reject and abandon what they could eat. They have a teacher who is blind.
In the flesh we are conceived, and in the flesh we are born; we are vessels of flesh.
You know nothing of spiritual wisdom and meditation, even though you call yourself clever, O religious scholar.
Meat is allowed in the Puraanas, meat is allowed in the Bible and the Koran. Throughout the four ages, meat has been used.
It is featured in sacred feasts and marriage festivities; meat is used in them.
Women, men, kings and emperors originate from meat.
If you see them going to hell, then do not accept charitable gifts from them.
The giver goes to hell, while the receiver goes to heaven - look at this injustice.
You do not understand your own self, but you preach to other people. O Pandit, you are very wise indeed.
O Pandit, you do not know where meat originated.
Corn, sugar cane and cotton are produced from water. The three worlds came from water.
Water says, ""I am good in many ways."" But water takes many forms.
Forsaking these delicacies, one becomes a true Sannyaasee, a detached hermit. Nanak reflects and speaks. ||2||
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]It should be noted that at no place does this shabad advocate the eating of meat.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Guru Sahib Ji says Vaishnavs who make their whole religion on the basis of rejection of maas/meat is foolsih, Jains who dispise meat are blind. They do not have the wisdom of the Guru so they do not know what to eat and what not to eat. Is some one cheats and steals and uses the money to purchase food then that food is like meat (poluted) even if they have purshased saag (spinich). Many sects eat inedible things like rotten grain but will not eat onions or ginger in the false notion that this is part of their faith but they have no spiritual knowledge as they have not met the true Satguru. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]These pandits make a big show of their supriority by rejecting meat and hold their noses up at the mere site of cooked flesh YET they have no shame in looting the cheating the poor and unfortunate. The pandit has so much pride over his rejection of meat yet even in the Hindu faith there have been animal sacrifices, as are referenced in the Hindu scriptures not to mention the Semitic ones. Having such a hatred of meat that they are afraid to be near it or even touch it is foolish, this is what Guru Sahib Ji is getting at. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Now we ourselves are made of meat, inside us is meat just like the meat we see for sale in the markets. Our families are made of meat and so are all our acquaintances. The flesh of the mother's womb wherein the human body is born, the flesh of the mother's breasts which feed the infant, the flesh of the tongue, ears, mouth used for perception of various senses of the body, the flesh in the form of wife and off-springs referred to in the Shabad, is flesh no doubt and one cannot escape it. The shabad is saying that it is all made of the same flesh that the pandit is so disgusted by , but is it the flesh to be eaten as food by the humans? If meat is so bad, then why do you associate with them? Why do the Pandits take money and make their living from Royalty? They too are made of meat. What is meat and flesh made of? It is not some dirty substance. It is made from grain and water that we eat. So why do you hate it so much? Only when you obtain wisdom from the true Guru and are able to overcome the lure of these physical ras/tastes will you be able to become a real Sanyasi.
The gist of this shabad is a condemnation of the pakhand/falsehood the Pandits convey when they see cooked meat and will run away from it turning their noses up in disgust yet they are quite at home when they swindle people out of their earnings, without the Satguru there is no knowledge. This is what the shabad is getting at, it is not saying that all those who argue over meat are foolish and it is okay to consume meat. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Nowhere in this shabad is there any indication that we should eat meat, just that we shouldn't hate it because we ourselves are made of meat and we shouldn't think that by giving it up we will somehow elevate oursleves . There is no indication in this shabad that says "meat eating is okay". In fact this shabad indicates to us that we are meat and we should recognize that just as the thought of eating a dead body is revolting, the thought of eating meat should be as well. Because that’s precisely what it is: a dead body, and the same stuff our body is made of.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]If there was an animal even higher in the food chain than us, would we appreciate it eating your mother, father, brother or sister? No, didn't think so. So what makes us think that animals do?[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]It is sited by many people that in our normal course of life we kill many beings. We probably kill many mico-organisms when we breath, we kill insects when we may step on them. All these we have no control over and we should not go down the path of the Jains who cover ther mouths with cloth masks in case they swallow a fly. Many times we have to kill animals in a survival situation or even when a rodent enters the house, we even have to kill our fellow humans when we or our family are threatened, for if we do not kill them then they will kill us. It is a matter of survival, a them or us situation, but I fail to see how a cow, goat or chicken can give us a hard time, so why do they have to face harsh and cruel humans when they are innocent and friendly towards us ? [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]If killing of any innocent human is a crime and sin in any religious language, then the killing of any innocent animal is also a crime and sin. [/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Do we eat to live, or do we live to eat ? [/FONT]
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