Following the dhaRMam passed on by our ancestors, can strengthens tradition and yields bliss
By and © Udayabhanu Panickar
Mark Twain, the great American writer, once wrote, "India is the cradle of the human race, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition. The most valuable and the most instructive materials in the history of mankind are treasured up in India only."
He was and is correct. The treasure of India has no limits. Even though the west looted the material treasure, we still have the Spiritual treasure, even though they corrupted and diluted it and now highjacking it. That treasure possesses everything man needs to know about Spirituality and the path to the realization of the Absolute. No other culture, country, scriptures or collection of them all can claim to have such a vast reservoir of divine knowledge.
Our spiritual heritage cannot be contained in a single cult or a creed. It is neither a cult nor a dogma, nor is it a one-way single path to moksham (salvation). It is not even a religion as such--nor is it just a way of life. It is the complete and comprehensive collection of divine knowledge of the Absolute Truth, which--when learned and practiced--can lead people to the experience of the Absolute and the Ultimate Bliss. It is a continuously evolving and absorbing science - The Science of the Absolute - a flexible body of Devine knowledge centered on the quest of the jeevAtman (soul) for Its birthright, the divine realization. In addition, it makes provisions for all (souls) in this quest. Yet, it remains immeasurable as it safeguards the very purpose of all life everywhere and in all things. We may call It Sanatana Dharma, but never a religion. The wise called it the “Science of the Absolute”, the “Science of the Self” or the “Science of the Soul”. It is braHMavidya.
Human suffering began when the practice of dhaRMam started to decline. If we do not personally enjoy peace, prosperity and happiness, which is a heritage made available to us by our ancestors, it is due to our neglect of dhaRMam as revealed in tradition. Some abandon this tradition to seek an "Ultimate Truth” through the hasty application of self-made methods erroneously assumed to provide quick and easy access to the goal.
Those with correct knowledge of the Absolute do not deviate from dhaRMam as taught by our ancestors. The rich may lose their luxuries. Servants may become the served or vice versa. Death may occur at any time. Regardless of circumstances or consequences, the wise--those with knowledge of "the Absolute "--will always adhere to the wisdom laid down by the great masters who have passed before us.
British historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee once said: "At this supremely dangerous moment in human history, the only way to salvation is the ancient Indian way. Here we have the attitude and spirit that can make it possible for the human race to grow together into a single family."
This sentiment has never been as true as it is today. Man's deepest foundation for spiritual progress is his perception of oneness. The existence of this oneness is the truth that assures all of us the eventual attainment of the Realization of The Absolute. The principles of this “Truth” were provided by "The Absolute" millions of years ago by our ancestors in the land of bhAratham, known now as India. From time to time, it was shaken and distorted. Yet it never fell, because it is the "Truth" based upon something invincible. All of the many challenges simply reinforced it.
So, let us dive into that vast ocean of divine knowing provided for us by our ancestors. Let us fill our minds with this knowledge, so that we are inclined to perform dhaRMam and make ourselves ready for that experience of the ultimate bliss. Let us learn from our predecessors what we may not live long enough to learn from ourselves through our own mistakes. May we not waste time seeking something new when that which we need already exists? Let us adopt those established traditions, which have endured the test of time. In addition, finally, let us pass the light of the past to the future for the liberation of innumerable souls yet to come.
Shree Narayana Gurudevan gave us every tool to do it. Let us use them and enjoy the Ultimate Bliss, shivOham, shivOham, shivOham.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Why I am a vegetarian?
Copyright © Udayabhanu Panickar
Sree Narayana Gurudevan wrote thus, "The vow not to kill is great indeed, and greater still is non-eating of the flesh; there would be no butcher, if there is none to eat; in eating thus abides the cruder ill, as he is the reason for the killing."
ShAnthi, ‘Peace’ is an absolute need for human life, but often it is an elusive value for the majority of us. The reason for its elusiveness is that it always sought from external source. However, ‘Peace’ should be a value found within of the self, especially for the people of bhAratEya origin. ‘Peace’ is conceptual and it is inherent for human. It is within each one of us but lost in our egoistic conduct and our quest for materialistic luxuries & sensual pleasure. However, it is waiting to be uncovered. Only the practice of dhaRMam [‘Right Conduct’] leads us to that ‘Peace’. In addition, once the ‘Peace’ in every one is established, it shall lead the whole world to ‘Peace’. ‘Love’ is a necessity for ‘Peace’. If we ‘Love’ ourselves, we should love all others, and that will give us ‘Peace’.
‘Love’ is the basic human characteristic; encompassing charity, friendship, sympathy and understanding in to an ocean of calmness and mercy. It is a tender feeling of reverence. ‘Love’ is incomplete and impossible without benevolence, dedication, forgiveness, generosity, caring, sharing, sincerity, kindness, patience, sympathy and tolerance. When we start practicing ‘Love’, it creates a low grade of joy, an inner happiness. At an exalted stage, it gives us the ultimate of joy, which we call ‘Bliss’, shivOham, shivOham, shivOham.
‘DhaRMam’ [right conduct] is a very important human value. If ‘DhaRMam’ is accepted and practiced, it can lead to the ‘Truth’. It shall lead us to ‘ahimsa’ [Non-violence]. ‘Ahimsa’ is a part of our ‘Truth’ or ‘The ‘Truth’ itself. ‘The Self’, that is the ‘The Self’ in you, ‘The Self’ in me, ‘The ‘Self’ in every one of us.
‘Ahimsa’ can be defined as "universal love". It fosters the understanding that we have an obligation towards every constituent of this universe and that we should try to expand our love to all. Comfort and happiness to all creatures is the highest value of our traditions. Love for all creatures is the highest in our philosophy. When all forms of life revered as various expressions of the ‘Supreme’, ‘ahimsa’ should be the governing law for us. It can become a reality only when we recognize the oneness in all of us. That oneness calls for the unity of all creation. That unity leads us to the respect for all beings. Therefore, eating vegetation is also wrong, some say. Is it really? No, it is not.
We come into this world in a human body. Sure, we will leave this body behind and pass on. It is the parents’ responsibility to keep this body in a healthy condition until we are able to do the same by ourselves. From that point, until bereavement, it is our responsibility to sustain it in a healthy state. One of the most important needs for that are proper nutrients. Therefore, we must eat proper food. There are many things to eat. However, what criteria be taken into consideration to decide the menu? According to our scriptures, we should use the food which is correct for us to lead a caring, compassionate, happy, loving, non violent and healthy life, just enough to grow and maintain the health. In addition, in acquiring that food we must not do any harm to anything more than just necessary.
In a way, Vegetation and other creatures’ flesh, both are meant to be consumed. However, not all are intended for human consumption. Let us see which are preordained for human consumption.
Our eating tools and digestive systems are not shaped or fashioned to eat and/or digest flesh. An assessment of our systems can prove this. Our teeth, jaws and digestive system, favor and need a diet exclusive of flesh. In addition, an examination of history will reveal, "most of mankind for most of human history has lived on vegetarian diets." On few occasions, it might have happened due to non-availability of enough vegetation due to drought or other calamities. Some in the authority, like historians and anthropologists may say that, we human are omnivorous (who eat meat and vegetation). However, a close examination shall show that we have more in common with vegetarian animals.
Human have no claws, have no sharp front teeth; but we do have flat rear molars [large back tooth in humans and some other mammals, used for chewing and grinding. Human beings have twelve molars] for grinding same as other vegetable eating animals (Herbivores). However, carnivore (an animal that eats other animals) has claws, have sharp front teeth for tearing, with no flat molar teeth for grinding. Even though human beings do possess a modified form of canine teeth, they are nothing like carnivore. The shape, length and hardness of these are no match to those of the carnivorous. Their teeth are much harder and they are able to break through the bones. Ours do not have this capability either. They are more common with what the animals that traditionally never eat flesh, such as apes, camels, and musk deer.
Carnivore’s intestinal tract is much short (only three times in length than their body length.) This helps the much more swiftly decomposing flesh to pass through quickly without being completely decomposed. However, human and Herbivores have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length or even more. The longer intestinal tract makes the flesh rot inside of us and thus become more toxic. Some pure vegetarian animals such as sheep and cattle have even longer digestive tract and several stomachs. This combination allows them to break down cellulose, which we cannot do.
Carnivore’s have strong hydrochloric acid in stomach to digest meat. However, Herbivores and we humans have much weaker stomach acid, about 20 times weaker than that of a carnivore. Therefore, for humans, the prolonged stay of flesh in the intestinal tract and non-availability of strong hydrochloric acid to digest makes it more dangerous to eat flesh. We Humans and Herbivores have well-developed salivary glands which are necessary to predigest [to treat food with enzymes so that it is more easily digested] grains and fruits. However, carnivore do not have this, instead they have acid saliva with no enzyme ptyalin [an enzyme in saliva that catalyzes the digestion of starches and converts it to sugar] to predigest grains.
Now coming to the health reasons, between October 1917 and October 1918 during the First World War, the Danish government was forced to put its citizens on a vegetarian diet and the mortality rate dropped by 34 percent. A very similar experience seen during the Second World War, in occupied Norway. There also, the citizens were forced on to a vegetarian diet and similarly the mortality rate dropped very much. However, after the war, when heavy consumption of animal meat resumed, the mortality rate shot back up. Therefore, it is proof enough that it is healthier to be a vegetarian. The obesity and hart problems are on the increase in our own bhAratham as the meat eating increased in recent years.
Meat is the cause of many mental illnesses and disease. Alzheimer is an example. Few years back, between 6 and 8% of the population over 60 had Alzheimer's disease in the USA, and the rate has been increasing steadily. Lot of scientific literature correlates this to the consumption of flesh and other animal products.
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Studies have shown that meat contains large quantity, (much more than required) homocysteine, an amino acid. In addition, methionine, another amino acid, is also found in protein foods. However, animal protein contains two to three times more the amount of methionine contains in plant protein. Too much of these two are very dangerous for health. Consumption of flesh will put more of these two into us. A recent study performed at Harvard Medical School showed that a vegan diet had brought down the homocysteine levels by 13% to 20% in just one week.
Enzymes are very essential to digest food. They are specialized protein molecules facilitating most of our body's metabolic processes. It also supplies energy, purifies the blood and cleanse out the waste products from the body amongst other metabolic processes. This is how the body keeps healthy by lowering the cholesterol level, cleaning the colon, breaking down fats, strengthening the immune system, improving the mental strength & capacity. It also helps in detoxifying the body of unwanted wastes; eliminate carbon dioxide from our lungs and helps building muscles.
Human body produces about 22 different digestive enzymes. Majority of the source of these enzymes comes from food we eat. Enzymes are in all food items, but in abundance in raw fruits and vegetables. Cooking and processing the foods will destroy the enzymes. The rate of destruction of enzymes is directly proportional to the time it is cooked. [Remember flesh needs long time cooking.] This causes us to consume enzyme deficient or even enzymes free food and body forced to generate its own enzymes required to digest the food. This causes more stress on our body systems and organs. When our body enzymes are busy digesting the meal with no replacement enzyme or very little of it from the food we eat, the function of rebuilding and replenishing the worn-out and damaged cells reduced drastically. Also, flesh takes up to an average of 12 hours or more for digestion. Thus, consumption of meat puts our digestive system to over work with fewer enzymes. It also engages enzymes from other parts of the body and this depletes the natural enzymes. Inadequate digestive enzymes results in leftover food wastes (undigested food) in our system. This waste food becoming toxic and so do our body system.
Like creatures, the vegetables also have life and eating them does constitute killing of life? Yes, it does, but the life of vegetation and animals or birds are not the same. As humans, it is our responsibility to live with the least harm to other life forms and eating vegetation is the best way for that. Bhakthi is love of the Lord and Love of the Lord is the Love for our fellow creatures. The true and sincere surrender to the Lord is the essence of Bhakthi and that essence is also the service to the Lord, and that service is the sacrifice we have to do for the Lord. That Sacrifice is not, I repeat, NOT the sacrifice of other creatures, but the sacrifice of our own ego and the sacrifice of offering our services at the feet of the Lord for the benefit of fellow beings. That service to the Lord is the service to other creatures. Killing them and eating them is not the service. Let us Surrender to Him, Serve Him and let us become one with Him. That is our life’s goal and that is our birthright, to achieve that goal, vegetarian food is the best, not animal flesh.
"Abstain from eating the flesh of dead creatures. Living organisms are to be loved, not eaten. Vegetarians are perhaps not totally non-violent. However, they are certainly a few notches above the flesh-eaters in the ladder of non-violence. Non-vegetarianism is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, nor even of the body. Saints and spiritual masters have invariably advocated vegetarianism. Non-vegetarianism distorts the basic character of man. This universe is the manifestation of but one mind. Alienation between one mind and another mind is unnatural. The mind of man is in no way different from the mind of any other creature. Love an insect, and it can be seen that it reciprocates. Mosksham (Salvation) is the ultimate outcome of non-violence." Shree Chattampi Swamikal said this.
Sree Narayana Gurudevan wrote thus, "The vow not to kill is great indeed, and greater still is non-eating of the flesh; there would be no butcher, if there is none to eat; in eating thus abides the cruder ill, as he is the reason for the killing."
ShAnthi, ‘Peace’ is an absolute need for human life, but often it is an elusive value for the majority of us. The reason for its elusiveness is that it always sought from external source. However, ‘Peace’ should be a value found within of the self, especially for the people of bhAratEya origin. ‘Peace’ is conceptual and it is inherent for human. It is within each one of us but lost in our egoistic conduct and our quest for materialistic luxuries & sensual pleasure. However, it is waiting to be uncovered. Only the practice of dhaRMam [‘Right Conduct’] leads us to that ‘Peace’. In addition, once the ‘Peace’ in every one is established, it shall lead the whole world to ‘Peace’. ‘Love’ is a necessity for ‘Peace’. If we ‘Love’ ourselves, we should love all others, and that will give us ‘Peace’.
‘Love’ is the basic human characteristic; encompassing charity, friendship, sympathy and understanding in to an ocean of calmness and mercy. It is a tender feeling of reverence. ‘Love’ is incomplete and impossible without benevolence, dedication, forgiveness, generosity, caring, sharing, sincerity, kindness, patience, sympathy and tolerance. When we start practicing ‘Love’, it creates a low grade of joy, an inner happiness. At an exalted stage, it gives us the ultimate of joy, which we call ‘Bliss’, shivOham, shivOham, shivOham.
‘DhaRMam’ [right conduct] is a very important human value. If ‘DhaRMam’ is accepted and practiced, it can lead to the ‘Truth’. It shall lead us to ‘ahimsa’ [Non-violence]. ‘Ahimsa’ is a part of our ‘Truth’ or ‘The ‘Truth’ itself. ‘The Self’, that is the ‘The Self’ in you, ‘The Self’ in me, ‘The ‘Self’ in every one of us.
‘Ahimsa’ can be defined as "universal love". It fosters the understanding that we have an obligation towards every constituent of this universe and that we should try to expand our love to all. Comfort and happiness to all creatures is the highest value of our traditions. Love for all creatures is the highest in our philosophy. When all forms of life revered as various expressions of the ‘Supreme’, ‘ahimsa’ should be the governing law for us. It can become a reality only when we recognize the oneness in all of us. That oneness calls for the unity of all creation. That unity leads us to the respect for all beings. Therefore, eating vegetation is also wrong, some say. Is it really? No, it is not.
We come into this world in a human body. Sure, we will leave this body behind and pass on. It is the parents’ responsibility to keep this body in a healthy condition until we are able to do the same by ourselves. From that point, until bereavement, it is our responsibility to sustain it in a healthy state. One of the most important needs for that are proper nutrients. Therefore, we must eat proper food. There are many things to eat. However, what criteria be taken into consideration to decide the menu? According to our scriptures, we should use the food which is correct for us to lead a caring, compassionate, happy, loving, non violent and healthy life, just enough to grow and maintain the health. In addition, in acquiring that food we must not do any harm to anything more than just necessary.
In a way, Vegetation and other creatures’ flesh, both are meant to be consumed. However, not all are intended for human consumption. Let us see which are preordained for human consumption.
Our eating tools and digestive systems are not shaped or fashioned to eat and/or digest flesh. An assessment of our systems can prove this. Our teeth, jaws and digestive system, favor and need a diet exclusive of flesh. In addition, an examination of history will reveal, "most of mankind for most of human history has lived on vegetarian diets." On few occasions, it might have happened due to non-availability of enough vegetation due to drought or other calamities. Some in the authority, like historians and anthropologists may say that, we human are omnivorous (who eat meat and vegetation). However, a close examination shall show that we have more in common with vegetarian animals.
Human have no claws, have no sharp front teeth; but we do have flat rear molars [large back tooth in humans and some other mammals, used for chewing and grinding. Human beings have twelve molars] for grinding same as other vegetable eating animals (Herbivores). However, carnivore (an animal that eats other animals) has claws, have sharp front teeth for tearing, with no flat molar teeth for grinding. Even though human beings do possess a modified form of canine teeth, they are nothing like carnivore. The shape, length and hardness of these are no match to those of the carnivorous. Their teeth are much harder and they are able to break through the bones. Ours do not have this capability either. They are more common with what the animals that traditionally never eat flesh, such as apes, camels, and musk deer.
Carnivore’s intestinal tract is much short (only three times in length than their body length.) This helps the much more swiftly decomposing flesh to pass through quickly without being completely decomposed. However, human and Herbivores have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length or even more. The longer intestinal tract makes the flesh rot inside of us and thus become more toxic. Some pure vegetarian animals such as sheep and cattle have even longer digestive tract and several stomachs. This combination allows them to break down cellulose, which we cannot do.
Carnivore’s have strong hydrochloric acid in stomach to digest meat. However, Herbivores and we humans have much weaker stomach acid, about 20 times weaker than that of a carnivore. Therefore, for humans, the prolonged stay of flesh in the intestinal tract and non-availability of strong hydrochloric acid to digest makes it more dangerous to eat flesh. We Humans and Herbivores have well-developed salivary glands which are necessary to predigest [to treat food with enzymes so that it is more easily digested] grains and fruits. However, carnivore do not have this, instead they have acid saliva with no enzyme ptyalin [an enzyme in saliva that catalyzes the digestion of starches and converts it to sugar] to predigest grains.
Now coming to the health reasons, between October 1917 and October 1918 during the First World War, the Danish government was forced to put its citizens on a vegetarian diet and the mortality rate dropped by 34 percent. A very similar experience seen during the Second World War, in occupied Norway. There also, the citizens were forced on to a vegetarian diet and similarly the mortality rate dropped very much. However, after the war, when heavy consumption of animal meat resumed, the mortality rate shot back up. Therefore, it is proof enough that it is healthier to be a vegetarian. The obesity and hart problems are on the increase in our own bhAratham as the meat eating increased in recent years.
Meat is the cause of many mental illnesses and disease. Alzheimer is an example. Few years back, between 6 and 8% of the population over 60 had Alzheimer's disease in the USA, and the rate has been increasing steadily. Lot of scientific literature correlates this to the consumption of flesh and other animal products.
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Studies have shown that meat contains large quantity, (much more than required) homocysteine, an amino acid. In addition, methionine, another amino acid, is also found in protein foods. However, animal protein contains two to three times more the amount of methionine contains in plant protein. Too much of these two are very dangerous for health. Consumption of flesh will put more of these two into us. A recent study performed at Harvard Medical School showed that a vegan diet had brought down the homocysteine levels by 13% to 20% in just one week.
Enzymes are very essential to digest food. They are specialized protein molecules facilitating most of our body's metabolic processes. It also supplies energy, purifies the blood and cleanse out the waste products from the body amongst other metabolic processes. This is how the body keeps healthy by lowering the cholesterol level, cleaning the colon, breaking down fats, strengthening the immune system, improving the mental strength & capacity. It also helps in detoxifying the body of unwanted wastes; eliminate carbon dioxide from our lungs and helps building muscles.
Human body produces about 22 different digestive enzymes. Majority of the source of these enzymes comes from food we eat. Enzymes are in all food items, but in abundance in raw fruits and vegetables. Cooking and processing the foods will destroy the enzymes. The rate of destruction of enzymes is directly proportional to the time it is cooked. [Remember flesh needs long time cooking.] This causes us to consume enzyme deficient or even enzymes free food and body forced to generate its own enzymes required to digest the food. This causes more stress on our body systems and organs. When our body enzymes are busy digesting the meal with no replacement enzyme or very little of it from the food we eat, the function of rebuilding and replenishing the worn-out and damaged cells reduced drastically. Also, flesh takes up to an average of 12 hours or more for digestion. Thus, consumption of meat puts our digestive system to over work with fewer enzymes. It also engages enzymes from other parts of the body and this depletes the natural enzymes. Inadequate digestive enzymes results in leftover food wastes (undigested food) in our system. This waste food becoming toxic and so do our body system.
Like creatures, the vegetables also have life and eating them does constitute killing of life? Yes, it does, but the life of vegetation and animals or birds are not the same. As humans, it is our responsibility to live with the least harm to other life forms and eating vegetation is the best way for that. Bhakthi is love of the Lord and Love of the Lord is the Love for our fellow creatures. The true and sincere surrender to the Lord is the essence of Bhakthi and that essence is also the service to the Lord, and that service is the sacrifice we have to do for the Lord. That Sacrifice is not, I repeat, NOT the sacrifice of other creatures, but the sacrifice of our own ego and the sacrifice of offering our services at the feet of the Lord for the benefit of fellow beings. That service to the Lord is the service to other creatures. Killing them and eating them is not the service. Let us Surrender to Him, Serve Him and let us become one with Him. That is our life’s goal and that is our birthright, to achieve that goal, vegetarian food is the best, not animal flesh.
"Abstain from eating the flesh of dead creatures. Living organisms are to be loved, not eaten. Vegetarians are perhaps not totally non-violent. However, they are certainly a few notches above the flesh-eaters in the ladder of non-violence. Non-vegetarianism is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, nor even of the body. Saints and spiritual masters have invariably advocated vegetarianism. Non-vegetarianism distorts the basic character of man. This universe is the manifestation of but one mind. Alienation between one mind and another mind is unnatural. The mind of man is in no way different from the mind of any other creature. Love an insect, and it can be seen that it reciprocates. Mosksham (Salvation) is the ultimate outcome of non-violence." Shree Chattampi Swamikal said this.
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