Vedanta and Swami Vivekananda on "eating meat' and using animals for scientific experiments/ animal testing.

In a lecture delivered  in 1896, Swami Vivekananda gives us his views on "eating meat" and whether meat eating is just and right? Swami Vivekananda clarifies that God views an amoeba and man as being of equal  significance to HIM. 

The central theme of Vedanta is " I am That" and "That I am " - meaning that our Individual soul and Consciousness is a subset of the Universal Supreme Consciousness. Therefore all beings are all part of One Supreme Soul. 

In the below mentioned excerpt Swami Vivekananda refers  to a segment of vigilantes in society that fights the use of Vivisection,(i.e. surgery on live animals for  scientific experiments/ or animal testing ) classifying  Vivisection  as "torture" and yet, at the same time justifying  the killing of animals as food. The justification being  that animals were made by God as "food" for human beings. 

Swami Vivekananda highlights the irrationality of this point of view and why so ?It s a wonderful excerpt that teaches us to be humane and kind to all in God's kingdom and even if we do make the choice of eating meat, we should not lay the making of that choice at God's door.

Quoted Text from Swami Vivekananda's lecture:

                                      PRACTICAL VEDANTA 

"For you must always remember that the one central ideal of Vedanta is this oneness. There are no two in anything, no two lives, nor even two different kinds of life for the two worlds. 

You will find the Vedas speaking of heavens and things like that at first; but later on, when they come to the highest ideals of their philosophy, they brush away all these things. There is but one life, one world, one existence. Everything is that One, the difference is in degree and not in kind. The difference between our lives is not in kind. The Vedanta entirely denies such ideas as that animals are separate from men, and that they were made and created by God to be used for our food.

Some people have been kind enough to start an anti vivisection society. I asked a member, "Why do you think, my friend, that it is quite lawful to kill animals for food, and not to kill one or two for scientific experiments?" He replied, "Vivisection is most horrible, but animals have been given to us for food." Oneness includes all animals. If man's life is immortal, so also is the animal's. The difference is only in degree and not in kind. 

The amoeba and I are the same, the difference is only in degree; and from the standpoint of the highest life, all these differences vanish. A man may see a great deal of difference between grass and a little tree, but if you mount very high, the grass and the biggest tree will appear much the same. So, from the standpoint of the highest ideal, the lowest animal and the highest man are the same. 

If you believe there is a God, the animals and the highest creatures must be the same. A God who is partial to his children called men, and cruel to his children called brute beasts, is worse than a demon. I would rather die a hundred times than worship such a God. My whole life would be a fight with such a God .But there is no difference, and those who say there is, are irresponsible, heartless people who do not know. 

Here is a case of the word practical used in a wrong sense. I myself may not be a very strict vegetarian, but I understand the ideal. When I eat meat I know it is wrong. Even if I am bound to eat it under certain circumstances, I know it is cruel. I must not drag my ideal down to the actual and apologise for my weak conduct in this way. The ideal is not to eat flesh, not to injure any being, for all animals are my brothers. If you can think of them as your brothers, you have made a little headway towards the brotherhood of all souls, not to speak of the brotherhood of man! That is child's play. 

You generally find that this is not very acceptable to many, because it teaches them to give up the actual, and go higher up to the ideal. But if you bring out a theory which is reconciled with their present conduct, they regard it as entirely practical."

Additional Excerpt on whether Swamiji ate meat himself? : "As regards food, when he was asked whether he was a vegetarian or a meat-eater, he said (i.e. Swami Vivekananda) that as a man belonging not the ordinary order of Sannyasins but to the order of the Paramahamsas, he had no option in the matter. The Paramahamsa, by the rules of that order, was bound to eat whatever was offered, and in cases where nothing could be offered he had to go without food. And a Paramahamsa was not precluded from accepting food from any human being irrespective of his religious beliefs. When he was asked whether he would accept food from non-Hindus, he told us that he had several times the necessity of accepting food from Mohammedans."

(G.S. Bhate describing the Swami's comments in Belguam - late 1892, http://www.vivekananda.net/Biographical/FoodsSVLiked.html)

Vedanta on : Why a Hindu is a Vegetarian ?
Swami Vivekananda lived and lectured for a short time. However his Gurubhai's and other direct disciples of Shi Ramakrishna Paramhansa continued to elaborate on the Swamiji's thoughts and the subject of Vedanta long after Swamiji passed away.

One such Gurubhai is " Swami Abhedananda" who was appointed by Swami Vivekananda during his lifetime as the head of the Ramakrishna Mission and Vedanta Centre, at New York and Boston. 

Swami Abhedananda is  a prolific writer and speaker and writes in an easy to understand style underlined by scientific explanations. His very popular booklet (20 pages) on "Why a Hindu is a vegetarian" , elaborates in detail on the Swami's above mentioned views on Vedanta and eating meat .

You can read this fantastic booklet by visiting our "Life Transforming Books" section or by clicking on the Book title mentioned in the above  paragraph.

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References and credits to the above article:

http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_2/vol_2_frame.htm .
Lecture Part I (Delivered in London, 10th November 1896)
Swami Abhedananda on : Why a Hindu is a Vegetarian ? 

The concept of Vivisection:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivisection

Socrates his Life and Death - The Father of ethics, morality and spirituality.

Socrates was the ancient Greek, Athenian philosopher who lived and died teaching the importance of  ethics to the youth of Athenian society. Even  today, after centuries have passed he stands  immortalised for his contributions to  the field of ethics, morality and spirituality.  

A  quote from The Stanford University website describes Socrates best :

"In the late fifth century B.C.E., it was more or less taken for granted that any self-respecting Athenian male would prefer fame, wealth, honors, and political power to a life of labor.... . Socrates,  embraced poverty and, although youths of the city kept company with him and imitated him, Socrates adamantly insisted he was not a teacher and refused all his life to take money for what he did. .... Rather, he helped others recognize on their own what is real, true, and good (Plato, Meno, Theaetetus)—a new, and thus suspect, approach to education.
He was known for confusing, stinging and stunning his conversation partners into the unpleasant experience of realizing their own ignorance, a state sometimes superseded by genuine intellectual curiosity."

"Socrates was usually to be found in the marketplace and other public areas, conversing with a variety of different people—young and old, male and female, slave and free, rich and poor—that is, with virtually anyone he could persuade to join with him in his question-and-answer mode of probing serious matters.

Socrates' lifework consisted in the examination of people's lives, his own and others', because “the unexamined life is not worth living for a human being,” as he says at his trial (Plato, Apology 38a). 

Socrates pursued this task single-mindedly, questioning people about what matters most, e.g., courage, love, reverence, moderation, and the state of their souls generally. ... He had a reputation for irony, though what that means exactly is controversial; at a minimum, Socrates' irony consisted in his saying that he knew nothing of importance and wanted to listen to others, yet keeping the upper hand in every discussion."

 

Socrates the Father of Scientific Spirituality in the "West" (A quote from the book "Pioneers of Scientific Spirituality") :

"Socrates the great man who sowed the seeds of scientific spirituality in the West, was one day roaming in the streets of Athens. The clothes he was wearing were torn and also dirty as they had not been washed for many days. The state of his footwear was worse than his clothes. It had been sewn many times, but was still tattered. However, none of these affected him. There was soft smile on his lips and bright light in his eyes. Though he was now seventy, the spring in his step and the energy in him made him appear many years younger. 

Though the body showed signs of aging, his mind and inner being showed the same youthfulness and was a sea of joy in which people around him would take a dip always.Even now, he was surrounded by Xenophon, Crito and Plato. 

Walking with them, he came upon a market where vegetables, vessels made of metals and mud, idols, grains were being sold and bought. 

He moved on and came to a shop selling idols. He lifted an idol, looked at it for some time and then kept it back and laughed out loudly. When Plato politely asked him the reason for laughing out thus, Socrates replied - "Seeing it, I was reminded of my past. My father was master idol maker and wanted me to make idols. I told him that I would make idols, but they will be alive. I would be an artist; but the art would be that of living. I will teach the same to others." 

On seeing Socrates arrive at the market, many people surrounded him. Many of them were the youth of Athens. No one knew what the youth of Athens saw in Socrates - a man of less than ordinary face. However the youth used to feel a strong magnetic pull towards this old man. This was what the ruling powers of Athens could not digest, but Socrates was not bothered.

He asked the youth around him "Tell me which deity gives its blessings immediately on being worshipped? Tell me also the method of worshipping this deity." On hearing these two questions, there was a wave of discussions among the youth. Some said Atlas while someone else said Pterelaos. The discussion of gods and modes of worshipping them developed into an argument. 

Socrates moved away from this argument and started explaining to Plato - "Thoughts are born out of questions. The continuity of thoughts shows the intellect. If intellect is deep and permanent, then out of it springs curiosity. In the fields of true and strong curiosity is discernment born. If the intensity increases in discernment, then the light of inner wisdom breaks forth. From this field of inner wisdom sprouts the experience of solutions to curiosity. This experience is comprehension and knowledge." Even Xenophon and Crito were listening to this conversation.

Socrates continued - "In the laboratory of life, I have conducted experiments on the science of life and that of spirituality. I am sharing with others the same thing. The knowledge obtained by such experiments is not limited to theories and imaginary things, but are applicable for living a worthwhile life and has the power to transform one's lifestyle completely. I believe in the doctrine that man is the measure of his own sensations and feelings. The best way for people to live was to focus on self-refinement rather than the pursuit of material wealth." 

As Socrates was explaining this, the arguments among the youth continued. A youth came towards Socrates and said that there is no such deity as defined by Socrates. At this, another youth came forward and said - "There is one deity; the deity of life. If he is worshipped with noble qualities, then he fulfils all desires immediately". Socrates asked "Youth, what is the biggest noble quality?" The youth replied "Knowledge is the greatest noble quality."

Socrates smiled and cast a meaningful glance at Plato and said "It appears that my teachings and the importance of knowledge in life are being slowly understood by the youth of Athens. If this experiment of knowledge expands, then there won't be dogmatism, superstitions and blind belief. This is the goal of the science of spirituality which you people have to fulfill. My inner voice is telling me that this is my last class in the street of Athens." Before he could say more, soldiers of Athens surrounded them and arrested Socrates.

Socrates was tried and convicted by the court of democratic Athens on the charge of corrupting the youth and disbelieving in the ancestral gods. He was told that if he apologized for his actions and promised not to repeat them, he could be forgiven. Socrates did not do so. As a result, he was convicted and sentenced to death by poison.

Socrates laughed out loud at the allegations and the punishment and said "O judges! When death knocks on your door, then accept him with the courage with which I am accepting him. Always remember that no calamity befalls a person of truth either in his life or after his death. The Lord never is indifferent about the destiny of such a person."

He continued - "The punishment that you have meted out is actually not a punishment, but a divine plan. My inner voice that always guides me has said that my experiments on life will spread out from here. My job is done. It is now better for me to leave this body and be freed of suffering. I am neither angry on those who made the allegations nor on those who passed this judgement. Now the time has come for us to move on - I on to death and you on to living. But among my death and your living, which is the greater one?" Thinking for some time, he continued -"This death of mine is not death. This is the last in the series of experiments I conducted on life."

Saying thus, he walked towards the prison. On the day of his death, his students came to meet him in the morning. Socrates was sleeping peacefully. When the guard got the vessel of poison, he was happy and took it from the guard excitedly. He told his students "Come and sit near me. All these days I have explained about life. Now I will explain about the experience of death."

Drinking the poison he started explaining the changes happening in him both physiologically and mentally and slowly the body started losing the life force and became sluggish but the light of his inner peace spread everywhere. In the end he said "I am being established in the heavenly light. The death of the body and the poison given could not harm me." 

Then looking at Plato he said "Tell everyone about my experiments with life and tell them that one who worships the deity of life not only remains free of all sadness during his lifetime, but also achieves a much higher state in death and is happily established in the light of heaven." With this, his eyes closed shut."

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Source and credits to the above article:
To read the wonderful and informative book "Pioneers of Scientific Spirituality" by Dr Pranav Pandya, please click the link below:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/87376761/The-Pioneers-of-Scientific-Spirituality-by-Dr-Pranav-Pandya
Stanford University Website: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socrates/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriram_Sharma

Lessons from the Life of Mahatma Gandhi - True inspirational stories!

The below mentioned article is a true story from Mahatma Gandhi's Life and is the quote of a conversation between Mahatma Gandhi and Shriram Sharma Acharya at Sabarmati ashram. These short and true stories contain inspirational and important lessons from Gandhi ji's life. 

Shriram Sharma Acharya had an ardent desire to meet Gandhiji and spend time at the Sabarmati Ashram. So he met Gandhiji for the first time in February 1931. 

Acharya Shriram Sharma was also a freedom fighter and a  member and volunteer for the movement of India’s Independence from the British. However he visited Gandhiji’s ashram at Sabarmati not as a freedom fighter but rather to find out - How to become like Mahatma Gandhi? Acharya Shriram also wanted to understand the functioning and requirements of a model "ashram".

Prior to meeting Mahatma Gandhi, Acharya Shriram Sharma  had just  visited Maharishi Ramana at his ashram and took some learnings from him.
(This quoted true story is a condensed excerpt of a conversation with  minor text abbreviations from the book, Odyssey of the Enlightened, by Dr Pranav Pandya , page 341-347).

Quoted conversation:

"Shriram wanted to meet Gandhiji and also observe closely the activities of the ashram. Maharishi Ramana's ashram was much quieter as compared to Sabarmati ashram. Life at Ramana's ashram was like a slowly flowing murmuring stream and that at Sabarmati ashram it was like fast flowing hilly river. The intense activity, normally observed at the time of an emergency or any serious operation, was experienced there all the time.

With an ardent desire to meet Mahatma Gandhi, on the second day Shriram sat in front of the Seva Kutir from 1:30 a.m onwards. 

Around 5 a.m Bapu came out. ….Shriram was looking at him intently. As soon as Gandhiji moved forward, Shriram also followed him but he kept some distance between them. There was inner desire that somehow Gandhiji's attention should turn to him and that he should see him. While walking, it took about thirty - thirty five minutes when the distance between Gandhiji and Shriram became less and less. 
Gandhiji's attention turned to Shriram. He turned back and said - "Your name is not there in the list of people who are supposed to meet me this morning. Anyway, do you want to say something?"

Dialogue with Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi)

Shriram bowed to Bapu. He considered it to be a boon to have been called by Bapu. Immediately he said 'yes'. 
Bapu said - 'Preparations for the morning program might be going on. Did you participate in the prayer?" 
Shriram nodded his head. 
Bapu asked - "Which part of this program did you like?"
"Everything was fine." - said Shriram - "But the Mantras of Eeshavasyopanishad impressed me very much. I will repeat that prayer daily."

"What is the use of repeating the prayer?" - Bapu questioned. 

No answer could be given to this. Shriram started thinking.
Seeing him contemplating, Bapu said - "People should live like birds; they have neither home for shelter nor clothes to wear; they don't even possess a one time meal"

Shriram said - "But the humans don't have wings like birds. They also cannot live on trees like birds." 
Gandhiji smiled at this reply. He said smilingly - "You are joking. The essence of keeping the ideal of a bird in mind is that one should keep one's needs to the bare minimum. He, who stores more than his genuine needs, is a thief."

When Mahatma Gandhi was saying this, Shriram recalled the discussion he heard yesterday in the ashram. There had been a  theft in the ashram,yesterday. 
The thieves stole quite a good number of items including Kasturba's box of belongings. This incident was not reported to the police station. 
Gandhiji said - "I am myself responsible for this incident. The thieves believed that there was something worth stealing in the ashram. Further, I could not train people's minds to imbibe the spirit of oneness with the ashram. After all, thieves also stay here."

Gandhiji was all the more surprised to know that Kasturba had some box in which she had put all her belongings. He enquired about this  from Ba, who told him - Kasturba said there was nothing except the clothes of grandchildren. 
Gandhiji was not satisfied with this answer. He lost his control -"So what! They should themselves take care of their clothes or their parents should do that. Why should you do it?"
After this incident Kasturba stopped keeping a box of her own.
Among the companions of Gandhiji, it was Ba whose luggage used to be the least. 
The talks heard in the ashram were lashing in Shriram's mind like lightening. Walking with Gandhiji, he was feeling that the atmosphere there was that of strict discipline. Ashram's life was not like any Matha or Akhada. It was a family of hardworking volunteers living under the protection of a stern guardian. However the guardian too possessed the heart full of love and compassion. It could not be seen but could be easily felt.

After this short conversation on the ideal of a bird Gandhiji said - "Do you work for the Congress?" 

Shriram said - "No, I am not a formal member of the Congress."
"What do you do?" - He asked again. 

"I have made up my mind to devote myself to the service of the nation." - was the reply from Shriram.
Gandhiji struck the correct note - "What do you want from me? How can I help you?"

"I want to become like you" - Shriram replied.

"If you want to become like me, then watch Satyagraha Ashram carefully. Learn how the people live there. Don't consider any task to be low or any person inferior."

Some Advice from Bapu

After saying this Gandhiji paused, then said again - "There is a simple way. As far as possible, follow these two rules -First, don't keep clothes, food or money in excess of your immediate needs. I too don't keep. If you have to, then consider it to be entrusted to you by the society. Second, in the daily routine don't take anybody's help. Do your work yourself."

Talking like this they returned to the ashram. Volunteers were busy in cleaning operation. Morning hours are reserved normally for Japa -Dhyan. In this ashram too that was done; but along with the cleaning of toilets and bathrooms, the volunteers had to clean their own places of stay as well as their surroundings. 

Entering the ashram, Bapu asked Shriram — "What spots have you selected for cleaning?"

Shriram said - "Wherever I am asked to do." Bapu said - "OK! Other than that, clean the Goshala (cattle-shelter) also. You have come from a village. So you must be having a good experience in it."

The First Lesson of Spirituality from Bapu

Shriram  recollected that after meeting Gandhiji he wanted to get engrossed in the service of the ashram. 

Shriram  was given the task of cleaning the ashram. An accompanying volunteer was not comfortable with the task of cleaning and he wanted to run away as soon he got the chance. 
That volunteer shared his agony with Shriram and said - "I came here to become a Mahatma. I thought Bapu would give me some worthwhile responsibility. Instead His men have given me the task of cleaning the toilets."
A senior volunteer of the ashram heard this talk. He explained -"In the ashram routine, this is the first task assigned . Bapu himself does this cleaning work. If we cannot clean the dirt around us, how will we be able to clean the filth spread in the society." The other volunteer was not convinced with the answer; he let ashram after 2-3 days.

Shriram remembered one more incidence. After getting up in the morning, he was brushing his teeth. In this chore, about half-a-bucket of water was spent. One senior volunteer was passing by; he objected to it - "For brushing teeth, one jug of water is enough. If Bapu knows about it, he will be pained. He says there may be enough water on earth, but it must not be wasted." 
In the evening prayer, Bapu also talked about the same thing.

While traveling in the train during his return journey, Shriram remembered several such instances. While contemplating on the formula of Gandhiji for becoming a Mahatma, he remembered Maharishi Ramana. He appeared to be a liberated soul. His spiritual attainment was much higher than that of Gandhiji, but the way to attain that height goes via Sabarmati Ashram - he felt. 
Thoughts again started lying in the same direction - 'Can there be any rapport between the fast pace of Sabarmati Ashram and the cool peace of Maharishi Ramana Ashram'? Several alternatives came to the mind before the train reached Agra. Another wave struck like this -'There may be other institutions in the country like Sabarmati Ashram, Shanti Niketan and Maharishi Ramana Ashram; a plan should be made to visit them also."

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Source and credits:
Please visit our "Life Transforming Books" section to read many wonderful inspirational books . 

To read the book "Odyssey of the Enlightened"  please click the link below:http://www.scribd.com/doc/91609267/Odyssey-of-the-Enlightened-By-Dr-Pranav-Pandya-Pandit-Shriram-Sharma-Acharya

To know more about the Divine Sage Acharya Shriram Sharma please click the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriram_Sharma

To know more about Mahatma Gandhi and the Sabarmati Ashram, please click the link below:

http://www.gandhiashram.org.in/