Killing, is it necessary

I came across this accidentally. Thought I'd share.
Is killing necessary ?

Hurt no one

Live your life without hurting anybody. Harmlessness is a most powerful form of Yoga and it will take you speedily to your goal.

-- I am that (p.173)

Source link. Please also see this touching video created by a devotee of Bhagavan.

Do not harm any living thing

69. Listen to me, Lady! Know that only the wise man
who never does anything which leads to the destruction of
any form of life, such as insects, worms, birds or plants, is a
person who is seeking true knowledge.

70. He (the true aspirant) should not pull out tender roots
(of fragrant plants, which is often done for worship); he
should not even pluck the leaves; he should not harm any
living thing out of anger; he should not heartlessly pluck
even flowers.

From Devikalottara - Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi

Having love for all creatures

Bhagavan Ramana's sense of equality was legendary. When visitors came to see him - it made no difference whether they were VIPs, peasants or animals - they would all be treated with equal respect and consideration. His egalitarian concern even extended to the local trees; he discouraged his followers from picking flowers or leaves off them and he tried to ensure that whenever fruit was taken from the ashram trees it was
always done in such a way that the tree only suffered a minimum amount of pain.

Taken from "Be As You Are", Introduction, edited by David Godman.

Egg production caused unbelievable cruelties

This link is not for the faint of heart. But if you eat eggs, i would be grateful if you would give it a read.

Egg production—including free-range and organic—involves multiple cruelties, such as the killing of 250 million newborn chicks each year in the United States.

Abundant undercover video footage shows bored or frustrated poultry slaughterhouse workers pulling the heads and wings off live birds, slamming them against a wall, and crushing them to death with their boots.

When you go vegan, it's a great feeling knowing you're eating as moral a diet as possible; that you're no longer making excuses or going into denial about unnecessarily contributing to the suffering and killing of animals; that you're no longer paying others to breed animals, manipulate their bodies, and kill them as soon as economically profitable.

Some people mistakenly think that there is no death involved in the egg business, but they are sadly mistaken. To begin with, for every laying hen there is a dead male chick. At some hatcheries, if the males are not thrown away to suffocate to death in trash containers, they are ground up alive, mixed with grain and fed to the females.

Please read this link: noeggs.org.

Update: This link has even more. Had no idea of the amount of killing that happens in egg-production! Please see this.

Much love to all of you.

Hurting the Lord within us or within others

The following verses from the Bhagavad Gita confirm that hurting other living beings amounts to hurting none other than the Lord.

They who practice severe austerities without following the prescription of the scriptures, who are full of hypocrisy and egotism, who are impelled by the force of desire and attachment, who senselessly torture the elements in their body and also Me who dwells within the body, know these ignorant persons to be of demonic nature.
-- Bhagavad Gita (17.05-06)

See also: non-violence and Their suffering is mine.

Prophet Muhammad - compassion, love, non-violence

Today, we present some inspiring snippets from the life of Prophet Muhammad.

The Islamic Prophet led a life of simplicity and poverty. His house, built of mud walls and thatched with date-palm leaves, often remained dark for want of oil for the lamp. At times he did not even have the flour with which to prepare bread.

When he grew up he earned a great reputation for his honesty and integrity. He always fulfilled his promises. Because he was extremely trustworthy, he became known as Al-Amin.

While Mohammed was serving a sick slave, the latter asked, "Has my master sent you to look after me ?"
"Yes," said Mohammed, "the master of masters has sent me to serve you."

One day, a dying dog approached a follower of Mohammed. The man had no means with which to procure water for the dog, for wells in the desert dry up quickly. He noticed a small pool of muddy water in the vicinity. He tore his shirt, soaked it in the water, placed the dog in his lap and moistened its mouth with the wet cloth. Another Arab who saw this went to the Prophet and said, "One of your followers has touched a filthy animal, a dog, and should therefore not be allowed back here again."

Mohammed questioned, "What was he doing to the dog ?"

"I do not know, but I saw him moistening its mouth with a torn piece of cloth dipped in muddy water," replied the man.

"He is a better Muslim than you are, because he is kind to animals," said the Prophet.

When Mohammed was in Mecca once, a poor shepherd from the hills came to worship in the mosque. He worshipped in his own simple way, performing the necessary ablution, kissing the stone and bowing before the sacred spot. Tears flowed from his eyes as he prayed:

 "O adorable Lord of love, show me Thy face. Let me be thy servant. Let me mend Thy shoes, apply oil to Thy hair, wash Thy soiled clothes and bring Thee daily the milk of my goat. Let me kiss Thy hand and shampoo Thy sacred Feet. Let me sweep Thy room."

Such simple words of the honest and straightforward shepherd offended the priests who stood near him. They said to him, "What blasphemy is this ? There is no need of such gifts for the omnipotent Lord."

They were ready to drive him out of the temple, when the Prophet called them to him and asked, "When you are in distant lands, in which direction do you turn your faces ?"

"We turn our faces to Mecca," they answered in reply.

He further asked, "When you are within this sacred walls, in which direction do you turn your faces ?"

"All is holy here," they replied. "It does not matter which way we turn."

The Prophet then said, "Your answer is beautiful indeed. Within the mosque it does not matter how you pray, as long as you have love and reverence. This poor shepherd's simple prayer entered directly into the ears of Allah more clearly than yours, as it was uttered from his heart with intense love, faith, sincerity and reverence. Make room for God's poor lover near me. Let no one be ashamed to have his company. He is humble, pure and an exalted soul."

Mohammed had great compassion and love. He served the widows and orphans, the poor, sick, aged and homeless. Once, he met an old, impoverished widow. Mohammed said to his wife, "My beloved, give food to this old woman first and then you may eat."

When the Prophet saw a blind woman stumbling in the street in Mecca, he led her gently home and thereafter took meals to her daily.

One day, he saw a woman with a heavy load on her head. At once he relieved her of her burden and carried it on his own head to her house.

Mohammed was humble and simple. Although he was a Prophet with a large following he worked along with others like an ordinary labourer during the construction of the first mosque at Medina. He mended his own shoes, milked the cows, swept the house, purchased provisions, tethered and fed the camels. He never laughed loudly but simply smiled. He had an attractive face and a charming smile. He respected the poor and restored freedom to many slaves.

The holy Koran, divided into more than one hundred chapters, opens and ends with the subject of the unity of God. The religion of Islam is essentially a religion of peace, for Mohammed was a lover of peace and non-violence. (Complete article)

Why do you persecute me?

Animal being slaughtered for your meal

Look into Her eyes.

Feeling the suffering of others, the Lord said, "Why persecutest thou Me ?"

I am the Self dwelling in the Heart of every being; I am the beginning and the middle and also the end of all beings. (BG 4:22)

"It is not they who are receiving the beatings, it is I. The suffering is mine." - Bhagavan Ramana (source)

See also: Animal Cruelty, Alternatives to wool, Do Animals have rights?

Kindness to Animals

A rabbit snuggles with Bhagavan

"When you protect others from suffering you Awaken to your True Self. You no longer put yourself first. You no longer feel angry. You begin to feel joyful...the animal kingdom was not created to serve you. For you to eat. In the animal kingdom you find purity. This is why Christ was symbolized by a lamb. Krishna was often with a deer. Ramana had his beloved cow. Go beyond yourself. Compassion is not centered on what seems to feel good for you. Yet you will find that it is joyful "

-- Robert Adams

Lives of Saints: St Francis

Touching is this story of a beautiful soul, a lover of God and His children, and a servant of the poor. Read this inspiring piece on St. Francis of Assisi.

Here is another piece from Robert Adam's site:

Father Francis and his companions were making a trip through the Spoleto Valley near the town of Bevagna. Suddenly, Francis spotted a great number of birds of all varieties. There were doves, crows and all sorts of birds. Swept up in the moment, Francis left his friends in the road and ran after the birds, who patiently waited for him. He greeted them in his usual way, expecting them to scurry off into the air as he spoke. But they moved not.

Filled with awe, he asked them if they would stay awhile and listen to the Word of God. He said to them:

“My brother and sister birds, you should praise your Creator and always love him: He gave you feathers for clothes, wings to fly and all other things that you need.

It is God who made you noble among all creatures, making your home in thin, pure air. Without sowing or reaping, you receive God’s guidance and protection.”

At this the birds began to spread their wings, stretch their necks and gaze at Francis, rejoicing and praising God in a wonderful way according to their nature. Francis then walked right through the middle of them, turned around and came back, touching their heads and bodies with his tunic.

Then he gave them his blessing, making the sign of the cross over them. At that they flew off and Francis, rejoicing and giving thanks to God, went on his way.

Please see St. Francis of Assisi

Vegetarian Quotes

Some info about vegetarianism, and a whole bunch of quotes that brought tears to my eyes. A few:

Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. -- Albert Einstein.

All creation has the same right to life.

Whenever we cause suffering or death to any other being, we cause suffering to the Great Life Force. -- Shik Po Chih.

Thou shall not kill.

Animals are my friends--and I don't eat my friends. -- George Bernard Shaw.

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. -- Mohandas Gandhi.

Whatever you do unto the least of my brothers, you do it unto me.

We stopped eating meat many years ago. During the course of a Sunday lunch we happened to look out of the kitchen window at our young lambs playing happily in the fields.
Glancing down at our plates, we suddenly realized we were eating the leg of an animal who had until recently been playing in a field herself. We looked at each other and said: "Wait a minute, we love these sheep - they're such gentle creatures. So why are we eating them?" It was the last time we ever did. -- Paul and Linda McCartney

I went snorkeling and noticed how gently the fish welcomed us into their world ... as compared to the violence with which we welcomed them into ours. I became a vegetarian.

"I would not eat if no one kills the animal", said the meat eater. "I would not kill if no one eats the animal", said the butcher.


Of what use are all your sacrifices to Me? I have had enough of the roasted carcasses of rams and of the fat of fattened beasts. I take no pleasure in the blood of calves, lambs and goats. ... When you spread out your hands, I close My eyes to you; despite however much you pray, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood! Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before My eyes and stop doing evil. -- Isaiah 1:11, 15-16.

Once I was fishing and caught the hook in the fish's eye. That was the last time I ate a killed creature.

Your body is not a grave yard.. you were not created to eat meat. This causes immense suffering. -- Robert Adams, Ramana devotee

You cannot become Awakened while you are causing suffering to others. -- Robert Adams

Source.

Please see this incident from Bhagavan's life, Their suffering is Mine.

Bhagavan on Vegetarianism

"the eating of meat extinguishes the seed of Great Kindness" -- Buddhist quote

In general, although attaching little importance to physical aids to meditation, the Maharshi was insistent on the advantages of limiting oneself to sattvic, that is vegetarian and non-stimulating food.

Regulation of diet, restricting it to sattvic food, taken in moderate quantities, is the best of all rules of conduct and the most conducive to the development of sattvic (pure) qualities of mind. These in turn help one in the practice of Self-enquiry. (The Teachings of Bhagavan in His Own Words)

From Talk 24, Sri Bhagavan on the consumption of eggs:

Mrs. Piggott: Why do you take milk, but not eggs?

Maharshi: The domesticated cows yield more milk than necessary for their calves and they find it a pleasure to be relieved of the milk.

Mrs. Piggott: But the hen cannot contain the eggs?

Maharshi: But there are potential lives in them.

From At the Feet of Bhagavan comes this moving story on how Sri Bhagavan strives to save a cracked egg:

IT was the early hours of the morning in the Hall of Sri Bhagavan. He had had His bath, and now went to the farther end of the Hall to take His towel that hung from
a horizontally suspended bamboo, at one end of which a sparrow had built her nest and laid therein three or four eggs.

In the process of taking His towel Sri Bhagavan's hand came against the nest, which shook violently, so that one of the eggs dropped down. In this way the egg was cracked; Sri Bhagavan was taken aback, aghast. He cried out to Madhavan, the personal attendant. "Look, look what I have done today!" So saying, He took the cracked egg in His hand looked at it with His tender eyes, and exclaimed: "Oh, the poor mother will be so sorrow-stricken, perhaps angry with me also, at my causing the destruction of her expected little one! Can the cracked eggshell be pieced together again? Let us try!"

See Full Story

Other quotes on Vegetarianism:
According to the Roman poet Ovid (43BC), Pythagoras (580 BC) said: "As long as Man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love."

Both poet Percy Bysshe (1792-1822) and Mary Shelley were strong advocates of vegetarianism. Shelley wrote several essays on the subject, the most prominent of which being "A Vindication of Natural Diet" and "On the Vegetable System of Diet".

Shelley wrote: "If the use of animal food be, in consequence, subversive to the peace of human society, how unwarrantable is the injustice and the barbarity which is exercised toward these miserable victims. They are called into existence by human artifice that they may drag out a short and miserable existence of slavery and disease, that their bodies may be mutilated, their social feelings outraged. It were much better that a sentient being should never have existed, than that it should have existed only to endure unmitigated misery."

Shelley was a strong advocate for social justice for the lower classes. He witnessed many of the same mistreatments occurring in the domestication and slaughtering of animals, and he became a fighter for the rights of all living creatures that he saw being treated unjustly.