Beef and Hinduism

[xkatz]

Can one still practice Hinduism and be a consumer of beef, and to what level one should or should not eat it? For example, can one eat beef freely, but not cook it, or can they eat gelatin, but not beef, etc?

 

[Andal]

Beef products should be avoided, even if you're not a vegetarian. Within Hinduism we have a great respect for the cow. She gives us milk to create a number of different foods and drinks. Her dung is a cheap and efficient fuel and building material. After she dies her skin is used to make different kinds of drums. Her male counter part tills the farm land.

Cows constantly give with out asking for anything in return. Why should we eat them? That seems like a huge dishonor for everything the cow does for us. Because of her gentle nature and generosity the cow is dear to the Lord.

If one wants to practice Sanatana Dharma, they should avoid eating beef, steak, or any other foods that come from the killing of cows.
Aum Hari Aum!

 

[Don Penguinoini]

What was said above is true ^^^

However, if that is something you cannot possibly sacrifice, do not let it stop you from being a good Hindu in other ways. Hinduism is not defined by one or two practices.

And sometimes, it's impossible to eat without finding this sick gelatin stuff in our foods. I don't eggs or almost ANY egg products. However, I do eat pasta with egg in it. That is it.

 

[Andal]

What was said above is true ^^^

However, if that is something you cannot possibly sacrifice, do not let it stop you from being a good Hindu in other ways. Hinduism is not defined by one or two practices.

And sometimes, it's impossible to eat without finding this sick gelatin stuff in our foods. I don't eggs or almost ANY egg products. However, I do eat pasta with egg in it. That is it.

This is true as well. I should have been more specific. If you are in a situation where you can not avoid beef, like if your living situation does not permit such a change in diet then you can still practice Hinduism.

If however you can't give up beef because you love the taste so much then I'd invite you to consider what is more important- the life of the cow or your craving.

Take it one step at a time no matter what. Begin learning about Dharma and then move in the direction you feel is right.

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[Satsangi]

In today's world, I do not see any circumstances where one is COMPELLED to eat any meat or eggs except by one's choice.

Regards,

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

What was said above is true ^^^

However, if that is something you cannot possibly sacrifice, do not let it stop you from being a good Hindu in other ways. Hinduism is not defined by one or two practices.

And sometimes, it's impossible to eat without finding this sick gelatin stuff in our foods. I don't eggs or almost ANY egg products. However, I do eat pasta with egg in it. That is it.

What about bread you get in the store. There are many things that have hidden eggs in them. After I got married and had a kid I now also eat hidden eggs. It is just in so many things. If you buy a sandwich at a shop you are eating eggs. All baked goods like cookies, breads, cakes, many types of fake meats have eggs in them. You must buy your baked goods and pastas at a health food store to get away from eggs.

 

[bhaktajan]

Can one still practice Hinduism and be a consumer of beef, and to what level one should or should not eat it? For example, can one eat beef freely, but not cook it, or can they eat gelatin, but not beef, etc?

That is exactly like asking:
Can I be a practicing Christian and and ignore any or all of the 10 Commandments?

And to what level one should or should not break the 10 Commandments?
For example, can one covert one neighbor's wife freely, but not get caught at it, or can they have a one-time fling, but not meantion it to anybody?, etc

There is Karma, and there is control/restraint ---all part and parcel of Yoga sublimation. Eat, drink & be merry during "Peace Time [between formally declared times of War]" is the very inevitable outcome that Hindu Yoga based disciplines are meant to avoid so as to bring peace and prosperity for society.

We are in an epoch where the things get more and more mundanely grossen.

FYI, pre-WWI modern society had already experienced all the luxuaries of modernity . . . ergo, it would seem to me IMO, that since the beginnings of "The Industrial Revolution" the cheapest commodities on the world market are people/man-power/common working consumer.

The rule of thumb is:
To be a master of ones own domain ---[aka, Swami self-mastery over bodily lusts and cravings too] is to first self-control the urges of the tongue [literally], so as to further self-control all the other sense-gratifitory yearnings . . . all so as to obtain "atma-rama" (happiness/Contentment of the Soul) ---in contrast with un-restrained senses and urges.

Charles Dickens, wrote in his book, "Oliver Twist", where the School Master of the Waif's Home, said when he arrived to re-claim Oliver from the home of the new and displeased foster parents:
"I told you not to feed the boy meat, I told you to feed him porriage.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If however you can't give up beef because you love the taste so much then I'd invite you to consider:

a] recognise that "Chewy Texture(s)" typically encountered while masticating (chewing) meats types (meat, fish, eggs, fowl) are lost when changing one's diet to vegetarianism . . . therefore the vegetarian chef MUST immitate accustomed texture(s) of meats, so as to replicate the Chew-ability-ness, so as to maintain the common variety of foodstuffs that meat eaters are accustomed to. IE: Use of Tofu, bean-burgers, wheat gluten, tempei etc.

+

b] Use Clarified-Butter (defatted butter; aka, Ghee) to sautee veggies or deep fry
so as to provide that Blood-derived-fat content that "Sticks to your ribs" satiation.

 

[Valjean]

I wasn't aware Hinduism had an official rule book.

 

[zenzero]

Friends,

As friend Seyorni pointed out, there are no rule books here.
Personal understanding:
Its a way of life.
Guides are available for every aspect of life; use them if you wish, don't if you do not.
Want to meditate? yes there are *n* number of ways each with guide books and practitioners at various levels to guide. [some ways may find rare practitioners, today]
Yes, meditation is the best way to merge with the source and evolve.
Evolution is eternal for which choice is available; do so consciously or remain unconscious and allow to be evolved by existence itself.
What better freedom than such an open system.

Love & rgds
rgds beef: eat what you like but be conscious about it. consciousness itself points to what is better or worse for evolving.

 

[Satsangi]

Friends,

As friend Seyorni pointed out, there are no rule books here.
Personal understanding:
Its a way of life.
Guides are available for every aspect of life; use them if you wish, don't if you do not.
Want to meditate? yes there are *n* number of ways each with guide books and practitioners at various levels to guide. [some ways may find rare practitioners, today]
Yes, meditation is the best way to merge with the source and evolve.
Evolution is eternal for which choice is available; do so consciously or remain unconscious and allow to be evolved by existence itself.
What better freedom than such an open system.

Love & rgds
rgds beef: eat what you like but be conscious about it. consciousness itself points to what is better or worse for evolving.

Friend Zenzero,

What you have posted regarding beef is your opinion. Is there any MAJOR SECT of Sanatana Dharma who is not opposed to eating beef?

There are plenty of rule books to follow if you consider that Sanatana Dharma includes the Dharma Shashtras.

Regards,

 

[bhaktajan]

I was not aware that Hinduism had become so narrow! Last I checked, there were a large number of sects under the umbrella of Hinduism that were quite a spectrum of beliefs!

There is a common denominator that emcompasses them all.

It is incorrect to see the superficial application of regional/provincial Hindus traditions and think they contradict each other.

All Business School MBAs are not capitalists.

All Doctors are not content to "Help the improverished".

All christains are not catholics, protestants, baptists, etc etc.

If ahimsa is the reason for not eating beef, then one should not eat any other forms of meat either. It then follows that it comes down to being a meat eater or not. SIngling out beef as some kind of special variety is simply inconsistent and more commonly pushed by Iskcon - leading one to be confused on their stance on other kinds of meat.

Ahimsa is the reason for never eating and meat!
It does apply to all meats (meat fish eggs chickens) this is the HIGH STANDARD.

IS THERE SOME OTHER REASON FOR NOT EATING MEAT THAT YOU DON'T MENTION?

Singling out Beef is a ISKCON thing????????????????????????
I am from ISKCON . . . why would you express this convoluting statement?
Have you been to the Country of India? ---I thought you said you were from India?!!!
The Cow is sacred because [she and her husband] are the best ingredients in agrian economics. The Cow is Mother Nature Incarnate. She roams freely in India.
She provides milk, cream, cheese, butter, yogurt to all ---just like "mother" ---protection of her is The Gold Standard of Human Civility! This is an absolute Law.

 

[Jacksnyte]

There is a common denominator that emcompasses them all.

It is incorrect to see the superficial application of regional/provincial Hindus traditions and think they contradict each other.

All Business School MBAs are not capitalists.

All Doctors are not content to "Help the improverished".

All christains are not catholics, protestants, baptists, etc etc.



Ahimsa is the reason for never eating and meat!
It does apply to all meats (meat fish eggs chickens) this is the HIGH STANDARD.

IS THERE SOME OTHER REASON FOR NOT EATING MEAT THAT YOU DON'T MENTION?

Singling out Beef is a ISKCON thing????????????????????????
I am from ISKCON . . . why would you express this convoluting statement?
Have you been to the Country of India? ---I thought you said you were from India?!!!
The Cow is sacred because [she and her husband] are the best ingredients in agrian economics. The Cow is Mother Nature Incarnate. She roams freely in India.
She provides milk, cream, cheese, butter, yogurt to all ---just like "mother" ---protection of her is The Gold Standard of Human Civility! This is an absolute Law.

Well, to name one sect, how about the Aghoris? They definitely eat meat!

 

[bhaktajan]

My ancestors are from two catholic countries famous for
"La Cosa Nostra" & the "Cali Cartels" ---They definitely are loyal Christians even when they get arrested and imprisoned.

The lesson is to descriminate between one subtlety from other subleties.

According to the Vedas, the definition of "Intelligence" is,
"The ability to descriminate between one subtlety from other subleties."

IE:
Wine Tasters are experts in descriminating one subtlety from other subleties.
Singing Contest winners are selected from the attendees by experts in descriminating one subtlety from other subleties.
To identify a block of Cheese as different from a block of Butter requires descriminating one subtlety from the other.

According to the Vedas, meat eaters cannot realise sublime compassion, et al.
According to the Vedas, meat eaters cannot delve into higher consciouness,
but indeed, the meat eaters can indentify the future paths ahead as the mundane rewards for their passion-bound works.

 

[kaisersose]

According to the Vedas, meat eaters cannot realise sublime compassion, et al.

Incorrect.

According to the Vedas, meat eaters cannot delve into higher consciouness,

Incorrect.
As you stated in one your earlier posts, please provide Pramana-s. Obviously, since you say Vedas, it is expected that you provide *specific* evidence from one of the four Vedas and not a Purana. I understand this is unlikely to happen as iskcon followers do not read a single line of the Veda, but you opened the door.

I am interested to see where they discuss the "meat-eater", as you claim.

 

[Breathe]

Well, to name one sect, how about the Aghoris? They definitely eat meat!

Couldn't one include some of the Vamachara Tantra groups that pertain to the worship of Hindu deities, then?

I've heard people say that pork is also forbidden for Hindus, for example. Is there much of a social and/or cultural factor that plays into it, I wonder? I've heard--but this may be hearsay and defamation, that some Hindus in Kerala regularly consume beef. Whether this is correct or not I do not know.

Seeing the cow as 'mother' is something I'm still struggling with. Probably because I was raised a non-Hindu and outside of India. To all converts here, when did you begin to see it as something other than a potential food you're not allowed to consume?

 

[kaisersose]

Well, to name one sect, how about the Aghoris? They definitely eat meat!

The difference is meat eating vs beef eating.

Over 50% of Hindus eat meat. Most Hindus however do not eat Beef and even consider it taboo.

 

[Jacksnyte]

My ancestors are from two catholic countries famous for
"La Cosa Nostra" & the "Cali Cartels" ---They definitely are loyal Christians even when they get arrested and imprisoned.

The lesson is to descriminate between one subtlety from other subleties.

According to the Vedas, the definition of "Intelligence" is,
"The ability to descriminate between one subtlety from other subleties."

IE:
Wine Tasters are experts in descriminating one subtlety from other subleties.
Singing Contest winners are selected from the attendees by experts in descriminating one subtlety from other subleties.
To identify a block of Cheese as different from a block of Butter requires descriminating one subtlety from the other.

According to the Vedas, meat eaters cannot realise sublime compassion, et al.
According to the Vedas, meat eaters cannot delve into higher consciouness,
but indeed, the meat eaters can indentify the future paths ahead as the mundane rewards for their passion-bound works.

I know of several sects that are complete lineages with gurus and everything, and they eat meat. I would venture to say that it isn't necessarily what a person eats, it is one's attachment to it, as with anything else, that is the stumbling block.
as I mentioned earlier, a good example would be the Aghoris. They not only eat meat(beef included), they have been known to eat human flesh from the local smashan!

 

[bhaktajan]

I know of several sects that are complete lineages with gurus and everything, and they eat meat.

I wouldn't associate with them . . . even if they could teach me to play blue Guitar better than Jimmy Page.

Meat eating Guru?

Next there will be Grandparents-Rugby . . . it would be very popular!

Lots of mind control is accomplished by transfer of bodily fluids.

Drinking the leader's Cool-Aide is much older then Jim Jones Massacre.

Show me a meat eating Guru and I'll show you a foot-Hill dwelling pentacostalist . . . by any other name is still the same.

as I mentioned earlier, a good example would be

Well then deliverence must be within sight of them . . . along with Dueling Banjos too?

 

[bhaktajan]

Over 50% of Hindus eat meat.

Show me a Hindu who eats meat . . . and I'll show you billions of the earth's denisens who cheat on their official taxes.

That's one (of two) absolute obligations of life, they can check off the list, at least for this present life time.

 

[Jacksnyte]

I wouldn't associate with them . . . even if they could teach me to play blue Guitar better than Jimmy Page.

Meat eating Guru?

Next there will be Grandparents-Rugby . . . it would be very popular!

Lots of mind control is accomplished by transfer of bodily fluids.

Drinking the leader's Cool-Aide is much older then Jim Jones Massacre.

Show me a meat eating Guru and I'll show you a foot-Hill dwelling pentacostalist . . . by any other name is still the same.




Well then deliverence must be within sight of them . . . along with Dueling Banjos too?

Well, that's rather insulting and disrespectful, now isn't it? Why not look into it instead of just dismissing it and insulting it?