Whether you should Eat Meat or not?

Dassan Dass, 2002

Half of the Brahamand (world) is eating the other half every day, every moment, meat is just food like any other food, Jesus Christ served the fish to His followers, does that diminish His Braham Gyan (divine knowledge)? Killing is not a Sat Karam (truthful deed), but denying the food is definitely an untruthful deed.

“Maas Maas kar Murakh Jhagrey (only fools argue about eating meat – Baba Nanak.

The only thing is that meat is a Tamo Bhojan (food of lower consciousness), it brings in us more Tamo Guns (lower consciousness attributes), like animal instinct, lustful behavior inside us, so that is why some Sants and Bhagats don’t eat meat, there is no other disadvantage in eating meat, there should be no desire for meat, but if it comes on dining table then saying no is like denying the Hukam (God’s will for us at that moment as per our destiny). We can just say it is the illusion – dubidha, that all religious vegetarians are living in. Any kind of dubidha is a roadblock on the path to the Sachkhand.   (Note:  Whoever kills the animal will have to pay for that action unless there was no other food available.  That karam is between the animal and the butcher.  Not between the animal and the eater.  Killing is a bad action, eating meat is not.   Denying meat and calling it unholy and seeing meat-eaters as less worthy than you is an incorrect vision.  You should have One Vision i.e. see God in meat,  see God in the meat-eaters too and just see meat the same as any other food God gives you.  Baba Ji said as well that we have the right to kill for food, in the same way that our body is being eaten by bacteria, viruses, head lice, parasites, and when we die, the worms and maggots that digest us.)

QN: Does meat-eating have any effect on spirituality? Does one have to be a vegetarian to realize God?

Dassan Dass, 2010

There is no restriction as far as diet is concerned. One should not be desiring for eating meat however if it comes to the dining table it is just a type of food and should be respected as food. Killing is bad but if you did not kill the animal, you are not affected. Moderation is the key, a well-balanced diet is important for good health. However, eating meat can bring some animal instincts within us such as lustful behavior and that is why some bhagats (lovers of God) avoided meat. So it is your personal choice whether you want to eat meat or not, the main purpose of this human life is to realize God and the only way to do so is by complete surrender with body, mind, and wealth to God and Guru.

Meat is a Tamsik Bhojan – it promotes Tamo Birti – which is Kaam, Krodh, Lobh, Loh, and Ahankaar, other than that there is no other disadvantage of eating meat. Milk, butter, and ghee are also Tamsik Bhojan, so what you should eat and what not is a very controversial subject. Tamo Birti can altogether be killed with Naam. Half of the Brahamand (world) is eating another half of the Brahamand. So much so plants also have life and tearing them apart is also equally hurting anything with life. Moreover, there are millions of bacteria and living organisms that you kill every day through your body, so how will you explain that which is all built into your system and can’t be avoided at all. So as we said it is a very highly controversial subject, the ones who eat meat can do bandagi as well as the ones who don’t. If you eat that is OK and if you don’t eat that is OK as well, the best thing is not to indulge yourself in this controversy and do what you like in this respect. The main thing is that killing animals is not good, hurting animals is not good, but once it is dead then eating it will not make you a sinner in any way. So do what you think is good for you, but don’t make it an issue and debate on it.

Radha Soami’s Who won’t Use Utensils Used To Cook Meat

Dassan Dass,  2008

There are millions of people who follow the Radha Soami Satsang all over the world, but these poor people don’t know that just by going to Satsangat they don’t earn much, and they can only earn their spirituality by doing what their Satguru is telling them to do. One thing more we would like to comment on here is about their eating behavior – they won’t let anybody use utensils used for cooking meat, their belief is that by cooking meat in a utensil the utensil is impurified and will affect their spiritual life, but these poor people don’t know their real “pot” – their Hirda is so dirty with so many holes in it and is lying inverted so how can any Amrit stay in this pot. This is the kind of dangerous illusions all these people are living in and pretending over and over again that they are Guru Wale and they have Naam, but they are totally empty from inside. So focusing on your Karni and making it Sat Ki Karni is the key to spiritual success. Therefore, when the people blessed with the Gurparsaad don’t follow their Satguru’s words they loose the Naam and the Gurparsaad. PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF THIS DIVINE TRUTH. If this was not true then all the people who met ten Satguru Sahibans would have achieved Jivan Mukti, if this was not true then anybody who meets a Braham Gyani would become Jivan Mukt.

WHAT OTHER DEVOTEES HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT MEAT

Killing – An Untruthful Deed

By Preeto 2003

We have personally gone from being meat-eater as a kid.  To vegetarian when requested by the Sikh Panth at the initiation ceremony.  To going back to eating meat when we read in history that Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Khalsa went hunting and ate meat.  But feeling guilty about being indirectly responsible for an animal’s slaughter we went back to being vegetarian for another 15 years, but still confused about it. Then eating meat again last year but getting caught up in the desire and taste for it, and watching hunting done by relatives in Indian Mountains.   Now finally Baba Ji and Sant Sangat have explained to us the Truth and this article has tried to explain what we have learned.  That is why Bhai Gurdas Ji says “Without a Satguru NO mystery of God can be understood”.

Dukhna dehee kisay jee patth sio ghar jaavao  (322)

Do not cause any being to suffer, and you shall go to your true home with honor.

Intentionally killing any living being is wrong.  That action is the exact opposite of  Truth (SAT KARAM) – it is an  ASAT KARAM.     Guru Nanak says that Religion is the son of Compassion  (Dharam Daya Ka Pooth).   When you are kind to all living beings you fill with compassion and that brings you closer to the Father of all religions – God.  When you intentionally kill you fill with unkindness and go further from God.  When you kill in the name of religion that is the total opposite of what religion was made for – where has your compassion gone?  Where there is goodness there is God, where there is evil that is you.

Be kind to people, animals and even plants.  Be kind to the whole of Creation.  That will develop compassion within you and in your naam simran you will experience loving devotion.

However, everyday we are involved in killing so many insects, bugs and bacteria without even realising.  There is no need to feel guilty about that as it has not made you less compassionate.  Accept that life and death is also part of God’s Hukam and those insects, bugs and bacteria completed their life cycle as ordained by God.

Extreme compassion gets trampled on by this world.  Guru Arjun Dev Ji and Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji were extremely compassionate and even accepted torture and martydom in order to avert war and killing.  But when all peaceful means had been exhausted the following Gurus – Guru HarGobind Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji, received the Hukam that the only way to be compassionate now was to destroy the evil ones with the sword.  When their armies killed it was for justice and not for aquisitions or personal revenge.  They were following the Hukam, so killing at wartime of extreme evil is not considered an untrue action (asat karam).

In terms of food, many people have the incorrect belief that because an animal was killed they cannot eat its meat.   Killing and eating meat are two separate issues.    Killing an animal unnecessarily is wrong.  But eating meat is not.  The one who killed the animal unneccessarily is creating negative actions for himself – eg he kills the animal in this life out of unkindness and in some later life he will be the animal that is killed.   However, once the animal is dead due to its destiny of dying in that way, and its meat is prepared as food, there is no bad action in eating it.  It is just food that God has presented to you to eat.  Infact going hungry rather than eating meat is actually denying God’s hukam for you.

What is unnecessary killing of an animal?  You have to use your own intuition – listen to God inside you – and see how it effects your naam simran.  Eg  If you have plenty of vegetarian food available then there is no need to kill an animal.  If there is no other food available then it’s ok to kill the animal for food.   When Guru HarGobind ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji where training their armies it was necessary to go hunting.  When there was not any war conditions then as far as I know the first 5 Guru’s did not kill animals.   If you are attacked by an animal then you have to defend yourself just like Guru HarGobind ji killed the tiger.   If you are a farmer ploughing the fields then it is acceptable that many insects and worms are going to get killed.  Or if a fox is attacking the farmers chickens then you can kill it.  But to chase a fox or to go hunting as a blood sport – just for the thrill of the kill is unnecessary.

The trouble you get with your meditation after eating meat is not from the meat, but from the guilt that it has created in your mind.  Many religious people have been taught that eating meat or certain meats (cow, pig) is unpure.  If they eat it it makes them feel guilty.  If they see someone else eat it it makes them feel angry.  And regardless of meat or vegetarian food, the tongue starts liking tastes of favourite foods leading to cravings.  Guilt, anger and cravings are the actual problems for meditation, not the meat.

When you see vegetarian food as pure and meat as impure that is considered to be the illusion that many religious people are suffering from.  Actually God is in both foods – need to see God in everything with Ek Drisht – One vision.

SGGS teaches us that killing is wrong so be compassionate. And that only fools argue about meat because it is just food – same as vegetarian dishes are just food.   The only foods and drinks to avoid are the ones that cause your body or mind problems – hence effecting your naam simran.  Guru Nanak’s philosophy is as simple as that.

If you have to kill ask yourself

1)       is there any alternative to killing?

2)       Am I killing for the thrill or for the taste?

3)       Will I lose my compassion in the act of  killing (and encourage my evil side)?

If you answer yes to any of them then Killing will be an untrue actions – asat karam for you.

If you are presented with meat ask yourself

1)       am I denying it because my religion/beliefs teach me it is wrong?

2)       am I feeling guilty because I think it is impure?

3)       Am I angry that an animal was killed?

If you answer yes to any of them then you are caught up in the illusion and need to see meat same as vegetarian food.

REPLY from Dassan Dass Ji

Ik Oankaar Satnaam Satgur Parsaad
Dhan Dhan Paar Braham Parmesar
Dhan Dhan Satgur Sachey Patshah
Dhan Dhan Gur Sangat

Dandaut Parvaan Karna Ji.

Here are some more words to help you understand this subject:

The only disadvantage of eating meat is that it brings in us the Tamo Birti; it promotes lust in us, and for that matter probably milk, butter and some of these dairy products are also counted as increasing Tamo Birti in us. The Tamo Guns are: Kaam Krodh Lobh Moh and Ahankaar, and excessive usage of any of these kinds of foods will promote these five vices in us. That is the only reason that we should be concerned about eating meat, but a limited usage should not hurt, like in most of our Indian families the meat might be cooked like once a week or so. Eating too much meat is otherwise also not healthy, it promotes health issues and diseases in our body. The key is that we should not be craving for anything, but if it comes on the table then refusing is not good, however, if you have a choice on the table then do whatever you feel like at that moment. You can also restrain from eating meat if you don’t like it but not for any of the religious reasons. Not eating meat from a religious perspective is a n illusion.

The second point we would like to stress here is that as was put by Baba Ji once that half of the living beings are eating the other half of the living beings, and this is the law of nature and can’t be amended by anybody. Imagine if in the USA or in UK a large number of people stop eating meat (beef and chicken) then what will happen. So playing with the laws of the nature (which are under the control of Almighty) will not be the right thing to question and change.
Dassan Dass

Killing Insects

Preeto, 2010

Pritam Anand ji mentioned that when L ji had arrived from Vietnam, she, like all good housewives, wanted a clean house, so was busy splatting flies with the fly swatter. When Pritam Anand saw what she was doing, he stopped her right away saying with a loving smile, “No L ji, how would you like to be zapped?  Zap! Zap! Zap! Just open a window and release it, and just keep food covered if that’s what you are worried about.  Don’t kill unneccesarily, always think about your deeds.”

But, then we may wonder why do the sangat eat meat after showing so much compassion to creatures?  Pritam Anand answered by saying, “remember that when a Sant kills or eats meat, he is also liberating those souls.  Again blessing them and valuing their life, rather than for selfish desire and unnecessary killing without any thought for the soul within.”

Recently, we were cleaning the garage and their were many cobwebs and spiders we had to clear.  We also do not like to kill unneccesarily, so just asked Baba ji to bless them as we cleared them all out and killed them with our broom.  Same with when we eat food, first ask Baba ji in our heart to bless all the souls involved.  However, in the case of the spiders, the next day, we mentioned to Dassan Dass ji we were feeling guilty about killing all of those spiders.  Dassan Dass ji paused for a second as he blessed their souls and said to us, “Don’t worry, all those souls are coming back as humans in the next life.”  So what a blessing.  The following day, we saw two spiders had managed to avoid our deadly broom. And we laughed saying to those spiders, “– you shouldn’t have hid in the corners as you missed your chance to come back as a human!”