Hare Krishna,
Why do we eat plants when they have life and can feel pain? And what is wrong in eating animals when their feelings are the same because its all life? Why eat only plants?
Is there any lecture by his devine grace Prabhupad? Please share the link if there is.
Replies
Hare Krishna,
There was a huge discussion happened on this topic some time back. The title was "Non Veg". You can search that link and go through it.
Regards,
Subash
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
We eat plants because the lord has Himself mentioned in Ch 9, Shloka 26 of Bhagvad Gita - patram pushpam phalam toyam, yo me bhaktya prayachati......meaning if someone offers me a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water with love and devotion, then I accept it.
The world has been created such that one life form is food for other life forms. Thats how the ecological balance is maintained. If you notice, all life forms are consuming some other life forms. Only human life form has the power to discrminate and therefore, only in human life form, one has the reaction of karma which is not there in other life forms.
There are different levels of consciousness in different life forms. Plants are supposed to have lower levels of consciousness than animals. Therefore lord has permitted humans to eat plants.
If we go by your argument, that all are after all life forms only, then we can eat human flesh also - after all, human being is another life form only. Then why do we calls people who eat human flesh cannibals and arrest them?
I am sure there are lectures by Srila Prabhupada on this topic. Request someone to pls send the link.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi