Jai Sriman Narayana! Yes, plants have life. Plants do not have a developed nervous system and may not be feeling pain. By eating plants, we minimize the pain and suffereing. Ultimately, all enrgy to the planet is derived from the Sun's races. Plants capture the solar energy and store it. There is certain efficiency in converting solar energy (say 70%). Animals eat plants and they have even lower efficiency (say 40%). If one were to eat anilmals, the overall effiency is very low (0.7 multiplied by 0.4 = 28%). By eating plants, we are converting the solar enrgy by a lot higher efficiency when compared to eating animal food. By eating animal products, one is wasting a significant percentage of the energy. Moreover, animals have a significantly developed nervous system and they do feel pain and suffering and loss of comapnionship, loss of children etc. Therefore, the suffering is a thousand (or even million) fold when compared to the suffering caused to plants. We eat plants because Lord Sri Krishna said that He will accept only patram, pushpam , palam and thoyam. We do not eat anything which is not offered to Him. All sAthvik purAnAs with unified voice, proclaim that one should abstain from eating meat. With regard to ahimsa done to the plants, one should minimze the destruction of plants (environment). For brahma charyas and grihasthas, eating plants is allowed. However, for VAnaprasthas, there are several restrictions imposed even for eating plants. The first stage of Vanaprasthas eat plucking only the riped fruit. We are not allowed to pluck the unriped fruits from the plants. The advanced stage of Vanaprasthas eat only the fallen fruits. They are not allowed to even pluck the fruit from the plants. All this is well explained in Srimath Bhagavatham. With all glories to Lord Sri Venkateswara, I remain, Sincerely Narender Reddy Vishwanathan Nagarajan <nvc_vishwanathan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: one of the yamas and niyamas is Ahimsa -non violence ( non-killing of anykind, direct of indirect). so what disturbs me is if plants do have life, are we not doing violence to them even being a vegetarian. The reasons and benefits of being a vegetarian is explained in several scientific ways. But spiritually it is said mainly to observe non-killing or non-violence. then how about eating vegitables , especailly teh plant varieties. if we think plants have life, it is equivalent of observing violence. Could some on please, clear me of this Dilemma ! I am a non-vegetarian turned Vegetarian and abstain myself of all animal products except milk. but my above questions puts me down all the time. i would appreciate somebody helping me out in this. Thanks in advance.. Vishwanathan Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] SPONSORED LINKS Religious education Beyond belief Different religions beliefs Jehovah witness beliefs --------------------------------- YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS Visit your group "SriRangaSri" on the web. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. --------------------------------- --------------------------------- Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/VkWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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