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(VI) Miscellaneous Ahimsā and the Spread of Vegetarianism in India
M. A. MEHENDALE
AHIMSA literally means 'non-injury'. Ideally the concept should mean non-injury of any kind, whether physical or mental, to all living beings. But in practice, the concept seems to have made its greatest impact on killing animals for food and for ritual purposes. The Aryans who came to India from outside did not show, at least in ancient times, any aversion to eating meat as an item of food. Even in the early Buddhist texts we find fish and meat included in the five articles of food. Today, Jains are perhaps the strictest among the vegetarians. Among the Hindus, only a small section of the population is vegetarian as a matter of religious practice; a large number among them, however, is vegetarian for economic reasons.
It is to be doubted whether climate or any other physical conditions in India. were responsible for the spread of vegetarianism. On the other hand, a clear relationship can be definitely established between ahimsa and vegetarianism. This is seen in the following verse in the Manusmriti (5.48): "It is not possible to obtain meat without causing injury to living beings; killing animals does not lead one to heaven; (but obtaining heaven after death is the cherished goal of all); hence meat has to be avoided”
The spread of vegetarianism has not been that easy in India. It had to contend with the ritual partaking of food in sacrifices and other ceremonial occasions which were prescribed by the Vedic texts. The vicissitudes through which it passed are well reflected in the ancient law-books and in many narratives of the Mahābhārată. Initially, it seems that even according to the thinkers who were primarily responsible for the spread of
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