Kurma

Ravinarayan from Shimoga, Karnataka, India, has again written with an enquiry:

"Is vegetarianism an important aspect in all religion? Can you give importance of it with reference to different religion?"

My reply:

"This is a very large topic, almost beyond the realm of this letter. In a nutshell: yes."

Prof. Gene Sager of Palomar College writes: "Vegetarianism has been a common thread among the major world religions, even if only a minority have adopted the diet as an expression of their faith. For many people of faith, vegetarianism reflects the Golden Rule:

Christianity – “So, whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them” (Matthew 7:12);

Judaism – “Do not do unto others what you would not wish to be done to yourself – that is the entire Torah, the rest is commentary” (Babylonian Talmud);

Islam – “No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself”;

Baha’i Faith – “Blessed is he that preferreth his brother to himself”;

Taoism – “Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss”;

Hinduism – “This is the sum of duty: do naught to others that which if done to thee would cause pain”;

Jainism – “A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated”;

Buddhism – “Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.” "

One of my favourite authors, Steven Rosen (Satyaraja Dasa) has written two very useful books in this connection: Diet for Transcendence:Vegetarianism and the World Religions” & "Holy Cow:The Hare Krishna Contribution to Vegetarianism and Animal Rights”.

For an overview of this entire topic, in more detail, click here.

And finally, here's a list of some representative books:

Keith Akers: “The Lost Religion of Jesus”
Rynn Berry: “Food for the Gods:Vegetarianism & the World's Religions”
Philip Kapleau: “To Cherish All Life”
Stephen R. Kaufman and Nathan Braun: “Good News for All Creation”
Andrew Linzey: “Animal Gospel”
Al-Hafiz B.A. Masri: “Animals in Islam”
Vasu Murti: “They Shall Not Hurt or Destroy”
Norm Phelps: “The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights”
Lewis G. Regenstein: “Replenish the Earth”
Steven Rosen: “Diet for Transcendence:Vegetarianism and the World Religions”
Steven Rosen: “Holy Cow:The Hare Krishna Contribution to Vegetarianism and Animal Rights”
Richard H. Schwartz: “Judaism and Vegetarianism”
David Sears:” A Vision of Eden: Animal Rights and Vegetarianism in Jewish Law and Mysticism”
Michael Tobias: “Life Force:The World of Jainism”
Paul Waldau: “The Specter of Speciesism: Buddhist and Christian Views of Animals”
Kerry Walters and Lisa Portmess (eds): “Religious Vegetarianism: From Hesiod to the Dalai Lama”