Vegetarianism | Continuing as Vegan

Things have changed as I continued to stay vegetarian, through the years since I am away from home. During those days, I could afford to eat in a pure vegetarian environment, my home. As I moved out, first to the hostel, my first challenge was to flex myself. There were very few places where the hotels are pure vegetarian. I mean, one could get the veg food but then the non-veg food was also cooked there. I still remember how my father had to search for a pure vegetarian hotel when he first accompanied me for shifting in the hostel. It was a tedious task and although we found one, the food choice was limited and even though we had to eat there. I wondered why my father could not eat in a non-veg place. I related it with his sense of purity. I was led by tradition and not logic. I had no opinion why I have to choose a pure veg hotel even if the non-veg hotel could provide the same food. In the initial instances, I did not share the desk with the non-veg foodie. I could not sustain the sight of the meat being sneered off the bones. Later, I turned habitual and also I believed it is anti-social to give disregard to a fellow’s food. The hostel, the hotel, etc. are not my private place where I chose to act in hegemony. I simply had no right to show such behavior in public. I started to change and at some time I can freely sit and eat with others, whatever may be their choice of food. Once out of home, my private space is restricted to my body.

However, in time and after eating veg food in so many non-veg places, if someone asks me today whether will I take an extra effort in finding a pure veg place than eating in a non-veg restaurant, I could very well do that. Yes, I would take that extra effort pleasing to my peace of mind. It is a personal view and something related to my developed personal sense of belief. I believe eating food is not only a mechanical task. It is an experience as well. One gets a sense of relief and often times even if we have had food, we feel unsatisfied. It might be because of very tiny reasons, say, there was loud music in the background, or the food was too spicy, or that it is not of the choice. We often feel disdain after such an experience. There are voices in the mind, i.e. an absence of peace in mind. It is for that peace of mind. I could still attest life to the meat when someone is eating it. It reminds me of life, of someone’s organ, of someone’s body which human because of their supremacy, took. 

There are reasons that pure vegetarian does not eat non-veg. It might be religious, or dietary, or a sense of love to the animals. Mahavira said that all being long to live. I relate it to that perspective and giving a tinge of thought it is transparent how all living being persists just because of this desire - a long life with pleasure. However, my quest is not over on this. The plant also has life and the only difference is that they could not show their pain, but plants live, they take breathe, make their food from the sunlight and grow old to die. In such a case, are we not killing the plants? I may say that we pluck their fruits and it is a two-way process where I take care of it by making the place tidy and clean, providing it water and so on. I also do not kill it during plucking vegetables and fruits. Last week I asked an ISKCON scholar about it, he quoted that eating non-veg take away the feeling of pity and it affects our behavior, e.g. aggressiveness. But he also related it with the religious text and said that it is so written and so we follow. I wish to know more about this… It is yet incomplete to me.

It is a subject matter what we prioritize in our lives. Religious texts are the basis behind some ideas which did not generate instantly but took time. The experiences were argued among the scholars and the reasons were articulated behind every idea. We should, instead of simply blindfold following the text, must look for reason and as well measure it in our conscience. I believe it is one way of leading a meaningful life.

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