The Kural or the Maxims of Tiruvalluvar/Chapter 26
CHAPTER 26
ABJURING OF FLESH-MEAT
251. How can he feel pity, who eateth other flesh in order to fatten his own?
252. Riches are not for the thriftless: even so pity is not for those that eat meat.
253. The heart of the man that tasteth flesh turneth not towards good, even as the heart of him that is armed with steel.
254. The killing of animals is veritable hardness of heart: but the eating of their flesh is iniquity indeed.
255. In non-eating of flesh is Life: if thou eat, the pit of hell will not open its mouth to let thee out.
256. If the world desireth not meat for eating, there will be none to offer it for sale.
257. If a man can only realise to himself the agony and pain suffered by other living beings, he would not desire to eat flesh-meat.
258. Behold the men who have escaped from the bonds of illusion and ignorance: they eat not the flesh from which life hath flown out.
259. To abstain from the killing and eating of living things is better than to perform a thousand sacrifices in the sacrificial fire.
260. Behold the man who killeth not and abstaineth from flesh-meat : all the world joineth hands to do him reverence.
