thou shalt not kill

The edict against killing is a basic principle found in every world religion. What this prohibition applies to, however, is not the same everywhere. In some religions, “thou shalt not kill” extends to animals as well.

There is a higher percentage of vegetarians in India and among followers of Indian-derived religions — Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism — than in other places. Indeed, a United Nations report stated that Indians had the lowest rate of meat consumption in the world.

The Sanskrit word ahimsa is commonly understood to mean non-violence or non-injury. Various traditions in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism take ahimsa seriously; and many monks, nuns and lay followers of these religions vow not to destroy life — all life, not just human ones — in word, action or thought.

The basic worldview conveyed in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism differs from the one taught in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Jews, Christians and Muslims are taught that humanity is the greatest of God’s creations and humans were thus given dominion over the rest of nature as a result. Conquering lands to fulfill a covenant or sacrificing animals to better humanity’s standing before God is not a concern. But in Indian-derived religions, humanity is an intricate part of creation, not set apart.

One could thus argue that the principle of non-violence is more important for Buddhists than it is for Jews, Christians and Muslims. Indeed, the law against killing is ranked first among the precepts in Buddhism; but it drops down to anywhere between fifth and seventh place on the list of 10 Commandments. That being said, not all Buddhists extend the edict against destroying life to animals. Japanese Buddhist priests, for example, are meat-eaters. Perhaps they are not familiar with the first precept. I eat meat too, but I don’t kill animals. I buy them already dead from the store.

-- Jay Sakashita, Midweek, July 23, 2014