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In all such cases, when the money is coming from my own earnings or pocket, no matter how close a friend or a visitor is, I make it very clear in advance to the guest that I will only pay for veg meals and if they eat non veg, then they are on their own. Similarly, I will not equally split the invoice. Here I tell the waiter to bring me my separate bill. When the employer is paying the bill, then I don't feel it is my job to force my views on the company's customers and visitors regarding what they should eat. Here I pay the entire bill and get reimbursed by the company. If I happened to be the owner of my own company (this has not been the case with me), here too, I would only serve veg food, no matter what. I will not deviate from my core belief. Please note that in India to the best of my knowledge, for example, Birlas never served any non-veg foods to any; no matter how high up they might be. In the case of the turkey vouchers, I refused to sell the vouchers to my colleagues. In most of the cases, I destroyed the voucher but in no case did I trade with my colleagues for anything or give them free. All of us in our lives face this music. My simple principle has been that where himsa is involved, I will not pay or offer goods and services to my guests that I do not consume. Now you decide: is this behavior consistent with ahimsa?
FAMILY DISPUTES: THE BEGINNING OF LIFELONG HIMSA Having differences in the family on personal and economic matters is part of being human. There is nothing strange about it. After all, each soul and human being is different; different upbringings, environments, and circumstances — and hence reactions and behaviors to the same situations are going to be different. What is important here is how we resolve those issues and conflict: do we resolve using violent
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An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
