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Pythagoras : The Vegetarian
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Pythagoras's postulate of vegetarianism may go back to the Jaina, the Buddhist, or the Sānkhya ethical ideal, forming another of the numerous rivulets and rivers that streamed forth from the rich source of Indian Wisdom.
The probability of this supposition is raised to a certainty, if one realises that Pythagoras bases his postulate of vegetarianism on the doctrine of metempsychosis ( Punarjanma ) which is indeed purest Indian philosophy. It need not be added that the instances of Pythagoras remembering his former births ( Jatismara ) are of the very same type as those of the Jātakas and Jaina legends.
It will only have to be ascertained from which of the three ancient Indian traditions Pythagoras derived his wisdom -- from Sāňkhya Philosophy, Jaina Philosophy, or Buddhist Philosophy, all three of which can raise their claim with equal right.
Perhaps the question will never be decided.
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