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JAINISM AND BUDDHISM
then they are in fact indirectly promoters of killing. The butchers and fishermen kill the animals on this understanding that their flesh is sold and is used by the people. When they are getting money for the sake of flesh, they go on continually killing the animals.
Really they, who buy flesh, are the inducers of killing the dumb creatures. Those monks who say that they accept what is given to them only in alms, that they do not suppose of having flesh and therefore they are not guilty of killing animals, even if they accept and eat flesh, should deeply consider on their arguments. It is a rule that whatever is accepted by anyone is approved by the same. Accepting flesh proves approval of that food. This approval of flesh by the monks produces this conviction in mind of the donorlayman that there is no harm in eating flesh, when our worshipful monks accept and eat it. Thus the laymen remain flesh-eaters, and are obliged to induce the killers to kill the animals for flesh. Just a monk if supplied with the flesh of a man or a dog, refuses to accept it, because he does not approve of it, similarly he should not accept any kind of flesh. Then only he will be free from any kind of sin of killing aniñals, When flesh is accepted in alms, it is countable among the eatable foods, while it is altogether rejectable, as has been ordered in Lankavatára Sutra. Suppose any patriot has a mind to use country-made clothes and has a pledge not to use foreign-made clothes on the con
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