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The Concept of Pancasila in Indian Thought
cocks and one deer, are killed daily and the deer not invariably. Even these three creatures shall not be slaughtered in future."1 This shows that great emphasis was laid on vegetarian diet on the basis of non-violence. However, from this it cannot be concluded that the Buddha himself strictly prohibi. ted meat-eating. In Amagandhasutta, a Brahmin, abstaining from meat on the ground of its defiling him, is told that what defiles a man is not the eating of flesh but a bad mind and the wicked deeds', or a cleaving towards such objects. At other place when schismatic Devadatta requested the Buddha to prohibit his monks from using meat, salt, milk and curd, Buddha refused to impose such stringent rules and explained that it was against the theory of Middle Path.
What the Buddha completely forbade was the acceptance of raw meat. He specially denounced the eating of human flesh and elephant's flesh, those who take such flesh, it is said, are guilty of Thullaccaya offence. It is further said that the monks should not take such flesh which is purposely prepared for them by killing the animal. Then it is also held that if
1. Righteousness Edict, Dhammalipi (one of the fourteen
Rock Edicts). 2. कोधो मदो थम्भो पच्चुढापना च माया उसूया भस्ससमुस्सयो च । मानातिमानो च असभिसन्थवो, एसामगन्धो न हि मंस भोजनं ।
-S. N., Āmagandhasutta, 7. 3. यावजीवं मच्छमंसं न खादेय्यु; यो मच्छमंसं खादेय्यु वज्जं नं फुसेय्या ति।
___ इमानि समणो गोतमो नानुजानाति । -Parajika, p. 259. 4. न भिक्खवे, मनुस्मसं परिभुञ्जितब्बं । यो परिभुञ्जय्य, आपत्ति थुल्सच्च
यस्स । न च भिक्खवे, अप्परिवेक्खित्वा मंसं परिभुञ्जितब्बं । यो परिभु
जेय्य''''दुक्करस्स ... ।-Maha., p. 235. 5. न भिक्खवे जानं उहिस्स-कतं नंसं परिभुंञ्जितब्बं । यो परिभुज्जेय्य
आपत्ति दुक्करस्स । अनुजानामि, भिक्खवे तिकोटि परिसुद्धं मच्छमसंअदिटुं असुतं अपरिसंकितं ति ।-Ibid.
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