Idea of Ahimsa and Asceticism in Ancient Indian Tradition

Author(s): Bansidhar Bhatt
Publisher: B J Institute

Page 76

THE VEGETARIANISM
dictum: varjayed bija-vadham / (GDS. 1.3.23)
“The killing of seeds should be avoided.";
The Brahmanical ascetics do not cut any part or branch of plants or trees, cf.
asya somya, mahato vệkşasya yo male 'bhya hanyaj jivan sraved ... as eșa jivenåtmana ... tişthati. asya yad ekam sakham jivo ja hati. atha sa busyati ... sarvam jahati sarvaḥ śuşyati. (Ch.Up. 6.11.1-2)
"My dear one, if somebody strikes at the root of this big tree, it would bleed being alive. It stand firm by its own soul. If the soul leaves one of the branches, then it dries up. If it leaves the whole (tree), then the whole dries up."
As such, the ascetics can take or collect branches when they are somehow cut off and lay on the ground (Schmidt-1. pp.637638). The vanaprasthas observing the rules of the vaikha nasas subsist on flowers, roots, fruits, alone which are ripened by time and falled on the ground. The Manusmrti says:
puspa-male-phalair våpi kevalair varta yet sada / kala-pakvaiḥ svayam sirņair vaikhanasa-mate sthitah // (MS. 6.21) (see also: Schmidt-1. p.638; cf. Wezler-1. p.108, fn.302)
In Vedic times, there is a mention of spirits dwelling in the fields. It is generally believed that trees and plants, or vanaspati as a whole - are conceived of possessing spirits (Keith. pp.63-64). The corn spirit is dead when the corn is cut, it is revived in the spring. But the belief whether grain of corn contains spirit or not seems to have not developed in the Vedic rituals (Keith. p.277). To cut grass with nails is also prohibited in the Manusmrti,
... ... na cchindyat karajais tam / (MS. 4.70) The Vedic students should, as per instructions, collect only 3. See: Wezler-3. pp.474-475 and particularly fn.68; Wezler-4. pp. 111
131; Schmithausen-1. p.3, fn. 15.