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Q. The Bādarāyaṇa, Basu, Jaimini and others sermonise about the rituals as described in the Vedas. How they have been designated as agnostics? A. They are called agnostics as they hold killing of animals as an instrument of religiosity. The killing of animals is the cause of demerit. It can not cause religiosity. 13. Q. The Vedic Scripture is divine. It is valid as it does not have any possibility of defects due to human authorship. The killing of animals (for yajna etc.) postulated there - in is the cause of merit and religion. A. This is not correct as it can not be proved that the Vedas are Scriptures. The scriptures deal with the well-being of all the living beings. The instructions involving violence can not be scriptural. They are like the sayings of cheats and dacoits. 14. Moreover, the Vedas seem to be inconsistent. They contain contradictory statements leading to their non-authenticity. For example. their statements like the constellation of Pu șya is the first, the constellation of Punarvasu is the first' are contradictory and, therefore, invalid. Similarly, they have two statements as below; (i) 'The killing of animals (for Yajnas) serves fulfilling of all wishes'. The sacrificial rites are meant for the welfare and attainment of splendours for all. Hence, the killing of animals during Yajnas is not taken as killing or demeritted violence. (ii) 'One should have Yajíta through the animal-shapes formed from the powdered mesh of three-year old non-germinable seeds (A-ja).
The first statement encourages violence while the second statement encourages avoidance of violence. Thus, these types of contradictory instructions lead to their non-authenticity. 15. Thirdly, the Jaina scriptures of the Enlightend prohibit the killing of the animals. They proclaim abstinence from violence is the best way for the welfare of all. Thus, as the killing of animals is prohibited in the supreme scriptures, it can not be the cause of merit and religion. 16. Q. The instructions of the Enlightened are not proved or valid as they have been given by the human beings. They do not stand true
logic.
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