________________
30
THE SYSTEMS OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
bonum, the end and aim of philosophy. Between this end and the first stage of mental suppression there are several stages. The author of the Yoga aphorisms mentions eight stages; they are JH, FYA, 34787, 98417, SEATER, STOTT, xa and FATT.13 This leads us to the practical part of yoga.
12. (a) The first stage is 48. What a student of yoga is required to do in the first stage is forbearance or control over mind, body and speech and it consists in abstaining from killing, falsehood, theft, incontinence and greediness.14 (i) The first of these is killing- a in Sanskrit. It is difficult to give the full meaning of this word feet. It means wishing evil to any being by word, act or thought and abstinence of this kind of killing is the first requirement of a student of yoga. It obviously implies abstinence from animal food in as much as it is never procurable without direct or indirect Ful of some kind. Notwithstanding the sanction given by the Vedas to the system of sacrificing animals to gods, the Hindu scriptures are very strong on this point when they treat of the practical part of the Yoga philosophy. Manu, the great law-maker of the Hindus, says:
अनुयंता विशसिता निहंता क्रयविक्रयी।
संस्का चोपहर्ता च खादकश्चेति घातकः ॥ [One who indirectly gives permission to kill animals, one who separates the several parts of an animal after it is killed, one who actually kills the animal, one who sells meat, one who cooks meat, one who serves meat at the table and one who eats it are all considered killers of the animal.)
13. YS 2.29. 14. YS 2.30
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
