The ethics of diet : a catena of authorities deprecatory of the practice of flesh-eating / by Howard Williams.
- Q15442840
- Date:
- 1883
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The ethics of diet : a catena of authorities deprecatory of the practice of flesh-eating / by Howard Williams. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.
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![Shall Bpill the blood of life, nor taste of flesh, Seeing that Knowledge grows, and Life is one, And mercy cometh to the merciful.' * See also the annexed extracts from the Buddhist Sacred Scriptures, written probably about the third century B.C.:— The Short Paragraphs on Conduct.—The Kdla Silam. 1. Now wherein, Vasettha, is his [the true disciple's] Conduct good ? Herein, 0 Vasettha, that putting away the Murder of that which lives, he abstains from Destroying Life. The cudgel and the sword he lays aside ; and, full of Modesty and Pity, he is compassionate and kind to all beings that have life. This is the kind of Goodness that he has. [After strict prohibitions of Robbery and Unchastity, Gautama. Buddha proceeds.] 4. Putting away Lying, he abstains from speaking Falsehood. He speaks Truth. From the Truth he never swerves. Faithful and trustworthy, he injures not his fellow-men by deceit. This is the kind of Goodness that he has. 5. Putting away Slander, he abstains from Calumny. What he learns here he repeats not elsewhere, to raise a. quarrel against the people here. What he learns elsewhere, &c. Thus he lives as a binder together of those who are divided, an encourager of those who are friends, impassioned for Peace, a speaker of words that make for Peace. This, too, Stc. 6. Putting away Bitterness of Speech, he abstains from harsh language. What- ever word is humane, pleasant to- the ear, lovely, reaching to the heart, urbane—such are the words he speaks.. 7. '' Putting away Foolish Talk, he abstains from Vain Conversation, &c. 8. He abstains from Injuring any Herb [uselessly] or any Animal. He takes but one meal a day, abstaining from food at night-time, or at the wrong time, &c. 10. He abstains from Bribery, Cheating, Fraud, and Crooked Ways. This, too, &c. 11. He refrains from Maiming, Killing, Imprisoning, Highway-Robbery^ Plunder- ing Villages, or obtaining money by threats of Violence. 1. And he lets his mind pervade one quarter of the World with thoughts of Love, and so the second, and so the third, and so the fourth. And thus the whole Wide World above, below, around, and everywhere, does he continue to pervade with heart of Love—far-reaching, grown great, and beyond measure. * The Light of Asia: or, The Great Renunciation (Mahdbhinishl-ramana). Being the Life and Teaching of Gautama, Prince of India, and Founder of Buddhism (as told in verse by an Indian Buddhist). By Edwin Arnold. London : Trubner.—In the Hindu Epic, the Mahdbhdrata, tha same great principle is apparent, though less conspicuously:— The, constant virtue of the Good is tenderness and love To all that live in earth, air, sea—great; small—below, above: Compassionate of heart, they keep a gentle will to each : Who pities.not, hath not the Faith. Full many a one so iiv;es. III.—Story of Savitrii](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21084324_0313.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
