Sai Baba's Quotes on Vegetarianism
And quotations from Sai Literature
"Today, let it be anyone, whether one deems himself a devotee or not, he
should give up meat eating. Why? meat eating promotes only animal qualities. It
has been well said that the food one consumes determines one's thoughts. By
eating the flesh of various animals, the qualities of these animals are
imbibed. How sinful is it to feed on animals, which are sustained by the same
five elements as human beings! This leads to demonic tendencies, besides
committing the sin of inflicting cruelty on animals. Hence, those who genuinely
seek to become devotees of God have to give up non-vegetarian food. Calling
themselves Sai devotees or devotees of Rama and Krishna, they fatten the
chickens. How can they be deemed Sai devotees? How can God accept such a person
as a devotee? Therefore, whether they are devotees in India or outside, they
should give up from this instant meat eating. […] Therefore, those who aspire
to become devotees of God must give up meat, liquor and smoking."
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Divine Discorse on 23 Nov 1994, Sanathana Sarathi
December 1994 p. 315
"I have been stressing the vital importance of people giving up this
habit of eating non-vegetarian food even from my boyhood days. Meat eating
fosters animal qualities in man making him descend to the demoniac level; it is
a heart-rending sight to see cows being slaughtered to serve as food for man.
The cow has been worshiped as mother in Bharat since ancient times...
Cow-slaughter is reougnant to the culture of this country. The provision of
drinking water to the people and putting an end to the killing of animals for
food are two prime needs for the country to regain its pristine glory. Violence
in any form is evil and to kill innocent animals in tantamount to blatant
savagery. I bless the prime Minister (of India) and expect him to get there two
things accomplished furing his tenure.
" Sanathana Sarathi December 1994 p. 322
"... it is significant to note that those who live on vegetarian food are
less prone to diseases, whereas non-vegetarians are subject to more diseases.
Why? Because animal food is incompatible with the needs of the human body."
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Summer Showers 1990, p. 34.
"Mother Easwaramma looked after her child [Sathya Narayena Raju] with
love and care. Days rolled by and the child grew into a boy. He was mithabhashi
and mithaahari (one who spoke less and ate less). Easwaramma was mystified by
the strange behavior of her son. Usually children are fond of eating.
Especially some people would prefer non-vegetarian items like fish or meat. But
her son was totally averse to non-vegetarian food. He would not even visit the
houses where non-vegetarian food was cooked. Seeing his noble qualities,
Easwaramma realized that the child was not an ordinary one, but one of divine
nature. Her eldest daughter Venkamma also recognized the divine nature of the
child. Together, they brought up the child with love and care."
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Divine Discorse on 23 Nov 2003
"In order to have sacred thoughts, give up the vices like consumption of
non-vegetarian food, smoking and drinking intoxicants." (21 Nov 1999)
"There are certain habits. Members of the Organization should have some
good habits. Jaisa Anna, Vaisa Mann - as is the food, so is the thought. As is
the feeling so is the experience - Yad Bhavam Tad Bhavati. So we have to
partake of food in a proper way. It is because of food that we have all sorts
of durguna, duralochana and duschinta- bad habits, bad thoughts. So give up
smoking. Also eschewing drinking. This alcoholism and smoking are ruining your
health. One without health cannot achieve any small thing. Meat eating is also
very bad. If you partake animal food, you will develop animal qualities. As is
the food, so is the head. So you should have regulation of food. Then the
fourth one is gambling. Those in the spiritual field should immediately give up
smoking, drinking, meat eating and gambling. All these four are bad qualities.
You take this meat eating. Many people have to kill the animals because
of your non-vegetarianism. You are responsible for the death of those animals.
They are killed because you eat them. This is a sin. What a sin to kill
innocent animals and eat them." (21 Nov 1995)
From the time of our birth till the time this body perishes, we are
making many attempts to earn money and acquire food. In this process of
amassing wealth, we are adopting means and methods which are adopted also by
the birds and animals.
In the matter of acquiring food, different kinds of strength, abilities
and skills are used by us but these very same skills are used by animals and
birds as well. It is not right that we use all our knowledge and skill for
doing just what the animals and birds also do. In the process of our spending
all our energies in acquiring food, we are going far away from the aspect of
Atma. For the purpose of feeding ourselves, many lives are being sacrificed. In
this process of our searching for food, many things like trees, birds, fish and
animals are being sacrificed. Because these various living things are being
sacrificed and are merging with human beings, they have also been acquiring
human lives in their rebirth. None of these Jivas are getting any chance of
rising higher than human lives. The entire life is being spent in making an
effort to be reborn after one's death, thus repeating the cycle of birth and
death.
We are becoming slaves to the process of birth and death. We should not
allow ourselves to become slaves to this process. We should make an attempt to
become one with the great effulgent spirit.
Summer Showers in Brindavam, 1974
"On this sacred day of Vijaya Dasami take an oath to give up vices such
as smoking, drinking and partaking of non-vegetarian food. Many do not realize
the evil-effects of these bad habits. If a smoker blows air on a white
handkerchief, he will find yellow spots on it. This is a sign of disease.
Smoking leads to cancer. Drinking is a demonic quality. It makes you
intoxicated and to forget yourself. Consuming non-vegetarian food is also a bad
quality. When human body itself is made of flesh, where is the need to consume
the flesh of birds and animals? You should partake of only sacred food. Only
then you will have sacred feelings. For sacred thoughts and sacred deeds,
sacred food is essential." (1 Oct 1998)
"The tongue should be engaged only in speaking the truth, in speaking
sweetly and in consuming what is pleasant and wholesome for the body. Man
degrades himself by consuming intoxicating drinks and non-vegetarian food and
by indulging in smoking. These noxious habits affect the brain also." (6 Oct
1997)
"Nature can be modified by nurture; even dogs can cease to relish meat
when they are trained to relish only vegetarian food".
Sathya Sai Speaks Vol XII, Chap. 36
"It is a fact that plants also have life like animals. But animals are
endowed with mind, and nervous systems too while the plants do not possess the
same. The animals cry and weep when they are being killed. It is not the case
with plants; as such, equating killing of animals and destruction of plants is
faulty logic. Further, killing the animals and eating their flesh leads to the
creeping or dissemination of the animal qualities and behavior in to the man
(meaning that man acquires the beastly qualities by eating animal flesh). Thus
follows our acquiring the beastly qualities - tamasic nature - of the buffalos
or the sheep. Hence, meat eating should be discarded.
Food conditions the nature of the mind. Mind guides the thinking.
Thinking results in action. Actions lead to commensurate or matching results
and effects. This chain of action between the food we eat and the results of
our actions highlights the fact that meat eating leads to beastly actions and
the concomitant evil effects."
Sathya Sai, The Avatar of Love, p. 132
"Acts and food which are to be eschewed.
Nishidda Karmas. These relate to acts which are to be eschewed. For
instance, the spiritual aspirant has to observe certain regulations regarding
food. He must totally eschew rajasic food like alcoholic drinks and meat. The
nature of the food determines the nature of one' s thoughts,
feelings and actions. If one' s conduct is to be right and proper, one
should carefully observe the
disciplines regarding diet."
Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume XXIX, Chap. 20
"There should be some regulations with regard to food. Many doctors
emphasize the value of proteins and recommend meat, eggs, etc. But proteins got
in this form serve only to build the body, but do considerable harm to the
mind. Doctors are primarily concerned with the gross physical body. They pay
little attention to the subtle form of the mental makeup. Most of the diseases
that are prevalent in the world today are related to the mind. Mental illness
seem to outnumber physical ailments. The Vedhaantha has declared that the mind
is the cause of man' s bondage or liberation. This means that the mind has to
be used properly and turned godwards. Equally the mind is responsible for
health or sickness.
In this context, food is all important. Proteins are present in milk,
curds and vegetables as much as in meat. If in the matter of diet, the doctors
give the right prescription, diseases can be averted."
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Discourse on 07-02-1993
"Meat is all right for those who concentrate on the body and want to have
strength, but for spiritual aspirants it is not good."
Hislop, Jonh S., Conversation with Sathya Sai Baba, p. 19
"You should not misunderstand and misinterpret what I say. It is my duty
to convey to you the truth as is exist. Today the reason why the human
population is increasing is because of the attitude of the people. For man to
eke out his living to fill a small tummy of his, God has created plenty in the
world. He has created a large amount of rice, a large amount of fruit, a alrge
amount of wheat. While such good food has been created by Good, yet we go and
eat meat and fish. And all the fish which we kill and eat are reborn as human
beings."
Summer Showers in Brindavan 1977, p. 182
"Meat and alcoholic drinks take a heavy toll on man's health, causing
many a disease in him".
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Discourse on 21-01-1994
"The third need is satwic food. This means that none of the edible items
should be excessively sour, bitter or hot. You should eschew rajasic food like
fish or meat. Even good satwic food should not be taken in excess. Some people
consume so much of satwic food that even though it is satwa, it develops
rajasic qualites. It is only satwic when you sit for the meal with a light
stomach and get up from it with a light stomach! If you sit with a light
stomach and get up with a weighty stomach, it becomes ramona."
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Discourse on 29-12-1985
"The third category is described as "Madhyapaanoratha daanavah" (One who
is addicted to intoxicating drinks and meat eating and leads a sensuous life is
a demonic being). Such a person is intensely selfish and has no feeling or
consideration for others. A wicked person, swayed by evil motives and evil
actions, is described as a demon."
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Discourse on 25-12-1991
"... with meat the body will get the proteins, but mental proteins will
not be there. If you are keen on spiritual life, eating meat is not worthwhile;
but if you are keen on wordly life, it is all right. There is another spiritual
reason. When you kill an animal you give him suffering, pain, harm. God is in
every creature, so how can you give such pain? Sometimes when someone beats a
dog he cries, he feels so much pain. How much more pain then in killing.
Animals did not come for the purpose of supplying food to human beings. They
came to work out their own life in the world. When a human being is dead, the
foxes and other animals may eat, but we have not come to provide food for those
that eat the human body; we have not come for that ourpose. Similarly, man eats
the animal, but the animal has not come to provide man with food."
Hislop, Jonh S., Conversation with Sathya Sai Baba, p. 19
"Madhya paana ratho dushtah" (The demonic human being revels in
intoxicating drinks). Eating meat and drinking liquor are demonic vices. Those
indulging in drink lose all sense of propriety, have no compassion or love and
become demons.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Discourse on 03-07-1994
"How is individual transformation to be achieved? There are some bad
habits among individuals such as smoking, drinking liquor, meat eating and
gambling. These bad habits not only degrade the individuals but also inflict
hardships on their families. These bad habits have to be given up for the
individual to manifest his inherent goodness. One's personality can blossom
only when he leads a mora life."
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Discourse on 07-02-1993
"Members of Sai Organizations should cultivate certain desirable
practices. For instance, they should regulate their diet, because one's food
influences ones thoughts. Smoking and intoxicating drinks have to be given up.
They are ruinous for the health. Meat eating should also be given up because
eating animal food promotes animal tendencies. The fourth evil that has to be
ot rid of is gambling. Those who take to the Spiritual path should avoid as
much as possible these four bad practices."
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Discourse on 21-11-1995
"It [meat] is not good for spiritual life which needs "mental proteins",
and also because it means making an animal suffer and be killed."
Hislop, Jonh S., Conversation with Sathya Sai Baba, p. 19-20
"But a little milk, butter and cheese are acceptable because no harm is
done in obtaining them."
Hislop, Jonh S., Conversation with Sathya Sai Baba, p. 20
"An important aspect of Swami's teachings, a point he again and again
emphasizes, is to take only pure food. Avoid eating animal food... That type of
consumption is not likely to promote spiritual progress."
Rodriguez, Brigitte, Glimpses of the Divine, p. 225
