They Too Want to Live - From Animal Suffering to Animal Liberation

By P.C.A.P. - Prevention of Cruelty against Animals and Plants

Shrii Sarkar tells us that “Ahiḿsá means not inflicting pain or hurt on anybody by thought, word or action.” The definition includes all creatures, not only human beings. There was a time in history when himsa meant to cause pain to human beings, but the slaughter of animals for food was not included. It is a very wrong idea, even today. If causing pain to other creatures is himsa, then the slaughter of animals is also himsa, because, as Shrii Sarkar says, “the animals do not offer their heads willingly at the altar of death for this cause.” In the sphere of meditation (sadhana), the word ahimsa means that we are to guide our conduct very carefully so as to make sure that our thoughts and actions do not cause pain to any entity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781312095182

Book preview

They Too Want to Live - From Animal Suffering to Animal Liberation

They Too Want to Live

From Animal Suffering

to Animal Liberation

Published by Proutist Bloc, India

ISBN : 978-1-312-09518-2

"The darkness of evolutionary night began to fade centuries ago when the first ape-like creature deserted his tree-branch kingdom and shambled out into the light of the plain. He was guided by something he could not understand: something un-apelike and impossible for his comrades. Somehow, somewhere in his seething body chemistry, something had changed. In his brain lay the seed of humanity; in his strangely bright eyes, the dark shadow of a hidden dream.

Time passed slowly. The new creatures developed and multiplied. The wonderful changes in their bodies and minds continued; their brains, nerves and glandular systems grew in complexity and specialization. New behaviour patterns evolved and after some time, emotions and feelings unknown and denied to all previous forms of life found their means of expression. The Dawn of Man was reached at that auspicious hour. The waves of thought generated by that first human expression vibrate even to this day in the unconscious mind of every human being. Everyone of us carries within him the hidden memory of that first sunrise, and even beyond it into the darkness of antiquity. We are, by means of this primordial memory, which is part of our human heritage, intimately connected to all forms of life."

Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar

Animal Rights

Shrii Sarkar tells us that "Ahiḿsá means not inflicting pain or hurt on anybody by thought, word or action."  The definition includes all creatures, not only human beings. There was a time in history when himsa meant to cause pain to human beings, but the slaughter of animals for food was not included. It is a very wrong idea, even today. If causing pain to other creatures is himsa, then the slaughter of animals is also himsa, because, as Shrii Sarkar says, the animals do not offer their heads willingly at the altar of death for this cause.  In the sphere of meditation (sadhana), the word ahimsa means that we are to guide our conduct very carefully so as to make sure that our thoughts and actions do not cause pain to any entity. 

If we analyze more deeply, we come to realize that when rice is taken from paddy, the paddy also has life and sprouts and reproduces. It means that for humans to preserve their own life by consuming rice, the paddy dies. Yet, we do not mean to harm anyone by eating rice. Hence, there is no question of himsa. If this is considered himsa, then, as Shrii Sarkar says, we will have to live on bricks and stones.  The key point is that we