Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c11.58

c11.58

The oldest exactly datable prohibition to eat animal food is found in the inscriptions of Aśoka who speaks in unambiguous terms against killing and sacrificing animals, but as laid down in the Smṛtis, makes an exception in favour of peacocks and antelopes¹. In general, the rules of diet among the Buddhists are in complete agreement with Brahmanical rules, especially those for Brahmanical ascetics, inspite of the Buddhists' strict commandment of Ahimsā which they share with the Jains². The Mah. preaches Ahimsā but the chief heroes go for chase and eat flesh³. Alberuni 2, 151 f., 155 says that it was allowed to kill sheep, goats, gazelles, hares, rhinoceroses, buffaloes, fishes, aquatic and land birds such as sparrows, francolins, doves, peacocks and other birds which are not harmful or disgusting; on the other hand the flesh of cows, horses, mules, asses, camels, elephants, house fowls, crows, parrots, nightingales and further eggs, wine (allowed to Śudras), onions, garlic, certain cucumbers and roots, and the nālī (lotus) reeds are mentioned by him as forbidden to eat. That the Brahmans could not eat garlic is seen also in the medical literature from the fifth century downwards ¹ and in the Rājatar. 1, 342. At the present day the Brahmans (excepting those of Kashmir) ² avoid animal food as well as eggs and all spirituous liquors and onions and garlic ³. Particular sects of the Jains and the Lingayats practise this abstinence still more strictly and in general this is the rule among most of the higher castes; repugnance to beef is particularly strong ⁴. Yet the Rajputs eat the meat of goats, stags, hares, doves, quails, ortolans and fishes⁵. The Śivaite sects too eat and offer sacrifices with certain animals and drink spirituous liquors, while the Vaiṣṇavas are perfect abstainers ⁶. It is also generally forbidden to eat together with a member of another caste, particularly that of a low caste, and to eat the food cooked by him, or to eat with women or to eat the leavings of food.