COW PROTECTION IN BUDDHISM SECT
Gautam Buddha preached about the utility & importance of
cows. He advocated against Cow Slaughter & gave importance on cow rearing.
यथा माता सिता भ्राता अज्ञे वापि च ज्ञातका । गावो मे परमा मित्ता यातु जजायंति औषधा ॥
अन्नदा बलदा चेता वण्णदा सुखदा तथा । एतवत्थवसं ज्ञत्वा नास्सुगावो हनिं सुते ॥
Like parents, siblings, members of family and community, cow is
dear to us. It is very helpful. We prepare medicine from its milk. Cow gives
food, strength, beauty, and pleasure. Similarly ox supports family men. We
should treat the ox and cow like our parents.
~~(Goutama Budha)
गोहाणि सख्य गिहीनं पोसका भोगरायका । तस्मा हि माता पिता व मानये सक्करेय्य च् ॥ १४ ॥ ये च् खादंति गोमांसं मातुमासं व खादये ॥ १५ ॥
Cows and oxen provide necessary and appropriate products to all
households. Therefore we should treat them with care and respect like we treat
our parents. Eating cow’s meat is like eating one’s own mother’s flesh.
(Lokaneeti 7)
"Let all creatures, let all things that live, all beings of
whatever kind, see nothing that will bode them ill! May naught of evil come to
them!" ~~ Buddha (quoted in the Culla-Vagga)
The Mahayana tradition is especially strong on vegetarianism; it
pictures the Buddha not only as himself a vegetarian, but as one who taught
others to be vegetarians.
The Lankavatara sutra devotes an entire chapter
to the evils of eating meat, saying:
"Meat eating in any form, in any manner, and in any
place is unconditionally and once for all prohibited. . . . Meat eating I have
not permitted to anyone, I do not permit, I will not permit."
All beings hate pains; therefore one should
not kill them. This is the quintessence of wisdom: not to kill
anything. ~~Sutrakritanga
“I do not see any reason why animals should be slaughtered to
serve as human diet when there are so many substitutes. After all, man can live
without meat...” ~~ The Dalai Lama
Many Buddha temples in Thailand have idols of cows. A cow idol
occupies a prominent location in the world famous Buddha temple in
Bangkok.
