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The Vegetarian Lifestyle
The Vegetarian Lifestyle
The roots of vegetarianism can be traced back to the 7th century B.C. in South Asia where the Indus Valley Civilization promoted tolerance to all beings. The moral principles which this movement lies on have not changed since. Vegetarians eat food coming from plant sources and from animals too, but not animal flesh and by-products of animal slaughter.
The mainstream movement permits the consumption of milk, eggs and beeswax, for instance, but meat, fish, poultry and even seafood are not allowed.
Today, there are many forms of vegetarianism. The ovo form includes the consumption of eggs, but not dairy products. The lacto form is the exact opposite. The followers of the raw vegetarian diet refrain from eating cooked foods. Even though neither Hinduism, not Buddhism forbids the consumption of animal flesh strictly, many followers of both religions are vegetarians as it is their belief that all sentient beings should be treated equally and with respect. It is common for Hindu vegetarians not to consume alcohol either.
The principles of this lifestyle cover not only food, but all types of products which are made with ingredients or materials coming from animal sources. A devoted vegetarian would not wear leather and fur clothes and accessories. This also applies to the use of personal care products containing ingredients which come from the flesh of animals and have been derived from in a cruel way.