“The greatest progress of righteousness among men comes from exhortation in favour of non-injury to life and abstention from killing living beings.”
(Asoka, 3rd century Buddhist emperor, as quoted in Steven Rosen, "Food for the Spirit-Vegetarianism and the World’s Religions" – New York: Bala Books, 1987). P. 80)
“We, the Christian leaders, practice abstinence from the flesh of animals to subdue our bodies......the unnatural eating of flesh-meat is polluting.”
(St. John Chrysostam, 4thcentury Father of Eastern Church, as quoted in Steven Rosen, "Food for the Spirit-Vegetarianism and the World’s Religions" – New York: Bala Books, 1987). P. 18)
“And remember; when you hunt and kill,
Your punishment will depend
on where [on the scale of evolution]
you have struck your blade-high or low!...
You are not a vulture, to stoop on carcasses,
And do not, like a crow,
Dip your feet in others’ blood.
Even if your hunger has reduced you to a mere skeleton-
Bloodless like a picture image-
You will, at least, be spared the punishments
Of a carcass eater.”
(Nizaami Ganjavee, 12th century Sufi poet, Original translation by Shiv Singh Dhatt of Nizam Ganjavi, Makhzan-i Azrar (Kanpur, India, Munshi Naval Kishore Press, 1872, p. 123, 185)
“You violently slaughter animals
And claim it to be in keeping
with the cannons of your creed.
But when God places before you
The record of your cruel deeds,
What will your fate be?”
(Kabir, 15th century Indian mystic)