Vegetarianism in Hinduism

Vegetarianism in Hinduism is the practice of adhering to a vegetarian diet, a custom which arose in the later stages of the development of Hinduism and gained popularity among the priestly and upper castes due to the influence of Jainism and Buddhism. While religious texts from the Vedic period make numerous references to animal slaughter and consumption in sacrificial contexts, multiple Hindu scriptures composed during the post-Vedic period display a gradual shift towards the promotion of a vegetarian dietary ideal based on the concept of ahimsa—non-violence and compassion towards all beings. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 44% of Hindus self-identify as vegetarian. Within India, the prevalence of vegetarianism among Hindus varies significantly by region and caste, and is often subject to inflation in estimations due to cultural and political pressures.

The Vedic people, whose religion formed the nominal and ideological backbone of Brahmanism, followed a varied diet that included the consumption of meat. Due to the influence of Buddhism and Jainism, the principle of ahimsa evolved and gained importance in the late Vedic era, and was an important factor in the Hindu synthesis that led to the de-emphasis of animal sacrifice in religious rituals (outside of Shakti and Tantric traditions where such practices persist), and the emergence of vegetarian offerings as the preferred alternative. The association of ritual purity with vegetarianism led to the adoption of vegetarian diets by a significant percentage of upper-caste groups.

In modern times, the majority of vegetarian Hindus follow lacto-vegetarian diets, although members of certain Vaishnava sampradayas choose to abstain from onions and garlic as well.

History

Marvin Harris notes the Vedic literature to be contradictory, with some stanzas suggesting ritual slaughter and meat consumption, while others suggesting a taboo on meat eating; however, Hindu literature relating to cow veneration became extremely common in the first millennium CE, and by about 1000 CE, vegetarianism had become a well accepted Hindu tenet. Scholars such as D. N. Jha, Romila Thapar, Juli Gittinger et al.