Acharya Prashant asserts that it is impossible to be spiritual while consuming animals because spirituality is defined by self-knowledge and a lack of fragmentation. A spiritual person is fully aware of what is on their plate and understands the physical and mental origins of their food. He suggests that if meat-eaters were to slaughter animals themselves and look into their eyes, they would see their own deep innocence reflected back. This recognition makes violence against animals impossible, as the observer realizes that the animal is not separate from themselves. He explains that humans are divine at the core, animal by evolution, and intellectual by society; thus, the animals outside are also present within us. He further explains that violence toward external nature, such as hacking down jungles or polluting rivers, is actually violence toward one's own internal nature and greenery. The attraction humans feel toward forests, waterfalls, and animals stems from the fact that these elements represent our own ancient, pristine innocence that exists before social conditioning and language. When one kills an animal, they are effectively killing the 'kid' or the innocent part within themselves. He notes that true vegetarianism or veganism must come from the heart and be a matter of religion rather than a taught quality or a response to scientific arguments. It is about maintaining a right relationship with the world. Finally, Acharya Prashant warns against living by feelings, emotions, or sensory excitement, as these are fleeting and often lead to violence. He describes veganism not as a source of pleasure, but as a state of freedom from the slavery of feelings, leading to a beautiful silence and deep understanding. He emphasizes that one should not seek excitement or new experiences through food or hunting, but should instead value the highest understanding and live according to one's true nature. To be spiritual is to move from a state of incompletion to completion, which is incompatible with the destruction of life.
