ABSTRACT
This chapter considers one of the most explicit and extensive discussions of vegetarianism and ahimsa in the classical Hindu traditions, the dialogue between Bhisma and Yudhisthira in the Anusasanaparvan of the Mahabharata. Since the Anusasanaparvan claims both plants and animals have direct moral standing in virtue of their sentience, and that both animals and plants are sentient, it claims that both animals and plants have direct moral standing in virtue of their sentience. Hence the Anusasanaparvan also entails the Sentience Argument. Anusasanaparvan characterizes samsaric existence in a way that is reminiscent of the Buddha's elaboration of the First Noble Truth: Living beings cycle eternally in this ocean like world, in birth, rebirth, old age, pain, and fear of death. If the Manusmrti claims that an increase and decrease in lifespan have intrinsic value and disvalue, respectively, however, then it claims that animals and plants have direct moral standing in virtue of being alive.
