The Encyclopedia of World Religions

animals and religion S 19

religious obligation. In J AINISM , AHIMSA , or harm lessness toward all animate life, is a way of affirm ing the sacred character of such life and the souls within it. Many Hindus and Buddhists also practice such harmlessness for spiritual reasons ( see H INDU ISM and B UDDHISM ). Sometimes certain animals are protected and not killed because of their meaning as the “totem,” the emblem or animal protector, of a community. Hindu India’s well-known “sacred cows” suggest compassion and the sacredness of motherhood and all life to its people. Animals also have widespread symbolic meanings in religion. Religious art is full of ani mals. Sometimes gods are portrayed as animals, or as half-animal and half-human, like many Egyp tian deities ( see E GYPTIAN RELIGION ) or the Hindu G ANESA , with an elephant head and a human body.

In many societies, especially early agricultural or pastoral (herding) ones, animals have often been the subjects of religious SACRIFICE . One example is the religion of the ancient Hebrews. The rationale is varied: It is believed that the savor of the offered meat pleases G OD or the gods; that the sacrifice to the highest of something economically valuable, as animals certainly were, indicates faith and devo tion; that the life of the animal goes into the crops and the community; or that the spirit of the animal is a messenger on behalf of the people to the gods. If the flesh, after being offered, is then consumed by the community, that sacred meal can be like a holy communion with the gods and a way of reaf firming their identity. On the other hand, the protection of some ani mals, or of all animals, can also be viewed as a

For Hindus cows have special status. This one is shown walking in the streets of Nepal. (Getty Images)