We believe that a kinder world begins with the choices we make every day. Our mission is to inspire compassion through education, advocacy, and community — one meal, one conversation, one heart at a time.
At a glance
Overview
Zoroastrianism, one of the world's oldest monotheistic faiths, emphasizes the eternal struggle between good (Asha) and evil (Druj). Central to this path is the concept of Vohu Manah, or the 'Good Mind,' which is intimately connected to the protection and care of animals. The tradition teaches that humans are stewards of the creation, and that our choices in diet reflect our commitment to the divine order and the eventual renovation of the world, known as Frashogard.
Historical texts and the sayings of High Priests suggest that vegetarianism was the original and natural state of humanity. According to the Shahnameh, it was the devil, Ahriman, who first introduced the eating of flesh to corrupt mankind and destroy life. By returning to a plant-based diet, Zoroastrians align themselves with the purity of the early creations and the wisdom of the Amesha Spentas, particularly Bahman Ameshaspand, who presides over the animal kingdom.
Modern Zoroastrian practice continues to honor these ideals through specific meatless days and months. While many in the contemporary Parsi community consume meat, the religious tenets and historical scriptures like the Dinkard and Bundahishn provide a strong foundation for a compassionate, plant-based lifestyle. Choosing a vegetarian diet is seen not just as a health choice, but as a spiritual practice that fosters long life, reduces sin, and prepares the soul for resurrection.
Principles
The Good Mind is the divine attribute that connects humans to the wisdom of Ahura Mazda. It is specifically associated with the protection of animals, suggesting that a mind filled with goodness naturally seeks to protect rather than harm living creatures.
Asha represents the cosmic order and harmony. Living in accordance with Asha involves maintaining the purity of the world, which includes avoiding the 'putridity' associated with dead matter and violence against innocent beings.
The final renovation of the universe is a state where death and suffering cease. Scriptures suggest that in this perfected future state, humanity will return to a vegetarian diet, making plant-based eating a way to practice for the world to come.
Zoroastrians are called to be guardians of 'beneficent animals' (gospandan). Harming these domestic animals is viewed as a sin that involves the hand, speech, and thought in unrighteousness.
The Avesta teaches that dead bodies (nasu) are sources of decomposition and harm. Consuming flesh is seen as introducing this putridity into the body, which is contrary to the Zoroastrian goal of maintaining physical and spiritual health.
The faith encourages a life of harmlessness and universal lovingkindness. This extends to all creations of Ahura Mazda, emphasizing that the life of an animal is predetermined by God and should not be cut short by human appetite.
“Abstain rigorously from eating the flesh of kine and all beneficent animals (gospandan) least you be made to face a strict reckoning in this world and the next.”
— Adarbad Mahraspandan, High Priest and Prime Minister
“Be plant-eaters (urwar khwarishn), O you people, so that you may live long. And stay away from the body of useful animals.”
— High Priest Atrupat-e Emetan, Dinkard Book 6
“Though you may eat but a mouthful, you involve your hand in sin, and though a camel be slain by (another) person in another place, it is as if you (who eat its flesh) had slain it with your own hand.”
— Adarbad Mahraspandan
“Within (Thy) Dominion (O Ahura Mazda) all living creatures are nourished on account of Vohu Manah.”
— Gatha ha 34.3
“Why kill innocent animals and make this stomach a graveyard of ‘animals’? Instead of caring for the body, one should take greater care of the soul.”
— Brahmin sage to hero Kersasp, Kersasp Nameh
“Eating meat seems improper according to our sacred religion... in the ceremony of afringan, it is required to offer dry fruits, flowers, milk and water.”
— Dasturji Saheb Erachji of Navsari, Rehbar-e-Din-e Zarthoshti
In practice
According to the Shahnameh by Firdowsi Tusi, the transition from a plant-based diet to meat-eating was not a natural evolution but a deception by Ahriman (the devil). Disguised as a cook named Iblis, Ahriman served King Zohak dishes made from the flesh of birds and animals to lead him toward tyranny and destruction.
This narrative serves as a warning that the consumption of animals is linked to evil intent and the disruption of the Divine Event of Frashogard. By choosing plants, believers reject the influence of Ahriman and return to the diet intended by the Creator.
In practice
The Bundahishn describes the history of human nutrition, noting that the first humans, Mashye and Mashyane, initially fed on water and plants. It predicts that as the world approaches resurrection, humanity will gradually desist from meat and milk, returning to a diet of vegetables and water.
High Priest Atrupat-e Emetan, writing in the Dinkard, explicitly urged people to be 'plant-eaters' (urwar khwarishn) to ensure long life and to honor the fact that Ohrmazd created plants specifically for the benefit of both humans and useful animals.
In practice
Bahman Ameshaspand is the Yazata (angel) who protects the entire animal kingdom, including birds and fish. Harming animals is considered an offense against this divine being.
To honor Bahman, Zoroastrians observe specific meatless days. This practice serves as a monthly reminder of the ideal state of compassion and the importance of protecting those under Bahman's care.
In practice
The concept of 'drij-e nasu' refers to the putridity of dead matter. Zoroastrian teachings suggest that since a corpse is considered impure, consuming flesh brings that impurity into the human system, leading to disease.
Prominent scholars like Ervad Dr. Peshotan Peer argue that vegetarianism is the only natural food for mankind, noting that human physiology—specifically our teeth—resembles herbivorous creatures rather than carnivores.
In practice
The life of the Prophet Zarathushtra is traditionally associated with a profound respect for living beings. According to the scholar Behramgor Tehmuras Anklesaria, the Prophet’s parents maintained a diet free from flesh, subsisting on milk and plant-based foods. This foundation suggests that Zarathushtra’s own physical form was built upon non-violent sustenance, setting a spiritual precedent for his followers.
This lineage of harmlessness is reflected in the belief that ancient Zoroastrians were originally plant-eaters. The introduction of meat-eating is often viewed through a historical lens as a departure from ancestral customs, particularly following periods of external conflict and cultural disruption. Returning to a plant-based diet is thus seen by many as a restoration of the original, pure state of the faith.
In practice
In the Persian epic Shahnameh, the poet Firdowsi Tusi recounts a cautionary tale regarding the origins of meat-eating. It is said that Ahriman, the spirit of deceit, disguised himself as a cook named Iblis to serve the tyrannical King Zohak. By introducing dishes made from the flesh of birds and animals, Ahriman sought to harden the human heart and disrupt the divine balance of the world.
This story serves as a symbolic warning that the consumption of animals is not a natural human inclination but an artifice designed to hinder spiritual progress. By rejecting meat, believers are seen as resisting these ancient deceptions and working toward the 'Frashogard,' the final renovation and healing of the world where death and cruelty will cease to exist.
In practice
Throughout history, Zoroastrian High Priests have provided clear guidance on the ethics of diet. Adarbad Mahraspandan, a prominent priest during the Sasanid era, warned that even a single mouthful of flesh involves the hand in sin. He taught a doctrine of collective responsibility, suggesting that if an animal is slain elsewhere, the one who consumes the flesh shares in the act as if they had performed it themselves.
Later, in the 11th century, High Priest Atrupat-e Emetan echoed these sentiments in the Dinkard. He explicitly urged the people to be 'urwar khwarishn' (plant-eaters) to ensure a long and healthy life. He emphasized that Ohrmazd created a vast variety of plants specifically for the benefit of both humans and animals, implying that the earth provides ample nourishment without the need for slaughter.
In practice
The Gathas and later commentaries link the protection of animals directly to 'Vohu Manah,' or the Good Mind. In Gatha ha 46.4, it is noted that those who prevent the free movement and life of cattle are acting with 'evil strength.' Conversely, those who liberate animals from harm are said to open the paths of wisdom for themselves.
This stewardship extends beyond mere abstinence from meat; it is a proactive protection of the animal kingdom. Because Bahman Ameshaspand (the archangel of the Good Mind) is the guardian of all animals, including birds and fish, any act of kindness toward these creatures is an act of devotion to the divine order. Protecting the innocent is viewed as a prerequisite for spiritual sagacity.
In practice
The Bundahishn, a foundational text on Zoroastrian cosmogony, describes a spiritual evolution in how humans consume food. It notes that the first humans, Mashye and Mashyane, transitioned from water to plants, then milk, and finally meat. However, the text suggests that as humanity approaches the time of resurrection and future existence, this process will reverse.
In the coming millennium of Hoshedarmah, the text predicts that human appetite will diminish and the desire for meat will be the first to be discarded. This is followed by the cessation of milk and bread, until humanity exists in a state of 'superabundance' through spiritual nourishment. Choosing a plant-based diet today is seen by some as aligning oneself with this future state of perfection.
In practice
When discussing vegetarianism within the Parsi and Zoroastrian community, it is helpful to frame the choice as a 'tarikat' or essential spiritual practice rather than a modern Western import. Highlighting the 'Anahita' or purity of the body helps others see that avoiding 'nasu' (dead matter) is consistent with traditional laws of hygiene and ritual purity.
It is important to approach these conversations with the 'Universal Lovingkindness' mentioned in the faith's ideals. Rather than judging those who follow common customs, one can point to the meatless days of Bahman, Mohor, Gosh, and Ram as existing evidence of the religion's inherent preference for a plant-based life. This makes the transition feel like a deeper commitment to one's own heritage.
Food
During the month of Bahman, Zoroastrians traditionally prepare wholesome vegetarian meals.
Valid religious offerings for ceremonies include dry fruits, flowers, milk, and water.
Traditional diets in ancient times were based on matters grown from the soil, such as grains and fruits.
Consecrated food in the millennium of Hoshedarmah is said to sustain humans for three days and nights.
The 'innocent diet' of sages described in literature consists of vegetables and simple plants.
Milk was historically a transitional food but is omitted in the highest state of spiritual diet described in the Bundahishn.
Traditional Parsi cuisine features many vegetable-forward dishes like 'Dhan Dar' (yellow lentils) which can be served with 'Patia' (a spicy tomato-based sauce) using vegetables instead of fish.
During Bahman Mah, many families prepare 'Khichdi' and 'Sas' using plant-based ingredients to maintain the month's sanctity.
The use of 'Gwashm' (consecrated food) in the future millennium is said to provide such strength that a single taste sustains a person for days, highlighting the spiritual nature of true nourishment.
Ancient Zoroastrian diets focused heavily on 'cereal food' and 'grass and fodder' for cattle, as mentioned in Gatha 5.20, emphasizing a grain-and-plant-based agricultural foundation.
Arguments
These are not arguments against religion; they are arguments made by practising Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Pagans and Quakers about what their own commitments imply once industrial animal agriculture is described honestly.
Every scripture quoted on these pages was written in a world of small herds, named animals and visible slaughter. None of them contemplated seventy billion land animals a year in windowless sheds. Believers who go plant-based rarely claim to have found a hidden vegan verse — they argue that the old rule of mercy, applied to a genuinely new system, produces a new answer.
Common to every tradition covered here.
Kosher and halal law, and the Hindu and Buddhist expectations around the life of a cow or a bird, all presuppose an animal that was fed, watered, rested and handled without cruelty before death. Industrial rearing violates that precondition long before the knife. A growing number of rabbis, imams and pandits argue that the requirement therefore fails at the farm even where the slaughterhouse is certified.
The traditional gentle picture — milk freely given, eggs simply gathered — described a household animal. Modern dairy involves annual insemination and the removal of calves; modern laying involves the killing of male chicks. Traditions that permit dairy on the grounds that it costs the animal nothing are, on their own logic, obliged to look at what it costs her now.
Feeding the stranger appears as an obligation in nearly every tradition: langar, iftar, the parish supper, prasadam, the Sabbath table. A plant-based table is the most inclusive one available — no guest is excluded by kashrut, halal, caste custom, allergy or conscience. Communities that make the switch usually discover that hospitality got easier, not harder.
Animal agriculture is a leading driver of deforestation, freshwater use and greenhouse emissions. Traditions that teach the earth is entrusted to us — from Laudato Si' to the Zoroastrian duty to keep water and soil unpolluted — increasingly treat diet as part of that trust rather than a private preference.
Several traditions treat the body as something held in trust: Adventists have taught a plant-based diet for over a century, and their longevity data is among the most studied in nutrition science. Where scripture asks believers to guard their health, well-planned plant-based eating is one of the few dietary patterns with strong evidence behind it.
Action
Objections
Every community raises roughly the same questions. None of them are unreasonable, and none of them are new. Here is how practitioners inside these traditions usually answer.
Usually, yes — permission is not the same as a command, and almost every tradition frames that permission as a concession hedged with conditions: gratitude, restraint, avoidance of cruelty, limits on when and how. Plant-based believers argue that when those conditions can no longer be met, the permission no longer applies in practice.
Most traditions with a sacrificial history no longer practise animal sacrifice, and their own reformers argued against it long ago — the Hebrew prophets, early Christian teachers, Buddhist and Jain critiques of Vedic ritual. Choosing plants is generally presented as continuing that internal argument, not rejecting the tradition.
Congregations that start with food rather than doctrine report the opposite. Adding good plant-based dishes to a shared meal excludes nobody; removing everything at once and lecturing about it divides quickly. Every kit recommends the first approach.
Nearly every kit includes plant-based versions of the specific festival foods of its tradition, developed by cooks from inside that community, precisely because the meaning of the dish lives in the occasion and the recipe rather than the animal.
Slaughterhouse work is among the most dangerous and most exploitative employment in industrialised countries, intensive farms concentrate pollution in the poorest neighbourhoods, and grain fed to livestock competes with human food. Faith-based advocates tend to present this as one justice question, not two.
Major dietetic associations state that well-planned plant-based diets are appropriate at every stage of life, including pregnancy, infancy and old age, with attention to vitamin B12 and a few other nutrients. Communities usually ask a dietitian to review the menus they serve.
Many have simply never been asked. The kits behind these pages exist because clergy requested material they could read, check against their own sources and preach from. Bringing one of them to a leader is a normal and welcome request, not a challenge.
No tradition here demands perfection, and several explicitly warn against the pride that chases it. The consistent counsel is direction of travel: one meal, one meeting, one festival at a time.
Get started
Almost every advocacy kit recommends the same unglamorous sequence. It works because it starts with hospitality rather than argument.
Make a single monthly gathering fully plant-based, cooked by people who cook well. Nothing persuades like a good lunch that nobody expected to enjoy.
Plant milk beside the tea urn, a vegan option on every table, labelled clearly. No announcements required.
A rabbi, imam, priest, monk, granthi or Friend who eats this way and can explain it from your own sources carries further than any outside campaigner.
Run a short study series on the passages about animals in your own scripture. Let people reach their own conclusions with the sources in front of them.
Review what the community buys: leather, silk, wool, down, animal-tested products, and the charities it supports. Small procurement changes outlast enthusiasm.
Resources
Questions
Shared threads
Long before anyone used the word vegan, every tradition on this page had a word for refusing to cause needless harm. Those words are not interchangeable — each carries its own history, law and practice — but placed side by side they show how widely shared the underlying instinct is.
| Word | Tradition | What it asks of us |
|---|---|---|
| Ahimsa | Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism | Non-injury in thought, word and deed — the first vow, and the measure against which every other practice is judged. |
| Tza'ar ba'alei chayim | Judaism | The prohibition on causing distress to living creatures, a Torah-level obligation that overrides considerable convenience and cost. |
| Rahma | Islam | Mercy — the attribute by which God is named at the opening of almost every chapter of the Qur'an, and which the Prophet extended explicitly to animals. |
| Stewardship / dominion as care | Christianity | Responsibility for creation modelled on a shepherd rather than an owner: the animals are entrusted, not surrendered. |
| Daya | Sikhism | Compassion as one of the five virtues, expressed daily in langar — a free meal served to anyone, traditionally meat-free so that nobody is excluded. |
| Metta / karuna | Buddhism | Lovingkindness and compassion cultivated deliberately towards all sentient beings, including those who end up on plates. |
| Testimony of peace | Quakers | A refusal to participate in violence that many Friends have extended from war to the systematic killing of animals. |
| Asha / good thoughts, words, deeds | Zoroastrianism | Alignment with truth and right order, including care for the good creation of water, earth, plants and animals. |
Swipe sideways to read the full table.