Buddha, a powerful Avatar, appeared in the Gaya district (Bihar) as the son of Anjana. He spread his own interpretation of the concept of non-violence and even rejected animal sacrifices authorized by the Vedas, the original holy scriptures. At the time of his advent, the majority of mankind was lapsing into atheism and exhibiting an immoderate taste for the consumption of animal flesh. Under the pretext of performing Vedic sacrifices, practically every house had been transformed into a slaughterhouse, and free rein was given to the killing of animals. Taking pity on the poor animals, Buddha began to preach non-violence. He spread the idea that he attached no faith to the Vedic norm, but strongly emphasized the harmful psychological effects of animal slaughter.
The people of the present age, deprived of faith in God and their intelligence diminished, then adhered to his principles and thereby initiated themselves into moral discipline and non-violence, the two preliminary stages to any progress in the realization of God. In this way, he deceived the atheists, for while they refused to believe in God, they had absolute faith in him, who was nothing less than a manifestation of God. The unbelievers therefore believed in God, in the form of Buddha. Such was his mercy, he ensured that the infidels believed in him.
Before the arrival of Buddha, the dominant feature in society was the slaughter of animals, under the pretext of Vedic sacrifices. When the Vedas are not approached through the authorized succession from master to disciple, minds are easily led astray by the flowery language that conveys this immense knowledge. Lord Krishna affirms that such unfortunate minds will necessarily go astray, because they do not receive the knowledge of the Vedas from the purely spiritual sources of master-disciple succession. Indeed, they do not see beyond ritual sacrifices, which is why God further affirms that their knowledge has no depth. All the knowledge contained in the Vedas is intended to gradually raise us up to the Supreme Lord. All the Vedic texts are centered on the knowledge of the Supreme Lord, the separate soul, the universal order and the links existing between these various objects. When one knows these links, one begins to act accordingly, and the goal of existence, which is to return to God, is then most easily attained. But unfortunately, people who possess a false erudition about the Vedas allow themselves to be fascinated by the purificatory ceremonies, or rites, alone, and their spiritual progress is thus hindered.
Buddha came to lead all these impious people, led astray by atheism, to theism. This is why he first wanted to put an end to their habit of slaughtering animals. Animal killers actually represent dangerous elements on the path to return to God. There are two types: those who slaughter animals strictly speaking, but also those who have abandoned their spiritual identity, since the soul is also sometimes called “the animal,” or the living being. Maharaja Pariksit affirmed that only animal killers will never be able to taste the sublime message of the Supreme Lord.