Significance of Poya Day Practices
The Butcher's Day Off
Ven. Shravasti Dhammika
While the early Buddhists considered killing for any reason to be wrong
they also recognized that many people did not agree with them, that
some people might want to kill a chicken to have for lunch and that
other people enjoyed hunting. Not wanting to impose their values on
others while at the same time hoping to create a more humane society,
the custom developed in India to have what were called non-killing days
(maghata, Vin.I,217) when no criminals were executed, no animals were
slaughtered and no hunting was allowed.
Such days were usually announced by the beat of a drum (Ja.IV,115).
In 243 BCE King Asoka issued an edict banning the killing, castrating
or branding of animals on certain days of every month. The custom of
observing non-killing days survived even up to the Muslim period. In
his Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri the emperor Jahangir (reigned 1605-27) wrote;
'I ordered that each year from the 18th of Rabiu-l-awal which is my
birthday, for the number of days corresponding to the years of my life,
that people should not slaughter animals for food.'
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