Vegetarian versus meat-eater

"So simply becoming vegetarian is no great qualification. Somebody is taking meat and somebody is taking vegetable, it does not make any difference." --SP

Srila Prabhupada: "We have no quarrel with the non vegetarians, because vegetable also has got life. The plants, the grass, the trees, the fruits, the flowers, they have also life. They are not dead. So simply becoming vegetarian is no great qualification. Somebody is taking meat and somebody is taking vegetable, it does not make any difference. But we are taking vegetables not as vegetarian; we are taking as krishna-prasadam, remnants of foodstuff offered to Krsna. Those who are vegetarian, they are thinking that "We are better than the nonvegetarian." But it is not the fact. Either you eat vegetables or nonvegetable, you are liable to be punished, because you are accepting something without offering to the supplier. That is the law. We must acknowledge at least that "This foodstuff is supplied by the Supreme Lord, and we are obliged to Him."' (December 4, 1968, LA)

He had no quarrel with non-vegetarians, but when Brahmananda's wife was eating meat in the temple, he was upset with them. Prabhupada was very strict so that his disciples don't eat meat.