BG Chap 18 - The opinion of the Sāṅkhya and Mīmāṁsaka philosophers

The Sāṅkhya philosophers say that all actions should be given up, since by their very nature actions breed violence to other creatures. Desiring to avoid the reactions that fruitive actions bring, they encourage renunciation of all karma-kāṇda activities, which have as their main fault violence toward animals during sacrifice. Therefore, one should give up all these actions as being causes of impurity. Also, there is the possibility of violence in procuring the ingredients of sacrifice. They say all prescribed duties should be given up. The Mīmāṁsakas say that activities such as sacrifice, charity and austerity should never be given up, because one incurs no sin from performing what is prescribed in the Vedas. Even if there is violence in the actions, there is no fault because it is following the principles of dharma according to the Vedas. The injunction of non violence stated in the Vedas is a general rule, and speaks of incurring sin for actions other than sacrifice. The sacrifice cannot at all be criticized.