Introduction to Jainism and its Culture

SR No.: 001605
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Balbhadra Jain
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 334
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Culture
File Size: 21 MB

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cloth should be put back into the source of water (well or pond)32. Forty-eight minutes after filtering organisms are again produced in the water. In the same way water disinfected with clove gets infected again after six hours and boiled water after twenty-four hours. Thus disinfecting water is a method of avoiding harm to beings.
Drinking filtered water has its own importance in context of health or medical science. If we see a drop of water under a microscope we will find infinite microorganism and sand particles in it. Consuming such water causes typhoid, cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, worminfection, dyspepsia and other such diseases. On filtering, these organisms and sand particles are reduced, so are the chances of infection.
In fact, drinking filtered water is not harmful at all; it is always beneficial.
In Jain tradition special emphasis has been given to drinking filtered water just like that on not eating during night. Therefore, the tendency still prevails and this also has become a sign of Jain identity.
CENSURE OF NON-VEGETARIAN FOOD
Those who have faith in ahimsā will have to necessarily abandon eating meat. Meat is not available without hissā or killing. Therefore, meat eating necessarily involves himsā. Those who pose to be compassionate and are still non-vegetarian are trying to nurture a creeper with fire. Without killing a being it is impossible to get meat. Punya or merit cannot be accumulated without compassion and with compassion the tendency to eat meat is incompatible. In fact, it is not the meat eater alone who is committing the sin of violence, all those who are involved in slaughtering, cooking, and selling are responsible for that sin.
Violence does not stop at just at Willing the being that is the source of meat. In fact, it causes death of infinite beings because every moment infinite micro-organism are produd in flesh. Thus even one morsel of meat involves killing of innumerable beings. Some people consider eating dried meat or meat of a naturally dead animal to be
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