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CONDUCT
C08 - Application of Nonviolence
07 Summary Jainism prohibits all kinds of intoxicants and stimulants. Though violence is unavoidable in the sustenance of life, Jainism, by rules of conduct, limits any violence to the bare minimum for the purpose of sustaining life. The rules of conduct never sanction injury, but they restrict it to the lowest possible minimum by taking into account the level of development of the injured living beings. The higher the stage of development of the injured being is, the closer it has approached the state of perfection, and the more sin is committed. Thus, from a practical point of view, the sin of hurting a plant is smaller than that of hurting an animal; the sin of hurting an animal is smaller than that of hurting a human being, etc. From this standpoint, it can be understood why Jainism forbids flesh-eating and, on the other hand, allows consumption of vegetables.
Compendium of Jainism - 2015
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