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Jains pursue the practice of non-violence in their day-to-day lives reinforcing it by the principles and practice of 'nonpossessiveness' and 'non-absolutism'. These three together chart out a way of living for the entire human community not only related to inter-human relations but also in terms of relating to other living species as well as the natural environment. The guiding factor shaping the Jain way of life is “do not kill others to survive and live”. Nature provides enough for all of us to share and prosper without hurting, exploiting or slaughtering animals and birds. They may be voiceless and defenseless, but have souls like the humans.
In principled terms, vegetarianism preached and practiced by the Jain community symbolizes the recognition as well as implementation of "the right to life”. It is not enough to talk about human life alone. It is equally important to talk about prevention of cruelty to birds and beasts, to heal their wounds or to cure their diseases. Far more important is not to wipe them out of existence, not to cut short their lift span prematurely and not to eat their dead flesh for one's sustenance. Aren't they entitled to their normal life span as much as humans are in the process of going through the cycle of birth and death in different incarnations?
In the Jain holy text “PURUSHARTHASIDDHYUPAI”, Acharya Amritchandra deals extensively with the spiritual rationale of vegetarianism as an integral part of the right and rational conduct (Samyak Charitra):
न विना प्राणिविधातात्मांसस्योत्पत्तिरिष्यते यस्मात् । HİHİ HET919 Thriftaifa féht 1165 11 यदपि किल भवति मांसं स्वयमेव मृतस्य महिषवृषभादेः । तत्रापि भवति हिंसा तदाश्रित निगोत निर्मशनात् ॥ 66।।
आमस्वपि पक्कास्वपि विपच्यमानासु मांसपेशीषु । Harticulatiotai fericia 1167 11
Ahimsa: The Ultimate Winner
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