Introduction to Jainsim

Author(s): Dewan Bahadur A B Lathe
Publisher: Jain Mitra Mandal

Page 35

JAINISM
27
"Religion is defined as Non-killing; killing is irreligious. So, those who desire piety should be compassionate towards beings. Non-killing, Truth, Non-stealing, Celibacy-in these four, every duty has been included.” *
About the non-eatables in Jainism, the Maha Bharat says:"Pilgrimage, meditation and penance are in vain for those who use intoxicants, take their dinners at night and who cat roots of trees."†
The Bhagvat says with regard to the same subject:
Abandoning intoxicants, animal food and honey; giving up cating the five Udumbars (fruits full of minute lives); not eating at night; this is the characteristic of a Brahmin.f
So again says the Shiva Dharma :
"In liquars, flesh, honey and butter removed from curd innumerable small lives take birth and die away."
There are Hindu authorities to which may be added the Parsee, the Mussalman and the Christian as regards non-killing, eating fiesh, and drinking wines.
ग्रहिसाक्षरो धर्मो धर्मः प्राणिनां वधः || तस्माद्धर्माभिर्लोके कर्तव्या प्राणिनां दया १ श्रहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं तथा मैथुनवर्जनम् ॥ चतुवेंपुसूक्तषु सर्वे धर्माः प्रकीर्तिताः २
* मासाशनं राम्रो भोजनं कन्दनक्षरणम् ॥ ये कुर्वन्ति वृथा तेषां तीर्थयात्रा उपस्तपः १
ममत्यागी त्यक्तोदुग्व पंचकः ॥ निधाहारपरित्यक्त एतदब्राह्मणलक्षणम् १