JAINA Convention 2009 07 Los Angeles

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 82

15th Biennial JAINA Convention 2009
Ecology - The Jain Way
actually come from such animals. Almost all dairy leather, and silk. The use of animals for all these products come from animals kept in intensive purposes unquestionably involves Himsa. conditions known as "factory farming" that involve unspeakable brutality and violence. Even those THE FUTURE animals who are supposedly raised in "free-range" I became a vegetarian in 1978 after visiting a circumstances, or whose products are advertised slaughterhouse. It was terrible and I became as "organic," are raised in conditions that may be convinced immediately that I could no longer eat only slightly less brutal than the normal factory animal flesh. I eliminated all animal products farm, but all animal agriculture necessarily from my life in 1982 and became a strict involves violence, suffering, and death.
vegetarian when I recognized that there was no
logical or moral distinction between flesh and The person who keeps only one cow must keep dairy or other animal products. They all involved that cow pregnant in order for the animal to give Himsa; they all involved horrible suffering; they milk and this means that there will be a steady all involved death. As a practitioner of Ahimsa, I stream of calves. In most cases, most if not all of could no longer ignore the harm in which I was these calves will end up on someone's table. And participating. whenever a calf is separated from her or his mother, there is tremendous suffering from that the sentiment in the Jain community is moving in event alone. Is a glass of milk or some raita with the direction of strict vegetarianism. Jain our meal worth inflicting even that suffering? The community leaders have sought to facilitate picture of the happy cow grazing in the pasture discussion of this issue within the broader ignores the simple reality that the process of community. But most important of all, Jain youth, producing animal products-however "humane" it particularly those born in the United States and may be involves Himsa. If anyone doubts what I Canada are increasingly embracing strict am saying, go visit the most "humane" dairy farm vegetarianism and not wearing animal clothing as you can find and observe what goes on there. well. As these young people assume positions of Your doubts will be put to rest.
leadership in the Jain community, the rejection of
all animal use will become more widely accepted. Some people think that it is difficult to be a strict vegetarian but that is not the case. There are We live in a world of unspeakable violence that now a large variety of delicious non-dairy "milks" only gets worse by the day. It is more important (soy, rice, almond) available and these can be than at any time in the past to speak up for peace used for cooking and in beverages. There are and nonviolence. Although no one has a delicious vegan "butters" made from soy that can monopoly on these precious values, Jainism is the substitute for ghee. Most Jains have already done only tradition that emphasizes Ahimsa as the what most non-Jains would regard as the difficult foundational principle of spiritual practice. part-they have removed meat, poultry, fish, and Ahimsa Paramo Dharma. Jains are in a unique eggs from their diets. Taking the additional step position to be the emerging voice of sanity in an of eliminating dairy products is the easy part. insane world and have the responsibility to do so.
Nonviolence begins with what we put in and on A note about the use of animals for clothing and our bodies. rituals: Leather is not merely a by-product of the meat industry-it is an important part of the I offer these thoughts respectfully for your economics of that industry. Leather processing consideration. I recognize that many Jains are not has harmful environmental effects. There is yet strict vegetarians and it is not my intention to terrible cruelty involved in producing wool. Silk judge or to offend those people. I am only trying worms are boiled alive to make silk garments. to apply what I understand to be important Jain Once again, there are many alternatives to wool, principles in a consistent way. If I have offended
anyone, Micchami Dukkadam.
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