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Jaina Acāra : Siddhānta aura Svarüpa
255 visible. Further if dry things are used at night, there is no occasion of their being wet with water. But there is a world of difference between the natural sunlight and artificial electric light. Diamonds, pearls and the like are never tested at night. The lotus blooms not at night. With sunrise there is more of oxygen which is essential for hard work. At night there is more of carbondioxide and less of oxygen. This helps plantation but not mankind. At night the digestive system of man shrinks like the lotus plant. Moreover, modern science has well established that rays of the sun are both infra-red and ultra- violet. One of these destroys subule beings. Thus the propriety of taking food at night has also been questioned by science.
Food takes time to digest. If you have a late dinner your sleep is disturbed. You change sides or roam in a dreamy world. All your energy is spent in digesting food. Both Ayurveda and Allopathic researches have established that both heart and abdomen contract with the result that intestines cannot work properly. Because of late dinner, they have to depend on medicines which cannot restore health. Even in electric light insects cannot be saved altogether. When all four kinds of food are forbidden at night, how can dry food be recommended.
Whatever monks eat must be digested before sun-set. Nisīthasūtra says that the expiation for it is no less than four months' fast. The same expiation is for one who swallows his own vomit. Vomiting is the result of non or ill-digestion of food. The other reason is over-eating. Without health there is neither this world nor the next one
He who eats before sunset earns great merit. He who eats but once attains what a regular fire-worshiper merits. For several days impurity is observed if somebody dies in the family. Then how can food at night be justified ? Jaina householders too, have been asked to desist from eating anything at night.
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