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An Exponent of India's Priceless Cultural Heritage He explains systematically that even among the vegetables we have certain reasons for objecting to certain kind of vegetables. While these rules are not to be found among the Brahmins, the Jainas observe them strictly. With us no vegetable is eaten which is grown underground, because it takes its quality from the minerals, without contact from the sunlight, and so it would belong to the third class, and of course have the third quality. We do not encourage such food on that account.
People may say, “But what can we eat?" But there are so many kinds of fruits, cereals, nuts, etc., there is no necessity for living on one sort of food. Some may say, "What can those persons who live in cold climates where there are no vegetables do?" "If I am placed in a position where I must either starve or commit murder of a human being, what shall I do?" It would be better to starve. We are all quite sure with regard to the immortality of the soul. That is not the soul which dies; all religions agree on that point, that the soul is not a transient entity. If it is going to live for ever. Why do we care simply for the body and not for the soul?
Suppose the vegetable food is not better than the animal; man has not, therefore, a right to crush down the other beings which inhabit the universe. Another argument is that if the 'animals are allowed to increase, they will become injurious through their numbers. We know there will not be super-abundance among people who do not make a business of raising cattle for the purpose of killing them.
In our country, where there is no such a thing as cattlefarming for the purpose of killing them but only for the purpose of giving milk, there has never been a superabundance of animals. Those who have lived mostly on meat do not understand cooking vegetables. The cooking in this country is equivalent to boiling, and boiling is not cooking, that is, the food should be cooked to such a degree that it is palatable, nutritious and not injurious.
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