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Jainism: The Cosmic Vision
"How's that?" Paul doubted.
I said, "My dear friend, the cycle of Nature operates in accordance with the surrounding region and environmental circumstances. The ways of Nature are almost wonderful. It gives us, as much as, we need. If you ever try to deprive her of anything, it shall be you that shall be ultimately deprived. All the animals have a habit to breed their species in view of the food quantum and living space available to each of them. This is astonishing, but true. The only exceptional animal is man! Sheeps and goats and hens are also like other animals. If artificial insemination is not applied, their number shall decrease naturally and Stella shall have nothing to worry or afraid about the earth being a huge poultry-farm."
Our discussion on vegetarianism in a beautiful city like Antwarp would seem strange to somebody; it might appear to be a futile exercise. But Stella was interested in vegetarianism and Rene liked vegetarian food, only Paul was a staunch nonvegetarian. The way in which an individual is nurtured plays a decisive role in shaping his or her mental make-up. Indeed, Brusso, the great philosopher, has said that a child by birth vegetarian one, but the parents divert him to nonvegetarianism. By temperament man is vegetarian. People of Greece, where civilization had its earliest dawn, were mostly vegetarian. Pythagoras was himself an active worker of vegetarianism.
is
Our discussion covered many issues. Sometimes some traditional belief picked up from here and there would be forcefully submitted as an argument, sometimes non-vegetarian complex, inherent through the years, would burst out into frustration.
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Vegetarianism
Paul was vehement when he argued, "The most essential thing for man for survival and health is protein. This protein requirement is ensured from meat and eggs. Protein deficiency makes people weak and cowardly. Thus non-vegetarianism is inevitable for human health."
In turn, I put him a question, "Will you please tell me how much protein a human body needs ?" Then I added further, "In case protein is obtained from meat and eggs alone, how does the most mighty animal, the African elephant ensures its protein requirement, even though it is a vegetarian animal ? Which meat food provides vigour to a strong bull or an energetic horse ?"
My presentation nonplused Paul. I continued further, "Dear friend, man's protein requirement is only 4 per cent."
Rene interrupted and said, "I believe it. The issue of protein requirement is exaggerated by meat and egg producers. Latest research has also disclosed that most human body doesn't need more of protein."
I picked up my point and added, "You shall be surprised to know that a bowlful of vegetables or spinage would give you more quantum of protein than what 1 kg of meat would provide and that, too, at some risk !"
Stella was too quick to catch my word 'little risk' and soon she asked, "As for protein requirement, how do you evaluate vegetables as having little risk from meat ?"
Rene was knowledgeable and he seemed to support my point. He said, "Vegetables and spinage provides you protein alone whereas, besides protein, meat provides you fat and cholesterol which are harmful to human health."
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