Nahta Bandhu Abhinandan Granth

Author(s): Dashrath Sharma
Publisher: Agarchand Nahta Abhinandan Granth Prakashan Samiti

Page 583

Jainism And Vegetarianism
Dr. A. N. Upadhye
Vegetarianism is understood with different significations in different contexts, but, viewed in the back-ground of Jainism, it rmounts to using a strictly vegetarian diet either in the procurement or in the constitution of which no harm or injury to apparently living beings is involved directly or indirectly. It is closely linked up with ihree fundamental principles of Jainism: Ahimsa or Noninjury, Samyamı or Self-control and Tapas or Austerity.
Ahimsā is the basic principle on which the Jaina moral code is built. In sinple words, 'Live and let live' is the creed of Jainism. As every one of us wants to live, enjoy pleasures and escape pain, so every other living being wants to live, enjoy comforts and avoid pain, If we want to exercise our right to live, we must concede the same right to others as well. It is a simple moral law of reciprocity. Naturally man has no right to slaughter animals for his food or for his pleasure, If he does so by his superiority in the cadre of biological evolution, his action is not justifiable in any way. And if he wants to lead a life of justice and equity in society, he must have the highest respect for the entire animal world, nay the sanctity of life as such. This necessitates that he musttake to a vegetarian diet.
Man is endowed with the faculty of discrimination between right and wrong, just and unjust, and fair and unfair. His superiority as man depends on his ability to exercise this faculty with the utmost sincerity. As an enlightened member of society he cannot aftord to arrogate to himself privileges and prerogatives which are not available to others. An individual cannot enjoy any rights without the responsibilities accruing from them . in fact, every respectable citizen has more duties than rights. He is expected to lead a life of self-control. Such a self-control, according to Jainism, amounts to various kinds of restrictions in the matter of foodx, in acquiring possessions, and in the enjoyment of pleasures. Moderation is the first step on the path of self-control. By observation, the Jaina teachers have concluded that animal food not only involves destruction of life but it is also stimulative to the animal passions, and every one, therefore, who wants to lead a sober, sensible and religious life should live on a vegetarian diet.
Austerities of various kinds are prescribed in Jainism, and a pious Jaina is expected to observe different austerities such as fasting, eating less than one's
९४ : अगरचन्द नाहटा अभिनन्दन-ग्रन्थ