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Śramana, Vol 58, No. 2-3/April-September 2007
richest to the poorest door, and so they had no difficulty in getting the vegetarian food.
204 :
In this way detailed explanations have been given of the disputable passages and it has been proved on good authority that those passages referred to vegetable food only, that is, no trace has been found in the Jaina Agamas to make us doubt that meat-eating was common among the Jaina monks and the Jaina sect of old, nor has it ever been known that meat-eating has been resorted to by any one of the many sects of Jains or any serious and sincere follower of Jainism in these days.
This proves beyond doubt that meat-eating was not at all prevalent among the Jains of old and is not so in these days too. Still if a researcher will be able to prove otherwise on the strength of his indisputable research, the question will certainly engage the attention of all for due consideration on that. It is, therefore, as futile as it is unnecessary to grope in the dark to find out a thing which does not exist at all.
My last request is that interpretations suggested by me of the disputable passages and the reasonings and arguments given in support thereof, may be well thought over and their propriety or appropriateness may be considered from the various standpoints, of usage in language, grammar, their context with reference to allied passages in the Sūtras etc.
In the end I bring this chapter to a close with a request to the interested readers and critics to overlook and draw my attention to the draw my attention to the drawbacks as no one can claim to be perfect and infallible.
References:
1. Suagado, Jaina Vishva Bharati, Ladnun, 1984-1/85
2. Acaranga Sutra by Prof. Ravji Devraj, page 131.
