The Jain 1998 07

Author(s): Amrit Godhia, Pradip Mehta, Pravin Mehta
Publisher: UK Jain Samaj Europe

Page 79

10th anniversary praishtha mahotsava
prepared for sensual pleasure, for e.g. sweets, milk products. In India, it is customary to take milk savoury and fried food.
from a buffalo or cow. The first entitlement to this milk
is that of the infant buffalo or calf. In rural India, Jains Saatvika food (pure, nutritious food) is obtained
are very careful in taking milk from these animals, without any overt violence, for e.g. grains, milk
making sure that their offsprings are not deprived. products, fruit, vegetables etc.
Urbanisation has forced them to accept milk from Saatvika food is advocated for sound physical and modern dairies, and due to the violence involved to mental health. Jain scriptures describe four types of
the cows in such dairies, some Jains have become morsel food and avoid them when they take vows of vegans. austerities such as fasting and cauvihaara (renunciation
The Jain diet is pure, nutritious and obtained of all four types of morsel food):
without any overt violence and it sustains their physical Asan: solid, soft or liquid food by which one can
and mental health: consisting of grains, pulses, milk, satisfy hunger (grains, pulses, dairy products,
yoghurt (curd), ghee (clarified butter), buttermilk, vegetables, fruit, sweets, etc.)
vegetables and fruit. The Jain seers have divised
excluding the items from one's diet, which are produced Paan: liquids (drinks, water, etc.)
by overt violence, and are not conducive to physical
and mental health. Jains avoid root and other prohibited Khaadim: dry foods by which one can partially
vegetables, but there is some controversy among satisty hunger (popcorn, papodam, nuts, etc.);
vegetarians about whether milk is an animal product. Svaadim: foods that can enhance the taste
Jains believe that the bacteria in milk are similar to (chutneys, pickles, and spices such as cloves, black
those found in vegetables and, if milk is obtained by pepper, ginger, etc.) (Jain N.1996: p.509).
non-violent means and is surplus to the needs of the
calf, they see no harm in drinking it. They will not Jains are strict vegetarians; their religious life accept eggs (fertilised or unfertilised), as their bacteria prohibits them harming any form of life, which has are similar to those in meat. more than one-sense. Even while procuring plant food, they are very careful in the selection, preservation and
The Jains distinguish different foods according to cooking, so as to minimise violence to plants and other
the violence involved in consuming them: one-sense life. They intend not to harm any form of .
maximum violence involving harm to mobile life, but regret having to harm some one-sense forms
creatures: meat, alcohol, honey and butter; as they have no alternative for their sustenance. Their diet is based on the principle of ahimsa and their extensive violence to one-sense and to some mobile carefulness and concern for living beings can be seen creatures: the root vegetables and five udumbar in their daily rituals, when they ask for forgiveness for fruit; hurting any form of life intentionally or unintentionally. Moreover, there is no single set of rules for their diet,
major violence to one-sense beings and but it is moulded according to various religious
innumerable mobile creatures: beans or pulses with considerations, customs and traditions. Some Jains will
raw milk or milk products and raw pickles set a numerical limit to the types of food they will eat,
lesser violence to one-sense creatures: grains, some will renounce certain types of food temporarily
pulses, vegetables and fruit. or permanently, some will fast periodically, but almost all will avoid prohibited food stuffs.
Jains avoid eating at night, as they believe that after
sunset many invisible beings that grow are attracted to Foods which are procured by violent means and/
food, some of them rest on the food. Eating at night or which harm the physical or mental health are
causes harm to these invisible creatures, moreover, prohibited. Cooked food kept overnight, even though
eating at night affects one's physical and mental health, it may be pure, nutritious and acceptable, is not Jain
which medical science also agrees. food, as it can harm one's health and can be a reproductive medium for micro-organisms.
It is impossible to get perfect non-violent food.
Fasting is the only way to avoid violence completely, Jains are lacto-vegetarians, they take milk and but this is impossible to sustain indefinitely. Vigilance
Never tell someone they're wrong; that's a disastrous tactic.
- Dale Camegie
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