Vardhaman Book on Jainism

Author(s): Jayshree Menon
Publisher: Bennete Coleman & Co Ltd

Page 56

talk about vegetarianism, the question we're al- time. They recognised that there is a rhythm in ways asked is don't plants have life? Jainism has life - day and night, the cycles of seasons. Simian answer to this query. We recognise the fivelarly our body too has a rhythm according to the physical senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and Circadian principles. There are three processes hearing as the principal attributes of living be in the digestive system - elimination, digestion, ings. All life forms in the universe are then classi- absorption. The elimination process is from mornfied in terms of the senses found in various crea ing to noon. Our energy level rises as the sun tures. The lowest life forms are those with only rises, so noon is the time when our energy is at one sense, the sense of touch, such as plants. the highest. Our digestion stops before six in the But since human must eat to survive, they are evening. When the sun sets our body prepares allowed to eat life with only one sense, that is for sleep and rest." basically plant life."
Jains normally have their meals before sunset. Dr. Vijaya Venkat who runs the Health Aware. The food is cooked during day light only, never at ness Centre in Mumbai, and who is an authority night. This practice originated in ancient times on nutrition says, "Food should be ecological, evo- when there was no electricity. When a lamp was lutionary and ethical. Jainism scores 100 per cent lit, insects attracted to the flame could die. Bewhen it comes to ethics regarding food. Also be- sides, going to bed soon after dinner is not very cause of the numerous restrictions, Jains normally healthy, so when Jainism advocated an early dindon't overeat."
ner, it was again health driven, besides being reShe believes that the ligious Jains are supposed to drink boiled water
Jain philosophy of live only. Jain monks never fall sick as a result of drinkFood should
and let live is very impor- ing this water.
tant and necessary for Vegetables and fruits that grow underground be ecological, evolution. "We can never (roots of plants) are prohibited as a general rule.
recapture what our an. The reason being, if we pull out the plant from evolutionary and
cestors had by way of dis- the root, we destroy the entire plant, and with it ethical. Jainism
cipline. We have de- all the other micro organisms around the root.
stroyed nature and sen- Dr. Venkat adds, "About an inch below the soil, scores 100 per cent
sitivity. We don't even there is a rich growth of micro-organisms around when it comes to
have to validate ancient the root, so when we pull it out, we are destroy
culture through science. ing a life cycle." ethics regarding food Tradition is more impor- Fresh fruits and vegetables should be plucked - Dr. Vijaya
tant."
only when ripe and ready to fall off, or ideally
The medical reasons after they have fallen off the plant. In case they Venkat
for being a vegetarian are plucked from the plants, only as much as reare relatively a modern quired should be procured and consumed withphenomenon; mostly out waste.
evolving during the past Roots are supposed to increase your sensuous half a century or so, after developments in mod feelings. Sour and spicy food is rajasik. Only satwik ern medicine established links between certain food keeps the mind clean, makes you ailments and a non-vegetarian diet.
samatabhavi, gives you equanimity. Alcohol, meat Dr. Venkat too believes that our bodies are not and even honey are forbidden. Honey because you designed to digest non-vegetarian food. "The have to burn the beehives to get it and also the fact Jains are definitely right when they believe that that you drive away the bees and usurp their hard one must not consume meat. Our body cannot achieved collection of honey which is not accepted digest non-vegetarian food. In the human diges by Jainism. tive system, the saliva and blood is alkaline while In the case of food grains, such as wheat, rice, meat products and other products are acidic." maize and beans, these are obtained when the In fact, Jains also avoid eating onion and garlic. plants or the pods are dry and dead. Mushrooms Dr. Shah explains, "The onion is made up of and fungus are not eaten by Jain families because many cells, so eating it would mean killing many they are parasites and grow under unhygienic lives. It was found later that eating onions and conditions. garlic also lead to an increase in tamasik Honey, vinegar, molasses and wine are taboo. behaviour that leads to aggression."
So are vegetables, like jack fruit, that bleed on
cutting and when cooked look like meat. VegFood Practices with a medical relevance etables like cabbage are peeled layer by layer, According to Dr. Vijaya Venkat the practice of each leaf cleaned and washed before cutting and having our meals before sunset and after sun cooking, in case there are insects and worms in rise, is something we must follow like orthodox between the leaves. Similarly, leafy vegetables Jains. "Our ancestors were really far, far ahead of must be cleaned well before consumption.
VARDHAMAN 56