Jainism 

Jainism
Non-violence - Questions & Answers
Introduction
What do we mean by Himsa - violence?
What is so unique about the non-violence preached by Jainism?
What do we mean by minimizing necessary violence?
But we are told that vegetables and animals both have lives. Then how can eating vegetables be less violent than eating meat?
But meat-eating makes people stronger and healthy. Is it true?
But Non-vegetarians argue that the meat is the best source of protein. Is it true?
Will my being vegetarian stop violence to animals?
Should we react to an attack in self-defense? Should we get rid of violent animals?
Some people may say: What is wrong in being a non-vegetarian if someone else does the killing?
Why meat-eating Europeans and Americans are more civilized, learned and powerful?
How does the vegetarianism help ecology and environment?
Is there any violence involved in using cosmetics?
What’s wrong in wearing silk sarees or silk clothes?
How about the use of leather?
Every one know what’s wrong with the use of alcohol, but what’s wrong about honey?
What kind of professions should we stay away?
Did we miss any significant issues of physical violence?
What do we mean by violence of speech and thoughts?
How do we stop violence of speech and thoughts?
References
Introduction
Ahimsa and Anekäntväd (non-violence and multiplicity of views) are the basis and the life-force of Jainism. All other Jain philosophies are branches off these two main philosophies. Major fundamentals of non-violence are: 1) all living beings are equal, 2) every living being wants to live and does not want to die, 3) every living being wants to be happy and does not like pain and 4) you treat others the way you like to be treated.
  Back to top
What do we mean by Himsa - violence?
The practice of non-violence is judged by our intentions and deliberate actions. If a person deliberately and knowingly harms other living beings, then it is violence. But if involuntarily or in unavoidable circumstances, some insects are killed, then it is an exceptional situation. Whether it is by our actions, or by our speech or in our thoughts, hurting others without any specific reason is himsa - violence.
  Back to top
What is so unique about the non-violence preached by Jainism?
In Jainism, non-violence is a timeless and far-reaching concept that can be applied to essentially every aspect of our lives. Jain philosophy provides extraordinary details with regards to the practice of non-violence. Non-violence does not only mean avoiding unnecessary physical violence but it also means minimizing the violence of thoughts and speech. Jainism says that anger, pride, greed, deceit, jealousy, etc. constitute mental violence. Harsh language, unnecessary talk, lying, insisting on own ideas and not listening to others constitute the violence of speech.
  Back to top
What do we mean by minimizing necessary violence?
Jains are realistic they recognize that the absolute non-violence is not practical by a lay-person. For example, we have to cook (some of us have to), eat, earn, wear and travel. These activities involve certain amount of unintentional but necessary violence. However, while doing these necessary activities, we must minimize the violence. For example: do not waste water and eat vegetables rather than eating meat.
  Back to top
But we are told that vegetables and animals both have lives. Then how can eating vegetables be less violent than eating meat?
The ideal situation for a Jain would be to eat the ripe fruit that has just fallen off a tree. However this is rarely possible. It is true than vegetable plants and animals both have lives. But eating vegetable is less violent because: 1) We do not kill the plant for vegetables. We take leaves, vegetables and fruits off the plants. By removing vegetables and fruits from a tree, we sometimes lengthen the life span of the tree. 2) Animals have more life-force, called präna and more knowledge (purer consciousness) than the vegetables. Therefore, killing animals constitute the higher form of violence. 3) Many other living organisms reside in an animal body and they get multiplied in a dead body. 4) Vegetables have less living cells and more water content.
  Back to top
But meat-eating makes people stronger and healthy. Is it true?
No. It is a wrong belief that animal food makes us stronger and healthy. The human physiology is for eating and digesting vegetarian food and is significantly different than meat-eating animals. Animal food is laced with fat, cholesterol, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and similar harmful ingredients. Meat eaters are more prone to heart failure, cancer and other killer diseases. Animal food transmits as many as 160 contagious diseases to human under natural conditions. Animal food also lowers the immune status. Vegetarianism increases endurance and stamina, and makes people healthy and smart. Vegetarian food prevents various cancers, hemorrhoids, constipation, ulcer and many diseases. Smart animals like elephants, cows, bulls, gorillas, horses, apes and chimpanzees are all vegetarians.
  Back to top
But Non-vegetarians argue that the meat is the best source of protein. Is it true?
No, it is not true. Meat provides much more protein than the daily need of an average person which is 10 to 15 grams. Excessive intake of protein is harmful. In addition, the meat protein is disease-prone. Protein from vegetarian foods (specially from grains) is very useful and quality-prone while it is not excessive. Similarly, vegetarians get their calcium, iron and other vitamin needs from various vegetables, dark and leafy greens, beans, cereals, nuts, fruits, juices, milk, yogurt and 15 to 20 minutes of sunlight daily. Do you know that 120 million animals a week are killed for food in the United States. This is equivalent of one animal per person per year on Earth.
  Back to top
Will my being vegetarian stop violence to animals?
No, not totally but it will definitely decrease violence to animals to some extent. Being vegetarian is a right step in the direction of achieving the goal. In the beginning only one person takes the initiative for every cause, others follow him. Our example will encourage others. Some will renounce animal food, and so on it will go on multiplying.
  Back to top
Should we react to an attack in self-defense? Should we get rid of violent animals?
Well, these are two questions. For lay-persons, to defend against an attack is justifiable. In self-defense, even the killing of a man is considered just, because the motivation is preservation of life. Self defense cannot be considered destruction of life. We have examples in Jain ägams having people gone to heaven while fighting against an attack. But to kill dangerous animals like snakes, lions, wolves and tigers is wrong unless they make an attack on you. 'Live and let live' is the best philosophy to follow. Only Jain monks are not allowed to react to any violent attack.
  Back to top
Some people may say: What is wrong in being a non-vegetarian if someone else does the killing?
This is fallacious since purchasing creates demand and encourages others to kill. Thus it is equivalent to oneself committing the deed. The 'neat' packaging of meat hides the pain that occurred before. It is unfortunate that packaging keeps scenes of slaughterhouses off the minds of the consumers. Mahavir Bhagwan said, "It is himsa (violence) - whether a man kills living beings himself/herself, or causes others to kill them, or gives consent to others to kill."
  Back to top
Why meat-eating Europeans and Americans are more civilized, learned and powerful?
Their civilization, learning or power is not due to meat-eating. It is due to other fine qualities like discipline, hard work, self-effort, higher productivity and quality, open-mindedness, adventurous nature, innovation, honesty, generosity, compassion, good karma and natural resources. They also realize that vegetarianism is good for health. There are already more than 10 million Americans who are vegetarians. Do you know that Albert Einstein, Isäc Newton, George Bernard Shaw, Leo Tolstoy and Socrates were vegetarian. Not to mention Michael Jackson, Madonna and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney.
  Back to top
How does the vegetarianism help ecology and environment?
Vegetarianism promotes animal preservation and forestry, and thus ecology and environment.Let me explain you by giving few statistics: 1) one acre of trees is spared each year by every individual who switches to vegetarian diet, 2) it takes 55 square foot of rain-forest to produce one pound of hamburger 3) it requires 2500 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat (one pound of wheat requires only 50 to 75 gallons of water), 4) 85% of annual US top soil is lost due to raising livestock. Do you know that one pound of beef requires 16 pound of grains and soybeans. Do you know that 15 vegetarians can be fed if one person gives up eating meat.
  Back to top
Is there any violence involved in using cosmetics?
Cosmetics look innocent and cool but there is a lot of hidden violence. Cosmetics use many animal ingredients such as carminic acid, elastin, sperm oil and musk oil. To produce one pound of carminic acid, 70,000 insects are crushed. Another ingredient called "elastin" is obtained from neck lingaments and aorta of cattle. Sperm oil is the oil extracted from intelligent mammal, whale. Musk oil is extracted from musk of deers, beavers, civet cats and other genitals.

Make sure cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoos, skin creams, oven cleaners, shaving creams, etc. have only alternative synthetics and plant tissues, no animal ingredients. or have "Cruelty Free" logo on these products. Read the labels and avoid the products with ingredients like glycerides, gelatin, lecithin, stearates, enzymes, lard and tallow. Do you know that an estimated 14 million animals die every year because of animal testing for cosmetics.

  Back to top
What’s wrong in wearing silk sarees or silk clothes?
Some think that they look cool when they wear silk. Some Jains wear silk when they go to deräsar for pooja. Do you know that the silk is made out of silkworms. To produce 100 grams of pure silk, 1500 silkworms (chrysalis) have to be killed. It is unnecessary to wear silk when we have other alternatives. If you want to look cool, wear artificial silk.
  Back to top
How about the use of leather?
We wear leather belts, leather shoes. We use leather brief cases, we use leather purses. We have leather interior in our cars. We have leather furniture. Some people wear leather belt or carry leather purse when they go to temples. Leather is nothing but the skin of killed animal. Do we need to make a fashion statement by using leather when other alternatives are available?
  Back to top
Every one know what’s wrong with the use of alcohol, but what’s wrong about honey?
It is okay to have our parents call each other honey or they call us honey. But it is himsa to eat honey. Let me explain you how honey is made. Honeybees painstaking takes out the nectar of flowers and put in their pouches (sacs). While extracting the nectar, they also pick up many small insects. Then, the honeybees comeback to their nest and vomits the nectar in the honeycombs. Honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal wax cells built by honeybees in their nest to contain their eggs, offspring and stores of honey. Thus, honey contains many small insects, eggs of bees and disabled bees. Like alcohol, there are millions of single-sense organisms, called nigoda, in honey. Therefore, we should avoid eating honey. Do you know that we commit a sinful act equivalent of burning seven villages by eating one drop of honey.
  Back to top
What kind of professions should we stay away?
We should choose a profession or a business that has minimum amount of violence. The Jain ägams recommend staying away from the trades that involve sufferings and killing of animals, affect our environment and ecology, and pollute or dry-up our natural resources. Trades that involve weapons and explosives, fire, cutting of trees, fermented products like liquor, animal parts like ivory, leather and fur; lard, meat and honey; poisonous and toxic substances, anmal testing & use and prostitution are recommended to stay away from. In addition, we should not buy stocks or invest in such businesses.
  Back to top
Did we miss any significant issues of physical violence?
Yes, Animal testing in medical field and use of animals in entertainment. Animal testing in medical fields can be minimized. Most of the medical testing does not require animals. Consuming a medicine that was tested on animal is a sinful act. Consult your doctor if there is an alternative medicine that was not tested on animal. We should also avoid the entertainment programs that involve use of animals.
  Back to top
What do we mean by violence of speech and thoughts?
We Jains are very careful about physical himsa but we often commit violence of speech and thoughts since we do not fully understand what is the violence of speech and thoughts. Without proper knowledge, we are like a blind person who is surrounded by a fire. Let me give few examples what constitutes the violence of speech and thoughts. Presumptions, suspicion, anger, ego, deceit, greed, spiritual-laziness, lying, spreading unkind rumors, character assassination, deliberate misguidance, forgery, use of harsh language, giving wrong suggestions, hidden agenda, telling one’s secrets to others, manipulation, desire for power, superiority complex, dishonesty, causing fear in others, personal jokes, laughing at someone’s failures or miseries and similar activities constitute violence of thoughts and speech.
  Back to top
How do we stop violence of speech and thoughts?
Do you know that Hitler was a vegetarian? This means that being a vegetarian is not good enough. To be a truly non-violent person, we must develop the virtues of forgiveness, tolerance, humility, straightforwardness and contentment. We must adopt anekäntväd (multiplicity of views) in thinking and syädväd (theory of "from certain point of view") in speaking. Without anekäntväd and syädväd, we will never be real non-violent. Also put four bhävanas - maitri, pramoda, karuna and madhyastha - in daily practice.
  Back to top
References
  1. Various issues of Jain Study Circular and Jain Digest
  2. "Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian, Choose Yourself" by Gopi Nath Aggarwal
  3. "Ahimsa Beyond Vegetarianism" by Youths of Jain Center of Southern California
  4. "Vegetarianism: Answers to the most commonly asked questions" by The North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS)
  5. 1992 & 1993 Lectures by Saman Shrutprajnaji
  6. Various Jain Literature and Books.
  Back to top