Jain vegetarianism

Jain vegetarianism is the diet of the Jains, the followers of Jainism. It is the most radical form of religiously motivated diet regulation in the Indian subcontinent.

Like in Hinduism and Buddhism, Jain objections to the eating of meat and fish are based on the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa, literally "non-injuring"). Every act by which a person directly or indirectly supports killing or injury is seen as violence (himsa), which creates harmful karma. The aim of ahimsa is to prevent the accumulation of such karma. The extent to which this intention is put into effect varies greatly among Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Jains consider nonviolence to be the most essential religious duty for everyone (ahiṃsā paramo dharmaḥ, a statement often inscribed on Jain temples). It is an indispensable condition for liberation from the cycle of reincarnation, which is the ultimate goal of all Jain activities. Jains share this goal with Hindus and Buddhists, but their approach is particularly rigorous and comprehensive. Their scrupulous and thorough way of applying nonviolence to everyday activities, and especially to food, shapes their entire lives and is the most significant hallmark of Jain identity. A side effect of this strict discipline is the exercise of asceticism, which is strongly encouraged in Jainism for lay people as well as for monks and nuns. Unlike many Western vegetarians, Jains believe that meat – just like other forbidden foods and drinks such as alcohol – is enjoyable and tempting, and that this temptation must be resisted.

Historical background
When Mahavira revived and reorganized the Jain movement in the 6th or 5th century BCE, ahimsa was already an established, strictly observed rule. Parshva, a famous Jain leader (Tirthankar) whom modern Western historians consider to be a historical figure, lived in about the 8th century BCE and founded a community to which Mahavira’s parents belonged. Parshva’s followers vowed to observe ahimsa; this obligation was part of their "Fourfold Restraint" (caujjama dhamma). Mahavira adopted it into his code of conduct.

In the times of Mahavira and in the following centuries Jains criticized Buddhists and followers of the Vedic religion or Hindus for negligence and inconsistency in the implementation of ahimsa. In particular, they strongly objected to the Vedic tradition of animal sacrifice with subsequent meat eating and to the hunting by Hindu warriors, the Kshatriyas.

There is some evidence, however, that ancient Jain ascetics accepted meat as alms if the animal had not been specifically killed for them. If this is correct, then they applied the same standard as early Buddhists. Two of the earliest Jain scriptures, the Acaranga Sutra and the Dasaveyaliya, contain regulations for specific types of meat and fish which were considered to be acceptable alms. Moreover, another ancient canonical source, the Viyahapannatti, tells a story where Mahavira himself eats the meat of a cock killed by a cat. Medieval Jain commentators of these passages interpreted them in the usual sense (meat eating), but some of them also mentioned the opinion that the offensive words had different meanings, some of which did not refer to animals, and hence the contents were compatible with vegetarianism. Modern Jains, who are strict vegetarians, vehemently deny that Mahavira and his disciples ever ate meat.

Implementation

 * For Jains either lacto-vegetarianism or veganism is mandatory. Food which contains even small particles of the bodies of dead animals or eggs is absolutely unacceptable.
 * Jains go out of their way so as not to hurt even small insects and other tiny animals, because they are convinced that harm caused by carelessness is as reprehensible as harm caused by deliberate action. Hence they take great pains to make sure that no minuscule animals are injured by the preparation of their meals and in the process of eating and drinking.
 * Jains make considerable efforts not to injure plants in everyday life as far as possible. They admit that plants must be destroyed for the sake of food, but they only accept such violence inasmuch as it is indispensable for human survival, and there are special instructions for preventing unnecessary violence against plants. Some Jains don’t eat plants and plant parts that grow underground, such as potatoes, onions, roots and tubers, because tiny life forms are injured when the plant is pulled up and because the bulb is seen as a living being, as it is able to sprout.
 * Honey is forbidden, as its collection would amount to violence against the bees.