1. Holistic Jain Diet – Holistic Approach to Ahimsa, Environment, Health and Spirituality Pravin K. Shah JAINA Education Committee 509 Carriage Woods Circle Raleigh NC 27607-3969 Web - www.jainelibrary.org Email - jainaedu@gmail.com Tele - 919-859-4994

2. Holistic Jain Diet – Holistic Approach to Ahimsa Environment Health and Spirituality Holistic Approach Holistic means analyzing the whole system of our Jain beliefs with respect to Diet rather than simply its individual components. Ahimsa (Compassion) Environment Health Spirituality

3. Spiritual Aspect of Jain Diet Goal of Jainism Total Liberation from Karma / from Mithayatva and Kshaya (Anger, Ego, Deceit, and Greed) Samvar – Stoppage of New Karma Right Conduct Ahimsa, Aparigraha, Anekantvad, etc.. 5 Samitis, 3 Guptis, 10 Yati Dharma, 12 Reflections, 22 Parishaha, 5 Conducts Nirjarä – Exhaustion of karma already acquired via Penance 6 External and 6 Internal Penances

4. Guide Line of Practicing of Ahimsa for Laypeople Nonviolence is the highest principle of Jain Religion However, life can not exist without violence Hence, for our existence (food) we must follow the path of minimum violence Samvar – Jain Conduct Ahimsa

5. Jain Diet – Follow the Path of Minimum Violence (Samvar) Basic Jain Principle for Minimum Violence The degree Violence inflicted is proportional to the number of senses a living being possesses…. Violence to a living being which has more senses (Five, Four, Three, and Two Senses in these order) is more sinful act than thousands of One Sense living beings. It also creates a greater impact on the Environment Hence Jainism believes in Vegetarianism even though Vegetables have innumerable living beings which are being killed for our Diet.

6. Jain Diet – Follow the Path of Minimum Violence (Samvar) Order of Degree of Violence (highest to lowest) Self inflicted Violence - Consuming food or drinks that destroy our ability to think and awareness Violence or Exploitation to other Human Beings (Consuming food or clothes prepared by Child labor, Salves…etc) Violence to five sensed Animals (Consuming Meat, Dairy products, milk, Fur, Fish, Chicken, etc.. by exploiting and killing animals) Violence to four and three sensed movable beings such as Flies, Bees, Insects Violence to two sensed Beings such as Bacteria etc.. Violence to One Sensed Beings such as Vegetables, Water, Fire, Air, Earth

7. Nirjarä – Jain Penance Nirjarä is the process of exhaustion of karma already acquired The karma exhaust themselves by producing the results (creating environment) when it is time for them to do so. However at that time, new karma begin to pour in. Hence it becomes difficult to be free of Karma. Therefore, one should destroy the Karma before they produce the result. This is real Nirjarä

8. Nirjarä – Jain Penance Real Nirjarä - Removal Ghati Karma (Mohaniya Karma) before Maturity Nirjarä is done by rigorous penance. Six External Penance: Relates to Physical Body (Food and Exercise) Prepares our mind for Internal Penance Six Internal Penance: Relates to Thought Process – which is real Nirajara

9. Anasan Complete abstinence from eating and drinking Complete abstinence from eating and drinking Alpähära or Unodari Reduce the quantity of food one normally eats Reduce the quantity of food one normally eats Ichhänirodha or Vrittisamkshepa Control of desire for food and material things Control of desire for food and material thingsRasatyäg Give up stimulating or tasty food Give up stimulating or tasty food –honey, alcohol, butter, milk, tea, sweets, juice etc. Sanlinatä (Vivikta_shaiyashan) Stay in a lonely places free from all disturbances. Restraining the senses from external comfort. Stay in a lonely places free from all disturbances. Restraining the senses from external comfort.Käya_klesha Penance and tolerating physical pain voluntarily Penance and tolerating physical pain voluntarily First 4 out of 6 External Nirjarä relates to Food and other two related to phical body Nirjarä – Jain Penance : External Penance

10. Holistic Jain Diet – Food Criteria Jain Food must be conducive to the Ahimsa, Environment, Health and Spiritual upliftment. One should not consume any food that can create the violence (Kashaya) within. One should not eat any food that involves violence to Movable beings (Human, Animals, Birds, Insects etc..) Not to Consume Anishta Food and Anupsevya Food Food which have no or very minimum nutrition value. No Stimulating or Tasty food Eat little less than your hunger for good Health and for proper practice of Meditation.

11. Holistic Jain Diet – Food Criteria Consume Only Healthy Strict Vegetarian (Vegan) Food Food should be obtained with Minimum Destruction of Environment (Organic Food if available) Vegetables, Water, Fire, Air, and Earth (Strict Vegetarian Food) Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Beans.. etc Consume Minimum for Healthy Survival Waste is Violence Two Classifications of Vegetarian Foods Pratyek-käya - Vegetables has Innumerable Souls Anant-käya - Vegetables with Infinite Souls (avoid this if alternates are available)

12. Anishta Food – Any food which is not good for our health or spiritual upliftment and yet we consume it only due to our intense attachment towards that food. Liquor, Drugs, Tobacco etc.. Fried Food Stale Food (Fruits, Vegetables, or Food that has developed fungus) Anishta Food -

13. Anupsevya Food – Improper Food which contains no nutrition and hence should not be consumed. Coal, Clay, etc. Anupsevya Food -

14. Violence to oneself is considered highest sinful act because it affects our Awareness (state of mind) and our Spirituality (which is Samyakva). Hence the consumption of any intoxication should be avoided first for our spiritual growth. Intoxication Liquor, Beer, Opium, Bhang (Snuff), Drugs Violence to Oneself (Highest Sinful Act)

15. Meat, Chicken, Fish Dairy Products Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, Butter, Ice-cream, Ghee, Sweets Eggs – Fertilized or Non-fertilized (highest cruelty to birds in factory farming) Honey (Bees are produced and raised) Jello made from fish Gelatin Varakh (Silver Foil) made using cows intestine. Food Related to Animal Cruelty

16. Statistics Animals Killed per Day in USA –Cattle - 130,000 –Calves - 7,000 –Hogs - 360,000 –Chickens - 24,000,000 Cruelty to Animals

17. Cruelty in Dairy Industry Cows are kept pregnant continually Slaughtering 70% to 80% of baby calves within six months by the Veal industry or within five years by the beef industry Slaughtering the mother cow after five years of their fertile life while the life expectancy is 15 to 20 years Everyday, hormones or drugs are injected to increase the milk yield.

18. Greenhouse effect World's 1.3 billion cows annually produce 100 million tons of methane a powerful greenhouse gas which traps 25 times as much solar heat as CO2 Water Consumption Livestock (Cattle, Calves, Hogs, Pigs) production accounts for more than half of all the water consumed in USA. Impact on Environment

19. Land Usage A third of the surface of North America is devoted to grazing Half of American croplands grow livestock feed for meat and dairy products 220 million acres of land in the USA have been deforested for livestock production 25 million acres in Brazil, and half the forests in Central America Impact on Environment

20. To produce 1 lb. of Meat, an average of 40 lbs. of vegetation is used. This calculation takes into consideration, the land clearing, as well as food for the live-stock until slaughter – Food cattle are generally slaughtered prior to 2-years-old Dairy cattle may live 4 years before being turned into burgers. To produce 1 lb. of Meat, an average of 2500 gallons of water is used. 1 lb. of wheat requires 108 gallons of water 1 lb. of rice needs 229 gallons of water 1 lb. of potatoes require just 60 gallons of water *Source: USDA 2001. Impact on Environment (continued)

21. Waste Waste released in the Environment by US Meat and Dairy Industry: 230,000 pounds per second, polluting our land, air and water systems. *Source: USDA 2001. Impact on Environment (continued)

22. Impact on Health – Meat and Dairy Products High Cholesterol High Saturated Fats High incidence of Prostate Cancer Calcium Deficiency (recent study) Less Hygienic Impact on Health

23. Cruelty in Egg Production Poultry Farms – Hens / Chicken are considered Egg producing Machines Confined to Narrow Space Attack One Another De-beaked Food Given Bone meal, Blood meal, Excreta food, Meat meal, Fish meal, Grain Unfertilized Egg is the Result of Biological Cycle of a Hen but they go through the same cruelty Usage of Byproducts Cosmetics, Cakes, Cookies, Candies, Wine "clearing" agent, Shampoos, Skin Care Products

24. Used to decorate sweets, betel nut, paan, Temple idols etc.. Annually 255,000 Kgms used ($40 Million) Manufactured using Cow's Intestine (Ox-gut) obtained from slaughterhouses Thin strips of Silver placed between intestine and manually hammered to create Silver Foil. Cruelty in Varakh (Silver Foil) Production

25. Relates to Cruelty to Movable Beings (Trasa Souls) also known as Vigai 01. Meat 02. Liquor (Madira) 03. Honey (Madha) 04. Butter Vegetables with Infinite Souls 05. Kandamul or Root Vegetables –Potato, Onion, Ginger (Aadu), Turmeric (Haldar) 22 Abhakshya Food Non-edible Food

26. Dairy product mixed with beans 06. Dvidala Milk, yogurt, or buttermilk mixed with beans and human saliva - Trasa souls are borne Five Udambars 07. Green Fig 08. Vada Teta 09. Umarda 10. Kotha 11. Pipara Teta 22 Abhakshya Food Non-edible Food

27. Relates to various degrees of Violence 12. Eating at Night (Ratri Bhogan) – Timing of Eating 13. Madak (Vishaya) Padarth or Poison 14. Hail Stones, Snow (Kara) 15. Ice (Baraf) 16. Stale Food (Rasa Chalit Food) – Food Quality 17. Eggplant or Aubergine (Brinjal or Ringana) 18. Fruits with large quantity of Seeds (Bahu Bij Fala) 19. Pickles (Bol Athanu – Achar – old Pickles) Non-edible after 24 hours 20. Eat Less and Through Away More (Tuchha Fal) 21. Unknown Fruits/Vegetables 22. Raw Clay 22 Abhakshya Food Non-consumable Food

28. Caring for the Earth and Environment is the way of Life for the Jain Community by following the two key principles of Jainism in every day life Ahimsä Be Compassionate including to ourselves Minimize injury to all forms of life including Air, Water, Earth, Plants and Animals Be Strict Vegetarian / Vegan and avoid the use of Animal based products Non-possessiveness / Self-restraint Reduce our needs and wants as far as possible Reuse / Recycle products, Eliminate Waste Share Resources Jainism in Action – Eco friendly Religion

29. The Book of Compassion – List of Articles The Book has the following Articles: Universal Declaration of The Rights of Animals Universal Declaration of The Rights of Animals My Visit to A Dairy Farm My Visit to A Dairy Farm Dairy Cows - Life, Usage, and Sufferings (New York Times) Dairy Cows - Life, Usage, and Sufferings (New York Times) Recycling of Slaughterhouse Waste (Rendering Plants) Recycling of Slaughterhouse Waste (Rendering Plants) Milk - Its Impact on Health, Cruelty, and Pollution Milk - Its Impact on Health, Cruelty, and Pollution Is Nothing Sacred? - Cruelty towards India's Holy Animals Is Nothing Sacred? - Cruelty towards India's Holy Animals

30. The Book of Compassion – List of Articles Vegetarianism - A Compassionate Approach to Life Vegetarianism - A Compassionate Approach to Life Varakh (Silver Foil) Varakh (Silver Foil) Facts about Eggs Facts about Eggs Story of Silk Story of Silk Story of Pearls Story of Pearls The Myth about Milk The Myth about Milk Puppy Mills: Breeding Ills Puppy Mills: Breeding Ills Alternatives to Animal Abuse Alternatives to Animal Abuse How our Diet affects the Environment How our Diet affects the Environment Note – All articles are available on Jain eLibrary Website www.jainelibrary.org