There are various reasons that justify the stand in favor of vegetarianism and a
few of them are mentioned below:-
1. Ahimsa, the law of no injury, is the Jain's first duty in fulfilling religious
obligations and follow the basic rule of Jainism "Ahimsa Permo Dharma"
(Non-Violence is the prime religion) subsequently leading to co-existence i.e. "Live
and let live". The non-vegetarian diet is available after injury, pain and
death only.
2. The Karmic Consequences Reason:- All of our actions, including our choice
of food, have Karmic consequences. By involving oneself in the cycle of inflicting
injury, pain and death, directly , indirectly or even to accord consent by eating
other creatures, one must in the future experience in an equal measure the suffering
caused.
3. The Spiritual Reason:- Whatever we eat, it affects our consciousness,
emotions and experiential patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousness,
in peace and happiness and love for all creatures, then he cannot eat meat, fish,
shellfish, fowl or eggs. He should take "Satvik " means exclusively pure
vegetarian diet By taking the non-Vegetarian or " Tamsik " food one introduces
into the body and mind anger, jealousy, anxiety, suspicion and a terrible fear of
death, all of which are locked into the the flesh of the butchered creatures. For
these reasons, vegetarians live in higher consciousness and meat-eaters abide in
lower consciousness.
4. The Health Reason:- It is known fact and proved by medical science that
a vegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider ranger of nutrients.. Vegetarians
are less susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict contemporary humanity,
and thus live longer, healthier, more productive lives. They have fewer physical
complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor and fewer dental problems. Their
immune system is stronger, their bodies are purer and more refined.
5. The Ecological Reason:- As everyone well knows, we need our forests. However,
our forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Consequently the escalating loss
of species, destruction of ancient rainforests to create pasture lands for live
stock, loss of top soils and the consequent increase of water impurities and air
pollution have all been traced to the single fact of meat in the human diet. It
takes between 100,000 liters of water to produce a single kg of beef, and where
as the same amount of water can produce 100 kg or more of grains. No decision that
we can make as individuals or as a race can have such a dramatic effect on the improvement
of our planetary ecology as the decision not to eat meat apart from growing and
use more and more agricultural products.
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