The practice of non-violence towards all living beings has led to Jain culture being vegetarian. Devout Jains practice lacto-vegetarianism, meaning that they eat no eggs, but accept dairy products if there is no violence against animals during their production. Veganism is encouraged if there are concerns about animal welfare. Jain monks, nuns and some followers avoid root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and garlic because tiny organisms are injured when the plant is pulled up, and because a bulb or tuber's ability to sprout is seen as characteristic of a higher living being. Jain monks and advanced laypeople avoid eating after sunset, observing a vow of "ratri-bhojana-tyaga-vrata".
Food and fasting
Jainism
Jainism | Food and fasting
Eggs, root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and garlic are some of the food avoided. Jain monks, nuns and some followers avoid root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and garlic because tiny organisms are injured when the plant is pulled up Non-Vegetarian food. They eat no eggs, avoid root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and garlic
which of the following is not among the practices of jainism
user
Violence, attachment, sensual pleasures, lie and possessiveness are some of them.
assistant
and which are the practices?
user
Jains take five main vows: “ahiṃsā”, “satya”, “asteya”, “brahmacharya” and “aparigraha".
assistant
when did jainism begin?
user
Historians date it to 8th or 7th century BCE.
assistant
who is the leader?
user
Rishabhanatha
assistant
what are the beliefs?
user
It is transtheistic and forecasts that the universe evolves without violating the law of substance dualism, auto executed through the middle ground between the principles of parallelism and interactionism.
assistant
do jains fast?
user
They fast particularly during festivals and it is  practiced according to one's ability.
assistant
what food do they eat?
user
The practice of non-violence towards all living beings has led to them to follow vegetarian diet.
assistant
and what are they not allowed to eat?
user
The practice of non-violence towards all living beings has led to Jain culture being vegetarian. Devout Jains practice lacto-vegetarianism, meaning that they eat no eggs, but accept dairy products if there is no violence against animals during their production. Veganism is encouraged if there are concerns about animal welfare. Jain monks, nuns and some followers avoid root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and garlic because tiny organisms are injured when the plant is pulled up, and because a bulb or tuber's ability to sprout is seen as characteristic of a higher living being. Jain monks and advanced laypeople avoid eating after sunset, observing a vow of "ratri-bhojana-tyaga-vrata".
Jainism | Food and fasting
For Jains, lacto-vegetarianism (generally known simply as vegetarianism in India) is mandatory. Food which contains even small particles of the bodies of dead animals or eggs is absolutely unacceptable. Some Jain scholars and activists support veganism, as the industrial production of dairy products involves violence against cows. Strict Jains don't eat root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, roots and tubers. This is so 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. Also, consumption of most root vegetables involves uprooting and killing the entire plant, in contrast to consumption of most other terrestrial vegetables, upon which the plant lives on after plucking the vegetables (or it was seasonally supposed to wither away anyway).
Ahimsa in Jainism | Ahimsa and vegetarianism
Vegetarianism in Jainism is based on the principle of nonviolence ("ahimsa", literally "non-injuring"). Vegetarianism is considered mandatory for everyone. Jains are either lacto-vegetarians or vegans. No use or consumption of products obtained from dead animals is allowed. Moreover, Jains try to avoid unnecessary injury to plants and "suksma jiva" (Sanskrit for 'subtle life forms'; minuscule organisms). The goal is to cause as little violence to living things as possible, hence they avoid eating roots, tubers such as potatoes, garlic and anything that involves uprooting (and thus eventually killing) a plant to obtain food. Every act by which a person directly or indirectly supports killing or injury is seen as violence ("hinsa"), which creates harmful karma.
Vegetarianism and religion | Jainism
Some particularly dedicated individuals are fruitarians. Honey is forbidden, being the regurgitation of nectar by bees and potentially containing eggs, excreta and dead bees. Some Jains do not consume plant parts that grow underground such as roots and bulbs, because the plants themselves and tiny animals may be killed when the plants are pulled up.
Vegetarianism | Jainism
Dietary habits are significantly influenced by religion. India is the country with largest vegetarian population. Some Indians practice lacto-vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is less common amongst Sikhs and almost uncommon amongst Muslims, Christians, Bahá'ís, Parsis, and Jews. Jainism requires monks and laity, from all its sects and traditions, to be vegetarian. Furthermore, the religion also bars Jains from eating any vegetable that involves digging it from the ground. This rule, therefore, excludes potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic, raddish etc. from Jain diet. Islam and Judaism ban pork.
Religion in India | Diet
Jain vegetarianism is practiced by the followers of Jain culture and philosophy. It is one of the most rigorous forms of spiritually motivated diet on the Indian subcontinent and beyond. The Jain cuisine is completely vegetarian and also excludes underground vegetables such as potato, garlic, onion etc, to prevent injuring small insects and microorganisms; and also to prevent the entire plant getting uprooted and killed. It is practised by Jain ascetics and lay Jains. Jain objections to the eating of meat, fish and eggs are based on the principle of non-violence (ahimsa, figuratively "non-injuring"). Every act by which a person directly or indirectly supports killing or injury is seen as act of violence ("himsa"), which creates harmful reaction karma.
Jain vegetarianism | Introduction
Jain ascetics follow a strict vegetarian diet without root vegetables. Shvetambara monks do not cook food but solicit alms from householders. Digambara monks have only a single meal a day. Neither group will beg for food, but a Jain ascetic may accept a meal from a householder, provided that the latter is pure of mind and body and offers the food of his own volition and in the prescribed manner. During such an encounter, the monk remains standing and eats only a measured amount. Fasting (i.e., abstinence from food and sometimes water) is a routine feature of Jain asceticism. Fasts last for a day or longer, up to a month.
Monk | Dietary practices
In certain versions of Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism, vegetables of the onion genus are restricted according to Shastras. Many Hindus discourage eating onion and garlic along with non-vegetarian food during festivals or Hindu holy months of Shrawan, puratassi and Kartik. However, shunning onion and garlic is not very popular among Hindus as compared to avoiding non-vegetarian foods, so many people do not follow this custom. Jains not only abstain from consumption of meat, but also do not eat root vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes, radish, turnips, etc) as doing so kills the plant and they believe in ahimsa. Chinese Buddhist cuisine traditionally prohibits garlic, "Allium chinense", asafoetida, shallot, and "Allium victorialis" (victory onion or mountain leek), while Kashmiri Brahmins forbid "strong flavored" foods.
Food and drink prohibitions | Vegetables
Various religions forbid the consumption of certain types of food. For example, Judaism prescribes a strict set of rules, called "Kashrut", regarding what may and may not be eaten, and notably forbidding the mixing of meat with dairy products. Islam has similar laws, dividing foods into "haram" (forbidden) and "halal" (permitted). Jains often follow religious directives to observe vegetarianism. Most Hindus do not eat beef, and some Hindus apply the concept of "ahimsa" (non-violence) to their diet and consider vegetarianism as ideal, and practise forms of vegetarianism. In some cases, the process of preparation rather than the food itself comes under scrutiny.
Food and drink prohibitions | Causes
The non-violence doctrine of Jainism has encouraged a strict vegetarian Jain culture. Islam teaches that meat is a gift of God, such as in verses 6:141-142 of the Quran. Muslims are generally non-vegetarians, and consume halal meat. Beef is a sought after meat among Muslims, but they strictly avoid pork and alcohol. Jains oppose any slaughter of animals. Muslims ritually celebrate large scale slaughter of animals for meat, such as on the festival of Eid al-Adha.
Islam and Jainism | Animal rights and food
In the case of Jainism, the vegetarian standard is strict. It allows the consumption of only fruit and leaves that can be taken from plants without causing their death. This further excludes from the diet root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, onions and garlic.
Lacto vegetarianism | Jainism
According to the Jain tradition either lacto vegetarianism or veganism is mandatory. The Jain concept of Ahimsa is characterised by several aspects. It does not make any exception for ritual sacrificers and professional warrior-hunters. Killing of animals for food is absolutely ruled out. Jains also make considerable efforts not to injure plants in everyday life as far as possible. Though they admit that plants must be destroyed for the sake of food, they accept such violence only inasmuch as it is indispensable for human survival, and there are special instructions for preventing unnecessary violence against plants. Jains go out of their way so as not to hurt even small insects and other minuscule animals.
Nonviolence | Jainism
231). Food will never be prepared especially for them. They beg for food from others believing that because the food was prepared for someone else, they are not the cause of violence towards living creatures (Vallely 2002, p. 5).
Animal worship | Jainism
Though there is no strict rule on what to consume and what not to, paths of Hinduism hold vegetarianism as an ideal. Some reasons are: the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa) applied to animals; the intention to offer only "pure" (vegetarian) food to a deity and then to receive it back as prasad; and the conviction that a sattvic diet is beneficial for a healthy body and mind and that non-vegetarian food is not recommended for a better mind and for spiritual development. However, the food habits of Hindus vary according to their community, location, custom and varying traditions. Historically and currently, those Hindus who eat meat prescribe Jhatka meat, Hindus believe that the cow is a holy animal whose processing for meat is forbidden.
Vegetarianism | Hinduism
Followers of Jainism believe that all living organisms, including microorganisms, are living and have a soul, and have one or more senses out of five senses. They go to great lengths to minimise any harm to any living organism. Most Jains are lacto-vegetarians, but more devout Jains do not eat root vegetables, because they believe that root vegetables contain many more microorganisms as compared to other vegetables, and that, by eating them, violence against these microorganisms is inevitable. They therefore prefer eating beans and fruits, whose cultivation involves killing fewer microorganisms. No products obtained from already-dead animals are allowed because of potential violence against decomposing microorganisms.
Vegetarianism | Jainism
The religion of Jainism has always opposed eating meat, and there are also schools of Buddhism and Hinduism that condemn the eating of meat. Jewish dietary rules ("Kashrut") allow certain ("kosher") meat and forbid other ("treif"). The rules include prohibitions on the consumption of unclean animals (such as pork, shellfish including mollusca and crustacea, and most insects), and mixtures of meat and milk. Similar rules apply in Islamic dietary laws: The Quran explicitly forbids meat from animals that die naturally, blood, the meat of swine (porcine animals, pigs), and animals dedicated to other than Allah (either undedicated or dedicated to idols) which are haram as opposed to halal.
Meat | Religious traditions
No furs, plumes or silk are worn. Use of leather is kept to a minimum and must in any event be from naturally dead animals. Food is usually eaten during the day unless unavoidable, since there is too much danger of injuring insects in cooking at night. The Jain will not use an open light nor leave a container of liquid uncovered lest a stray insect be destroyed; even with this precaution, liquids are always strained before use. Through the ages Jains have sought to avoid occupations that unavoidably entail injury, and this accounts for the disproportionate number who have entered banking, commerce and other mercantile trades.
Ahimsa in Jainism | Householders adherence to the vow
Hindus advocate the practice of (nonviolence) and respect for all life because divinity is believed to permeate all beings, including plants and non-human animals. The term ' appears in the Upanishads, the epic Mahabharata and is the first of the five Yamas (vows of self-restraint) in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. In accordance with , many Hindus embrace vegetarianism to respect higher forms of life. Estimates of strict lacto vegetarians in India (includes adherents of all religions) who never eat any meat, fish or eggs vary between 20% and 42%, while others are either less strict vegetarians or non-vegetarians. Those who eat meat seek Jhatka (quick death) method of meat production, and dislike Halal (slow bled death) method, believing that quick death method reduces suffering to the animal.
Hinduism | Ahimsa, vegetarianism and other food customs
229-230). Jains are also only allowed to eat during daylight hours, when their vision is not restricted, so that they avoid eating insects or other small creatures that could possibly be in their food (Regenstein 1991, p. 230). Jainism includes a lay form which is somewhat less restrictive (Regenstein 1991, p. 231). Basically lay Jains must distinguish between what forms of violence are necessary and unnecessary, but do not have to abstain entirely (Vallely 2002, p. 5). This results in avoiding all forms of hunting, tilling the soil (tilling involved disturbing creatures embedded in the earth), and brewing (brewing involved using living organisms such as yeasts) (Regenstein 1991, p.
Animal worship | Jainism
Some cultures and religions have restrictions concerning what foods are acceptable in their diet. For example, only Kosher foods are permitted in Judaism, and Halal foods in Islam. Although Buddhists are generally vegetarians, the practice varies and meat-eating may be permitted depending on the sects. In Hinduism, vegetarianism is the ideal. Jains are strictly vegetarian and consumption of roots is not permitted.
Diet (nutrition) | Religious and cultural dietary choices
Jain vegetarian diet is practised by the followers of Jain culture and philosophy. It is considered one of the most rigorous forms of a spiritually motivated diet on the Indian subcontinent and beyond. The Jain cuisine is completely vegetarian, and it also excludes potatoes, onions and garlic, like the shojin-ryori cuisine of Japan. According to Amṛtacandra Sūri: The strictest forms of Jain diet are practised by the monastic ascetics. It also excludes potatoes and other root vegetables. The 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.
Ahimsa in Jainism | Ahimsa and vegetarianism
Mushrooms, fungi and yeasts are forbidden because they are parasites, grow in non-hygienic environments, and may harbour other life forms. Alfalfa is the only known plant that contains vitamin D, which they may use directly or make vitamin D supplements from. Honey is forbidden, as its collection would amount to violence against the bees. Jains are also not supposed to consume food left overnight because of contamination by microbes. Most Jain recipes substitute for potato with plantain.
Ahimsa in Jainism | Ahimsa and vegetarianism
Also, it is not permissible for the monk or nun just to pick out the non-meat portions of a diet - the whole meal must be rejected. The "Aṅgulimālīya Sūtra" quotes a dialogue between Gautama Buddha and Manjushri on meat eating:
Buddhist vegetarianism | Mahayana view
Jainism teaches vegetarianism as moral conduct as do some major sects of Hinduism. Buddhism in general does not prohibit meat eating, while Mahayana Buddhism encourages vegetarianism as beneficial for developing compassion. Other denominations that advocate a vegetarian diet include the Seventh-day Adventists, the Rastafari movement, the Ananda Marga movement and the Hare Krishnas. Sikhism does not equate spirituality with diet and does not specify a vegetarian or meat diet.
Vegetarianism | Religion and diet
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. Out of the five types of living beings, a householder is forbidden to kill, or destroy, intentionally, all except the lowest (the one sensed, such as vegetables, herbs, cereals, etc., which are endowed with only the sense of touch).
Jain vegetarianism | Introduction
They also have the habitual ritual of reading the history of the 24 Tirthankara at the temple, during the festival. During the Jain festival, there are no concrete norms for fasting and meditating and this is a rather surprising side of Jainism. The followers have the freedom to carryout prayers and fasting according to their capacity and desires. Jain followers are pure vegetarians "Jain vegetarianism" and they are forbidden from consuming alcohol. Those who consume meat and alcohol are strictly prohibited from entering the premises of the temple. Though they are vegetarians, they also do not consume anything that grows underground.
Jain temple, Alappuzha | Festival at Jain Temple
Hinduism holds vegetarianism as an ideal for three reasons: the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa) applied to animals; the intention to offer only "pure" (vegetarian) or sattvic food to a deity and then to receive it back as prasad; and the conviction that an insentient diet is beneficial for a healthy body and mind and that non-vegetarian food is detrimental for the mind and for spiritual development. Buddhist vegetarianism has similar strictures against hurting animals. The actual practices of Hindus and Buddhists vary according to their community and according to regional traditions. Jains are especially rigorous about not harming sentient organisms.
Ethics of eating meat | Religious traditions of eating meat
Jains abstain from eating eggs. Vegans also abstain from eggs, due to their animal origin. Many Hindu and Orthodox Sikh vegetarians also refrain from eating eggs. An egg that naturally contains a spot of blood may not be eaten under Jewish and Islamic tradition, but eggs without any blood are commonly consumed (and are not considered to be meat, so may be eaten with dairy).
Food and drink prohibitions | Eggs
Hinduism does not explicitly prohibit eating meat, but it does strongly recommend ahimsa – the concept of non-violence against all life forms including animals. As a consequence, many Hindus prefer a vegetarian or lacto-vegetarian lifestyle, and methods of food production that are in harmony with nature, compassionate, and respectful of other life forms as well as nature.
Diet in Hinduism | Food and ethics
Another example is that many people of India generally do not consume beef because many devout Hindus believe the cow is a sacred animal. Buddhism's encouragement of adopting vegetarianism also limits what devout Buddhists can eat. These practices and beliefs encourage what is not eaten in society but also what can be eaten. For instance, the Buddhists have a history of preparing and eating tofu to satisfy their dietary requirements for protein. There is also the role of the state when it comes to these issues sometimes dictating how meals should be prepared. An example of this would be that of edicts of Ashoka who declared that many animals shall be given decent treatment and limited the numbers that could be consumed.
Gourmet | Regional differences
The aim of ahimsa is to prevent the accumulation of such karma. Jains consider nonviolence to be the most essential religious duty for everyone (ahinsā paramo dharmaḥ, a statement often inscribed on Jain temples). 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. Jains do not practice animal sacrifice as they consider all sentient beings to be equal.
Vegetarianism and religion | Jainism
They must all be considered the slayers of the animal. The question of religious duties towards the animals and of negative karma incurred from violence ("himsa") against them is discussed in detail in Hindu scriptures and religious law books. Hindu scriptures belong or refer to the Vedic period which lasted till about 500 BCE according to the chronological division by modern historians. In the historical Vedic religion, the predecessor of Hinduism, meat eating was not banned in principle, but was restricted by specific rules. Several highly authoritative scriptures bar violence against domestic animals except in the case of ritual sacrifice.
Vegetarianism and religion | Nonviolence
The food habits vary with region, with Bengali Hindus and Hindus living in Himalayan regions, or river delta regions, regularly eating meat and fish. Some avoid meat on specific festivals or occasions. Observant Hindus who do eat meat almost always abstain from beef. The cow in Hindu society is traditionally identified as a caretaker and a maternal figure, and Hindu society honours the cow as a symbol of unselfish giving. There are many Hindu groups that have continued to abide by a strict vegetarian diet in modern times. Some adhere to a diet that is devoid of meat, eggs, and seafood.
Hinduism | Ahimsa, vegetarianism and other food customs
Jainism is against violence to all living beings, including cattle. According to the Jaina sutras, humans must avoid all killing and slaughter because all living beings are fond of life, they suffer, they feel pain, they like to live, and long to live. All beings should help each other live and prosper, according to Jainism, not kill and slaughter each other. In the Jain tradition, neither monks nor laypersons should cause others or allow others to work in a slaughterhouse. Jains believe that vegetarian sources can provide adequate nutrition, without creating suffering for animals such as cattle. According to some Jain scholars, slaughtering cattle increases ecological burden from human food demands since the production of meat entails intensified grain demands, and reducing cattle slaughter by 50 percent would free up enough land and ecological resources to solve all malnutrition and hunger worldwide.
Cattle slaughter in India | Jainism
Buddhist monks and nuns following the Vinaya rules commonly do not eat each day after the noon meal. This is not considered a fast but rather a disciplined regimen aiding in meditation and good health. Fasting is practiced by lay Buddhists during times of intensive meditation, such as during a retreat. During periods of fasting, followers completely stray away from eating animal products, although they do allow consumption of milk. Furthermore, they also avoid eating processed foods and the five pungent foods which are: garlic ("Allium sativum"), welsh onion ("Allium fistulosum"), wild garlic ("Allium oleraceum"), garlic chives ("Allium tuberosum"), and asafoetida ("asant", "Ferula asafoetida").
Fasting | Buddhism
"Digambara" monks observe a stricter vow by eating only once a day. Jains fast particularly during festivals. This practice is called "upavasa", "tapasya" or "vrata", and may be practiced according to one's ability. Digambaras fast for "Dasa-laksana-parvan", eating only one or two meals per day, drinking only boiled water for ten days, or fasting completely on the first and last days of the festival, mimicking the practices of a Jain mendicant for the period. Śvētāmbara Jains do similarly in the eight day "paryusana" with "samvatsari-pratikramana". The practice is believed to remove karma from one's soul and provides merit ("punya"). A "one day" fast lasts about 36 hours, starting at sunset before the day of the fast and ending 48 minutes after sunrise the day after.
Jainism | Food and fasting
Jainism prohibits causing harm to anything with a soul or potential life. Traditionally this includes eggs and certain kinds of vegetables, as well as animals, but dairy products are permitted. Jains are therefore lacto vegetarians, not ovo-lacto vegetarians. In Hinduism, many individuals are either raised as ovo-lacto vegetarians or lacto vegetarians. The Bible Christian Church was a Christian vegetarian sect founded by William Cowherd in 1809. Cowherd was one of the philosophical forerunners of the Vegetarian Society founded in 1847. The Bible Christian Church promoted the use of eggs, dairy and honey as God's given food per "the promised land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8).
Ovo-lacto vegetarianism | Religion
Jains are strictly vegetarian There are, however, some groups and sects of Sikhism (Namdharis, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Guru Nanak NSJ, Handsworth, Damdami Taksal etc.) who encourage vegetarianism. The majority of Sikhs believe that in Sikhism, eating meat is left up to the individual's conscience, as it will not affect spirituality. Khushwant Singh also notes that most Sikhs are meat-eaters and decry vegetarians as daal khorey (lentil-eaters). The food served in gurudwaras is invariably vegetarian in order to accommodate all sections of society. On the views that eating vegetation would be eating flesh, first Sikh Guru Nanak states: On vegetation, the Guru described it as living and experiencing pain:
Jainism and Sikhism | Ahimsa and vegetarianism
Presently most of them residing in Karnataka are lacto-vegetarians, but some subcastes who are residing in Goa are pescitarians. Some of them who are involved in priesthood activities practice fastings periodically.
Daivadnya Brahmin | Food habits
Compassion for all life, human and non-human, is central to the Jain tradition. Though all life is considered sacred, human life is deemed the highest form of earthly existence. To kill any person, no matter their crime, is considered unimaginably abhorrent. It is the only substantial religious tradition that requires both monks and laity to be vegetarian. It is suggested that certain strains of the Hindu tradition became vegetarian due to strong Jain influences. The Jain tradition's stance on nonviolence, however, goes far beyond vegetarianism. Jains refuse food obtained with unnecessary cruelty. Many practice veganism. Jains run animal shelters all over India.
Compassion | Jainism
Fasting is a very integral part of the Hindu religion. Individuals observe different kinds of fasts based on personal beliefs and local customs. Some are listed below: Methods of fasting also vary widely and cover a broad spectrum. If followed strictly, the person fasting does not partake any food or water from the previous day's sunset until 48 minutes after the following day's sunrise. Fasting can also mean limiting oneself to one meal during the day, abstaining from eating certain food types or eating only certain food types. In any case, the fasting person is not supposed to eat or even touch any animal products (i.e., meat, eggs) except dairy products.For Many Hindu communities during fasting, starchy items such as Potatoes, Sago and Sweet potatoes , purple-red sweet potatoes, amaranth seeds, nuts and shama millet are allowed.
Fasting | Hinduism
However, it is to be understood that ultimately, there is limited spiritual progress and no emancipation unless the major vows are adhered to. Jainism is perhaps the only religion in the world that requires all its adherents to follow a strict vegetarian diet. Vegetarian food that also involves more harm to the living beings such as roots, bulbs, multi seeded vegetables etc. are avoided by strict Jains. The importance of ahimsa manifests in many other ways in the daily life of Jains. For a layperson it means participating in business that results in least amount of violence to living beings.
Ahimsa in Jainism | Householders adherence to the vow
Non-violence, Compassion for all life, human and non-human, is central to Jainism. Human life is valued as a unique, rare opportunity to reach enlightenment. Killing any person, no matter what crime he may have committed, is considered unimaginably terrible. It is a religion that requires monks, from all its sects and traditions, to be vegetarian. Some Indian regions, such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh have been strongly influenced by Jains and often the majority of the local Hindus of every denomination are also vegetarian.
Pacifism | Jainism
Vegetarianism is a choice for most Hindus, although some sects emphasize vegetarianism. Some Hindus consider violence against animals, that is used to produce any meat, so unacceptable that they avoid eating with non-vegetarians. Most observant Hindus strictly avoid cow-based beef, but some may eat water buffalo-based beef or pork as an alternative. The manner in which an animal is slaughtered in Islamic rituals is considered cruel and barbaric by Hindus, as Hindus consume Jhatka meat. Jhatka is meat from an animal that has been killed instantly, such as by a single strike of a sword or axe to sever the head, as opposed to ritualistically slow slaughter (kutha) in the halal method (dhabihah).
Hindu–Islamic relations | Food-related issues
Sallekhana is the religious vow of gradually reducing the intake of food and liquids observed by terminally ill or old Jain disciples. It is widely called fasting unto death as there is a reduction in food intake. It is practiced with the approval of Jain monks and can last over 12 years or more. It was petitioned that Rajasthan High Court should declare the practice illegal. In response, the Jain community said that the practice was a religious activity which was protected under article 25 of the Indian constitution. In August 2015, Rajasthan High Court cited that the practice is not an essential tenet of Jainism and banned the practice, making it punishable under section 306 and 309 IPC (Abetment of Suicide).
Criticism of Jainism | Sallekhana
Not everyone who refused to participate in any killing or injuring of animals also abstained from the consumption of meat. Hence the question of Buddhist vegetarianism in the earliest stages of that religion's development is controversial. There are two schools of thought. One says that the Buddha and his followers ate meat offered to them by hosts or alms-givers if they had no reason to suspect that the animal had been slaughtered specifically for their sake. The other one says that the Buddha and his community of monks (sangha) were strict vegetarians and the habit of accepting alms of meat was only tolerated later on, after a decline of discipline.
History of vegetarianism | Early Jainism and Buddhism
During "Paryushana", Jains observe a fast. The span of the fast can last from a day to 30 days or even more. In Digambara Jainism, śrāvakas (laypersons) do not take food and/or water (boiled) more than once in a day when observing fasts, while Śvētāmbaras observing a fast survive on boiled water which is consumed only between sunrise and sunset.
Paryushana | Fasting
It is interpreted very strictly as prohibiting all forms of harm to other living beings. Due to this, Jainism requires a strict vegetarian lifestyle. "Ahimsa" also applies to speaking, as one's words can cause harm and suffering.
Eastern religions | Jainism
Passages from the "Guru Granth Sahib" (the holy book of Sikhs, also known as the "Adi Granth") say that it is "foolish" to argue for the superiority of animal life, because though all life is related, only human life carries more importance: "Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. Who can define what is meat and what is not meat? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian?" The Sikh langar, or free temple meal, is largely lacto-vegetarian, though this is understood to be a result of efforts to present a meal that is respectful of the diets of any person who would wish to dine, rather than out of dogma.
Vegetarianism | Sikhism
Hinduism does not require a vegetarian diet, but some Hindus avoid eating meat because it minimizes hurting other life forms. Vegetarianism is considered "satvic", that is purifying the body and mind lifestyle in some Hindu texts. Lacto-vegetarianism is favored by many Hindus, which includes milk-based foods and all other non-animal derived foods, but it excludes meat and eggs. There are three main reasons for this: the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa) applied to animals, the intention to offer only vegetarian food to their preferred deity and then to receive it back as prasad, and the conviction that non-vegetarian food is detrimental for the mind and for spiritual development.
Diet in Hinduism | Vegetarian diet
Jainism is against violence to all living beings, including cattle. According to the Jaina sutras, humans must avoid all killing and slaughter because all living beings are fond of life, they suffer, they feel pain, they like to live, and long to live. All beings should help each other live and prosper, according to Jainism, not kill and slaughter each other. In the Jain religious tradition, neither monks nor laypersons should cause others or allow others to work in a slaughterhouse. Jains believe that vegetarian sources can provide adequate nutrition, without creating suffering for animals such as cattle. According to some Jain scholars, slaughtering cattle increases ecological burden from human food demands since the production of meat entails intensified grain demands, and reducing cattle slaughter by 50 percent would free up enough land and ecological resources to solve all malnutrition and hunger worldwide.
Cattle in religion and mythology | Jainism
Theravadins in general eat meat. If Buddhist monks "see, hear or know" a living animal was killed specifically for them to eat, they must refuse it or else incur an offense. However, this does not include eating meat which was given as alms or commercially purchased. In the Theravada canon, Buddha did not make any comment discouraging them from eating meat (except specific types, such as human, elephant meat, horse, dog, snake, lion, tiger, leopard, bear, and hyena flesh) but he specifically refused to institute vegetarianism in his monastic code when a suggestion had been made. In several Sanskrit texts of Mahayana Buddhism, Buddha instructs his followers to avoid meat.
Vegetarianism | Buddhism
According to Jainism, there are ten or life-principles: According to major Jain text, Tattvarthsutra: "The severance of vitalities out of passion is injury". Because life is to be considered sacred and in every living thing, Jains avoid killing any living creature. They are not only vegetarian, but decline to eat vegetables that grow under the ground because each underground stem contains infinite number of vitalities each of that can potentially grow into full-fledged plants. The table below summarizes the vitalities that living beings possess in accordance with their senses:
Vitalism (Jainism) | Overview
Among laypeople, fasting is more commonly observed by women, as it shows her piety and religious purity, gains merit earning and helps ensure future well-being for her family. Some religious fasts are observed in a social and supportive female group. Long fasts are celebrated by friends and families with special ceremonies.
Jainism | Food and fasting
Consequently, the Theravada tradition does not practice strict vegetarianism, although an individual may do so as his or her personal choice .
Sangha | Attitudes regarding food and work
The First Precept prohibits Buddhists from killing people or animals. The matter of whether this forbids Buddhists from eating meat has long been a matter of debate, however, as vegetarianism is not a given in all schools of Buddhism. The first Buddhist monks and nuns were forbidden from growing, storing, or cooking their own food. They relied entirely on the generosity of alms to feed themselves, and were not allowed to accept money to buy their own food. They could not make special dietary requests, and had to accept whatever food alms givers had available, including meat. Monks and nuns of the Theravada school of Buddhism, which predominates in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, and Laos, still follow these strictures today.
Vegetarianism and religion | Buddhism
Islam has Quranic restrictions on food, such as how the meat is prepared. Halal meat is required in Islam, prepared by ritual slaughter that involves cutting the jugular veins of the animal with a sharp knife. This leads to death, through bleeding, of the animal. Meat from animals that die of natural causes or accident is not allowed, unless necessary. Beef is a religiously acceptable food to Muslims, but pork and alcohol is not. Muslims fast for the month of Ramadan. Sikhs are prohibited from eating any type of meat like Islamic "halal" or Jewish "kosher" style meat because to them, this manner of obtaining meat involves a ritualistic component and a slow death of the animal.
Islam and Sikhism | Food
According to the famous Tamil classic, Tirukkuṛaḷ, which is also considered a Jain work by some scholars: If the world did not purchase and consume meat, no one would slaughter and offer meat for sale. (Kural 256)
Jain vegetarianism | Historical background
Dairy food such as milk, curd, butter and ghee were cooked in house. Daily food was very simple consisting of a brunch with rice, cooked lentils (paruppu), ghee, vegetable sambar, curd, sun dried pickles of mango, lemon or citron, deep fried sun dried 'crispies' (vadavam) made from rice pie. Evening snacks of deep fired lentil preparations and before sunset dinner consisting either idli, dosa or rice with buttermilk and lentil chutney (thogaiyal). While seniors, people undergoing religious fast and ardent followers of religious principles avoided garlic, onions and tubers in their daily food, these were occasionally used by others in the household.
Tamil Jain | Lifestyle
The tenets of Sikhism do not advocate a particular stance on either vegetarianism or the consumption of meat, but leave the decision of diet to the individual. The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, however, prohibited "Amritdhari" Sikhs, or those that follow the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Official Sikh Code of Conduct) from eating Kutha meat, or meat which has been obtained from animals which have been killed in a ritualistic way. This is understood to have been for the political reason of maintaining independence from the then-new Muslim hegemony, as Muslims largely adhere to the ritualistic halal diet. "Amritdharis" that belong to some Sikh sects (e.g.
Vegetarianism | Sikhism
Many Hindus point to scriptural bases, such as the "Mahabharata"'s maxim that "Nonviolence is the highest duty and the highest teaching", as advocating a vegetarian diet. A typical modern urban Hindu lacto-vegetarian meal is based on a combination of grains such as rice and wheat, legumes, green vegetables, and dairy products. Depending on the geographical region the staples may include millet based flatbreads. Fat derived from slaughtered animals is avoided.
Diet in Hinduism | Vegetarian diet
All Japanese Kamakura sects of Buddhism (Zen, Nichiren, Jodo) have relaxed Mahayana vinaya, and as a consequence, vegetarianism is optional. Theravada Monks and nuns traditionally feed themselves by gathering alms, and generally must eat whatever foods are given to them, including meat. The exception to this alms rule is when monks and nuns have seen, heard or known that animal(s) have been specifically killed to feed the alms-seeker, in which case consumption of such meat would be karmically negative, as well as meat from certain animals, such as dogs and snakes, that were regarded as impure in ancient India. The same restriction is also followed by some lay Buddhists and is known as the consumption of "triply clean meat" (三净肉).
Buddhist cuisine | Vegetarianism
However, this does not apply to all Hindus; some do consume meat, though usually not any form of beef.
Lacto vegetarianism | Hinduism
Jainism is against violence to all living beings, including cattle. According to the Jaina sutras, humans must avoid all killing and slaughter because all living beings are fond of life, they suffer, they feel pain, they like to live, and long to live. All beings should help each other live and prosper, according to Jainism, not kill and slaughter each other. In the Jain tradition, neither monks nor laypersons should cause others or allow others to work in a slaughterhouse. Jains have led a historic campaign to ban the slaughter of cows and all other animals, particularly during their annual festival of Paryushana (also called Daslakshana by Digambara).
Cow protection movement | Jainism
The principle of nonviolence ("ahimsa") applied to animals is connected with the intention to avoid negative karmic influences which result from violence. The suffering of all beings is believed to arise from craving and desire, conditioned by the karmic effects of both animal and human action. The violence of slaughtering animals for food, and its source in craving, reveal flesh eating as one mode in which humans enslave themselves to suffering. Hinduism holds that such influences affect the person who permits the slaughter of an animal, the person who kills it, the person who cuts it up, the person who buys or sells meat, the person who cooks it, the person who serves it up, and the person who eats it.
Vegetarianism and religion | Nonviolence
Millets, lentils, and beans are the most basic ingredients in food. The majority of Hindu and Jain Rajasthanis are vegetarian. Rajasthani Jains do not eat after sundown, and their food does not contain garlic and onions. Rajputs are usually meat eaters. Eating beef is and was a taboo.
Rajasthani people | Cuisine
Varsi Tapa is a year long fasting where people on alternative days fast (no food) and then have 2 meals the next day, and fast, and so on, for 13 months. The 2 meals on the day that they eat are also provided at the bhojanshala in the temple complex.
Jainism in Belgium | Varsi Tapa
The vegetarian cuisines of some regions of the Indian subcontinent have been strongly influenced by Jainism. These include In India, vegetarian food is considered appropriate for everyone for all occasions. This makes vegetarian restaurants quite popular. Many vegetarian restaurants and Mishtanna sweet-shops – for example, the legendary Ghantewala sweets of Delhi and Jamna Mithya in Sagar – are run by Jains. Some restaurants in India serve Jain versions of vegetarian dishes that leave out carrots, potatoes, onions and garlic. A few airlines serve Jain vegetarian dishesupon prior request.
Jain vegetarianism | Influence on vegetarian cuisines in India
"Ahimsa" was already part of the "Fourfold Restraint" ("Caujjama"), the vows taken by Parshva's followers. In the times of Mahavira and in the following centuries, Jains were at odds with both Buddhists and followers of the Vedic religion or Hindus, whom they accused of negligence and inconsistency in the implementation of "Ahimsa". According to the Jain tradition either lacto vegetarianism or veganism is prescribed. The Jain concept of "Ahimsa" is characterised by several aspects. Killing of animals for food is absolutely ruled out. Jains also make considerable efforts not to injure plants in everyday life as far as possible. Though they admit that plants must be destroyed for the sake of food, they accept such violence only inasmuch as it is indispensable for human survival, and there are special instructions for preventing unnecessary violence against plants.
Ahimsa | Jainism
Food affects body, mind and spirit in Hindu beliefs. Hindu texts such as Śāṇḍilya Upanishad and Svātmārāma recommend Mitahara (eating in moderation) as one of the Yamas (virtuous self restraints). The Bhagavad Gita links body and mind to food one consumes in verses 17.8 through 17.10. Some Hindus such as those belonging to the Shaktism tradition, and Hindus in regions such as Bali and Nepal practise animal sacrifice. The sacrificed animal is eaten as ritual food. In contrast, the Vaishnava Hindus abhor and vigorously oppose animal sacrifice. The principle of non-violence to animals has been so thoroughly adopted in Hinduism that animal sacrifice is uncommon and historically reduced to a vestigial marginal practice.
Hinduism | Ahimsa, vegetarianism and other food customs
Jain ascetics follow a strict vegetarian diet without root vegetables. Prof. Pushpendra K. Jain explains: Clearly enough, to procure such vegetables and fruits, one must pull out the plant from the root, thus destroying the entire plant, and with it all the other micro organisms around the root. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be plucked only when ripe and ready to fall off, or ideally after they have fallen off the plant. In case they are plucked from the plants, only as much as required should be procured and consumed without waste.
Asceticism | Monastic practice
Guru Nanak said that overconsumption of food (Lobh, 'greed') involves a drain on the Earth's resources and thus on life. The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, prohibited the Sikhs from the consumption of halal or Kutha (any ritually slaughtered meat) meat because of the Sikh belief that sacrificing an animal in the name of God is mere ritualism (something to be avoided). On the views that eating vegetation would be eating flesh, first Sikh Guru Nanak states:
Vegetarianism and religion | Sikhism
For example, Jains often do not go out at night, when they are more likely to step upon an insect. In their view, injury caused by carelessness is like injury caused by deliberate action. Eating honey is strictly outlawed, as it would amount to violence against the bees. Some Jains abstain from farming because it inevitably entails unintentional killing or injuring of many small animals, such as worms and insects, but agriculture is not forbidden in general and there are Jain farmers. Theoretically, all life forms are said to deserve full protection from all kinds of injury, but Jains recognise a hierarchy of life.
Nonviolence | Jainism
Diet in Hinduism varies with its diverse traditions. The ancient and medieval Hindu texts recommend ahimsa—non-violence against all life forms including animals because they believe that it minimizes animal deaths. Many Hindus follow a vegetarian diet (that may or may not include eggs and dairy products), that they believe is in sync with nature, compassionate, respectful of other life forms. Diet of non-vegetarian Hindus can include fish, poultry and goat meat in addition to eggs and dairy products. For slaughtering animals and birds for food, meat-eating Hindus often favor "jhatka" (quick death) style preparation of meat since Hindus believe that this method minimizes trauma and suffering to the animal.
Diet in Hinduism | Introduction
In the modern world, attitudes toward vegetarianism vary by location. In Sri Lanka and the Theravada countries of South East Asia, monks are obliged by the vinaya to accept almost any food that is offered to them, including meat, unless they suspect the meat was slaughtered specifically for them.
Buddhist vegetarianism | Theravada
neither starve nor over-eat.
Hinduism and Sikhism | Fasting
Jainism has developed and refined the non-violence ("'Ahimsa") doctrine to an extraordinary degree where it is an integral part of the Jain culture. Jain vegetarianism, for example, is driven by the principle of not harming any animals and both lay and mendicants are predominantly vegetarian. In Buddhism, Mahayana monks in China, Japan (see Shojin-ryori), Korea and Vietnam are vegetarian; however, vegetarianism is not required for lay Buddhists. In Theravada monastic tradition, a monk should eat whatever is placed in his bowl when receiving food. Although both Buddhists and Jain had orders of nuns, Buddhist Pali texts record the Buddha saying that a woman has the ability to obtain nirvana in the dharma and Vinaya.
Buddhism and Jainism | Differences
Popular fasting dishes in western part of India include Farari chevdo, Sabudana Khichadi or peanut soup. In Shri Vidya, one is forbidden to fast because the Devi is within them, and starving would in return starve the god. The only exception in Srividya for fasting is on the anniversary of the day one's parents died.
Fasting | Hinduism
Hindu people fast on days such as Ekadashi, in honour of Lord Vishnu or his Avatars, Chaturthi in honour of Ganesh, Mondays in honour of Shiva, or Saturdays in honour of Hanuman or Saturn. Only certain kinds of foods are allowed to be eaten. These include milk and other dairy products (such as dahi), fruit and Western food items such as "sago", potatoes, purple-red sweet potatoes, amaranth seeds, nuts and (shama millet). Popular fasting dishes include Farari chevdo, "Sabudana Khichadi" or peanut soup.
Indian cuisine | Hindu fasting cuisine
Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Damdami Taksal, Namdhari and Rarionwalay, etc.) are vehemently against the consumption of meat and eggs (though they do consume and encourage the consumption of milk, butter and cheese). This vegetarian stance has been traced back to the times of the British Raj, with the advent of many new Vaishnava converts. In response to the varying views on diet throughout the Sikh population, Sikh Gurus have sought to clarify the Sikh view on diet, stressing their preference only for simplicity of diet. Guru Nanak said that over-consumption of food (Lobh, Greed) involves a drain on the Earth's resources and thus on life.
Vegetarianism | Sikhism
One should not eat meat, black gram, red lentil, chickpea, honey, betel nut, paan (betel nut leaves) and spinach. Eating in Bell metal utensils and eating in someone else's house is prohibited. The "Havishyanna" food (boiled food without spices, salt and oil) offered to the yajna (fire sacrifice) on the previous day (10th lunar day - "Dashami") should be consumed by the people observing this fast. Like the name of this holy day - "Varuthini" ("armoured/protected") suggests, the devotee following this day's "vrata" (vow) is said to be protected from all harm and evil and gain good fortune. Following all these rules on Varuthini Ekadashi is believed to usher prosperity, name and fame to the individual in the society.
Varuthini Ekadashi | Practices
Ascetics do not have a home or possessions. They choose austerity, avoid services such as telephones and electricity. Monks engage in activities such as meditation, seeking knowledge and acquiring self-discipline. Jain monks and advanced laypeople avoid eating after sunset, observing a vow of "ratri-bhojana-tyaga-vrata". "Digambara" monks observe a stricter vow by eating only once a day. The "Yati" of the "Śvētāmbara" sect and the "Bhattaraka" of the Digambara Terapanth do not wander; they usually live in temples and perform daily rituals. The monks rise before dawn, most around 5:00 a.m. but some as early as 2:00 a.m. In observance of "utsarg-samiti", defecation takes place in the open where feces does not harm living creatures; urination is into a shallow pan, which is emptied onto a dry patch of ground.
Jain monasticism | Rules of conduct
In modern India, the food habits of Hindus vary according to their community or caste and according to regional traditions. Hindu vegetarians usually eschew eggs but consume milk and dairy products, so they are lacto-vegetarians. According to a survey of 2006, vegetarianism is weak in coastal states and strong in landlocked northern and western states and among Brahmins in general, 85% of whom are lacto- vegetarians. In 2018, a study from "Economic and Political Weekly" shows that in facts only a third of the upper-caste Indians could be vegetarian. Many coastal inhabitants are fish eaters. In particular, Bengali Hindus have romanticized fishermen and the consumption of fish through poetry, literature, and music.
Vegetarianism and religion | Modern day
Rastafari generally follow a diet called "I-tal", which eschews the eating of food that has been artificially preserved, flavoured, or chemically altered in any way. Some Rastafari consider it to also forbid the eating of meat but the majority will not eat pork at the very least, considering it unclean.
Vegetarianism and religion | Rastafari
Within Eastern Christianity, vegetarianism is practiced as part of fasting during the Great Lent (although shellfish and other non-vertebrate products are generally considered acceptable during some periods of this time); vegan fasting is particularly common in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodox Churches, such as the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, which generally fasts 210 days out of the year. This tradition greatly influenced the cuisine of Ethiopia. Some Christian groups, such as Seventh-day Adventists, the Christian Vegetarian Association and Christian anarchists, take a literal interpretation of the Biblical prophecies of universal veg(etari)anism and encourage veg(etari)anism as preferred lifestyles or as a tool to reject the commodity status of animals and the use of animal products for any purpose, although some of them say it is not required.
Vegetarianism and religion | Christianity
Buddhism teaches vegetarianism (though not as strictly as Jainism), and many Buddhists practice life release in which animals destined for slaughter are purchased and released to the wild. Despite the influence of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, meat-eating was still common in ancient India.
Animal welfare and rights in India | Ancient India
In the Mahabharata both meat eaters and vegetarians present various arguments to substantiate their viewpoints. Apart from the debates about domestic animals, there is also a long discourse by a hunter in defence of hunting and meat eating. These texts show that both ritual slaughter and hunting were challenged by advocates of universal non-violence and their acceptability was doubtful and a matter of dispute.
Vegetarianism and religion | Nonviolence
Since ancient times, peoples of this region have been practicing non-vegetarian along with vegetarian diets to meet the need for protein, vitamins and fat. Also non-vegetarian dishes are seen as delicacies and are eaten with great relish. It has always been a custom to serve the guests any non-vegetarian dish at least once in their term of stay. But after the decline of Vedic Hinduism and uprising of Modern Hinduism along with direct influences from newborn religions like Buddhism and Jainism resulted in decrease of heavy dependence upon meat and ended up with only few kinds of meat yielding animals being edible like goat, sheep and swine, and because Cows got an auspicious position in modern Hinduism, the meat of cows, oxen and bulls became taboo.
Bhojpuri cuisine | Non Vegetarianism
Jains have strongly advocated vegetarianism and nonviolence throughout the ages.
Ahimsa in Jainism | Introduction
Rules of fasting also vary. There are also Christian monastic orders that practice vegetarianism.
Ethics of eating meat | Religious traditions of eating meat
Government of Haryana (BJP) banned meat for nine days in September 2015 during the Jain festival of Paryushana. This was done by issuing a circular to all the municipal bodies asking meat shop vendors not to sell meat or fish on 17, 18 and 27 September 2015. Muni Tarunsagar conducted his 2015 chaturmas in Sector 16, Faridabad and made a world record during launch of his book, "Kadve-Pravachans".
Jainism in Haryana | Events
In the modern era, the passage cited below has been interpreted as allowing the consumption of meat "if" it is not specifically slaughtered for the monastic receiving alms food: Also in the Jivaka Sutta, Buddha instructs a monk or nun to accept, without any discrimination, whatever alms food is offered with good will, including meat. In contrast, the Buddha in the Vanijja Sutta, AN 5:177 declares the meat trade to be one of the five wrong livelihood a layperson should not engage in : But this is not, strictly speaking, a dietary rule because the Buddha, on one particular occasion, specifically refused suggestions by Devadatta to institute vegetarianism in the Sangha.
Buddhist vegetarianism | Theravada View
Jain monks and nuns go out of their way so as not to hurt even small insects and other minuscule animals. Both the renouncers and the laypeople of Jain faith reject meat, fish, alcohol and honey as these are believed to harm large or minuscule life forms. Jaina scholars have debated the potential injury to other life forms during one's occupation. Certain Jain texts, states Padmannabh Jaini – a Jainism scholar, forbid people of its faith from husbandry, agriculture and trade in animal-derived products. Some Jains abstain from farming because it inevitably entails unintentional killing or injuring of many small animals, such as worms and insects, These teachings, in part, have led the Jain community to focus on trade, merchant, clerical and administrative occupations to minimize "arambhaja-himsa" (occupational violence against all life forms).
Ahimsa | Jainism
a. The Kural insists strictly on "moral vegetarianism", the doctrine that humans are morally obligated to refrain from eating meat or harming sentient beings, known as "veganism" since the 20th century, as described by Mylan Engel in his work "The Immorality of Eating Meat" (2000). The concept of ahimsa or இன்னா செய்யாமை, which remains the moral foundation of vegetarianism and veganism, is described in the chapter on non-violence (Chapter 32).
Aram (Kural book) | Notes
On January 3, 2007, Ogyen Trinley Dorje mandated a purely vegetarian diet in all his monasteries and centers and strongly urged vegetarianism among all his students, saying that generally, in his view, it was very important in the Mahayana not to eat meat and that, even in Vajrayana, it is preferable for students and practitioners not to eat meat.
Ogyen Trinley Dorje | Buddhist vegetarianism
This reverence for food reaches a state of extreme in the renouncer or monk traditions in Hinduism. The Hindu tradition views procurement and preparation of food as necessarily a violent process, where other life forms and nature are disturbed, in part destroyed, changed and reformulated into something edible and palatable. The mendicants (sannyasin, ascetics) avoid being the initiator of this process, and therefore depend entirely on begging for food that is left over of householders. In pursuit of their spiritual beliefs, states Olivelle, the "mendicants eat other people's left overs". If they cannot find left overs, they seek fallen fruit or seeds left in field after harvest.
Diet in Hinduism | Food in the Dharmaśāstras
This is why beef remains a taboo food in mainstream Hindu and Jain society. The Article 48 of the present Indian Constitution says that the state shall endeavor to prohibit slaughtering and smuggling of cows.As of January 2012, cow remains a divisive and controversial topic in India. Several states of India have passed laws to protect cows, while many states have no restrictions on the production and consumption of beef. Some groups oppose the butchering of cows, while other secular groups argue that what kind of meat one eats ought to be a matter of personal choice in a democracy.
Culture of India | Animals
Native people believed that some Jain monks lived here. Recently some inscriptions have been found, so some people in the foothills are not eating meat.
Ponsorimalai | History
There is a divergence of views within Buddhism as to whether vegetarianism is required; with some schools of Buddhism rejecting such a requirement. Some Buddhists avoid meat consumption because of the first precept in Buddhism: "I undertake the precept to refrain from taking life". Other Buddhists disagree with this conclusion. Many Buddhist vegetarians also oppose meat-eating based on scriptural injunctions against flesh-eating recorded in Mahayana sutras.
Buddhist vegetarianism | Views of different schools
Overall, India consumes the least amount of meat per capita. Hindus who do eat meat, often distinguish all other meat from beef. The respect for cow is part of Hindu belief, and most Hindus avoid meat sourced from cow as cows are treated as a motherly giving animal, considered as another member of the family. A small minority of Nepalese Hindu sects sacrificed buffalo at the Gadhimai festival, but consider cows different from buffalo or other red meat sources. However, the sacrifice of buffalo was banned by the Gadhimai Temple Trust in 2015.
Diet in Hinduism | Non-vegetarian diet