JAINA(Jain Associations In North America) Youths Professionals and Teachers Questions on Jainism (Compiled by Jaina Education Committee over 10 years of time).About 100 Questions. Thanks for providing an opportunity to dwell in Dharma Dhyaan and of course, it is also a cause for inflow of karma as it is shubha bhaava. Attempt made to present the best known and it is likely that it may be falling short of one’s expectation and information. It is earnest and sincere request to bring out the defects and insufficiencies thereby help understanding better. Welcome for any further clarification. Now, it is, for you to come up. We will be posting 5 Q&A daily. Ahimsa-Q&A 1.Why has Jainism become a “kitchen religion”? or Why is food given so much importance in Jain household? Answer: Firstly Passionless Jina Dharma is not a religion but a path for liberating the soul from the cycle of birth and death. In short it is a way of living. Food to quell hunger according to Passionless Jina Dharma, is one of the 18 defect s of the soul in mundane stage, be one is Avirath Samyakdhrishti or Shravak or Muni. But during the transitory period of one who has professed to liberate, it is required till that one overcomes the defect of hunger and pursues the path of liberation. 2. Most of Jain sects have prohibited the consumption of Root vegetables (Kandmul - Haldar, Sunth). Yet they allow eating of dehydrated haldi, ginger and then powdered. Please explain why? Answer: Vegetables procured from under the ground carries large number of germs compared to the one from over the ground as the sun rays are not favourable for germination. By consuming them one becomes instrumental for its killing which act is prohibited to avoid influx of paapa karma. Right you are that the dry ginger, turmeric are said to possess medicinal effect and consumed. Yet the act does not escape the punishment but in subdued form. 3. Why do Jains concentrate all their efforts in saving minutest bugs and yet ignore violence to human beings such as condemning other Jain sects and considers other religion Gods as Ku-devs and Gurus as Ku-gurus etc.? Answer: Condemnation of any kind of any one be it human or others is an act prohibited in Passionless Jina Dharma. But due to ignorance or weakness of the soul to bear any kind of insult or hurt mundane soul reacts. But it does suffer influx of karmic dust. Right believer would to a great extent only feel pity and be compassionate. Gods as Ku-devs and Gurus as Ku-gurus etc. are not gods but are only humans and they are so due to their professing wrong faith on Truths. 4. Dairy products are not a Vegetarian product (it is an animal product) why do Jains consume them? Why is eating of Dairy product not prohibited in the scriptures? Answer: Dairy product by which one understands it is milk and its by-products. It is not an animal product in the sense that it is not obtained by killing. Milk is an excretion from the hud of the cow and will suffer, if the milk is either by natural way of allowing the calf to drink or extract it for others’ use. If we prick the hud blood will come but by extracting milk blood does not come. Passionless Jina Dharma has not prohibited it. But modern days, the ways and means of obtaining milk is very much painful and detesting. “Neelakesi” a Jain Literary work makes it very clear in one of question raised that milk is not animal food. Well, it is any one’s primary knowledge that every child lived and grew only on mother’s milk. 5. Why do Jains use Ahimsa conveniently? On one hand Jains restrict the use of some plant foods and on the other hand allow the use of many animal products like milk products, silk, pearls, wool, leather, honey etc… Answer: Please note the reply for question number 4 and usage of silk and leather, honey is strictly prohibited by Passionless Jina Dharma. If any on is using them, he suffers influx of karmic dust and is, so, punished for it
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 05:47:49 +0000
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