Monday, September 13, 2010

Milk Addicted Jain Monks


-Mahavir Sanglikar

Let me clear that I am (Yet) not a Vegan. But I consume milk products at minimum by avoiding direct use of milk. I will become a pure Vegan as soon as possible as I am on that way.

My sole intention of writing this article is to underline the hypocrisy of Jain monks.

Jain monks and their blind followers always claim that Jainism has thought very deeply about Ahimsa. Further they add to it that no other religion has considered this issue so deeply. Their both statements are totally false when we think about the milk products they are consuming.

I am afraid why Jain monks think that milk is a vegetarian product. If milk is a vegetarian product, they should show us the trees where milk grows. The true reason is that Jain monks have become addicted to milk, so they do not want to think on it.

Much is written about milk by Vegans. You can read a detailed article about Himsa (Violence) in consuming milk at: (Read) Vegans have thought about it very deeply and they are more non-violent than the milk addicted Jain monks.

One of my friend met celebrated and great Jain monk and told him that how milk is a non-vegetarian food. The monk became angry (!) and told my friend that no Jain aagam (text) says that monks should not take milk. So, the Jain monks will avoid bad things only if the aagams say.

I have realized that consuming milk is not only violence but also a theft. The milk is for the new-borns of the animals, not for us. We have no right of taking the food which is not for us. If a Shravak takes milk products, it is a different thing, but if the monks take them, it is a big sin. Sin of theft and sin of violence. Consuming milk is more sinful that consuming liquor, as there is no theft in taking liquor.

More and more Shravaks are becoming Vegans, but no monk is ready to stop consuming milk products. This also proves that Shravaks think well than the monks.

Now I have a question about Jain aagams. How the aagams have not banned the monks from taking milk products? Doesn’t it prove that aagams are not perfect? Western Vegans know nothing about Jainism, and they have thought deeper than Jains. Jains in West are becoming Vegans because of Western Vegans and not because of Jain aagams and Jain monks. Just think about it!


11 comments:

  1. U r article seems to be interesting. According to jainism each and every entity in this universe has soul. If any1 told that I m pure veg it means that he/she has not understand the concept of "Life comes from life". In jainism emphasis is much given on minimum Hinsa. Minimum Hinsa doesn't meant equal to zero. As far monks and milk is concerned that is not our part to discuss. Becoz it is not about stealing it is about donating. Cow donates milk to us which itself is a big source of nutritional for ppls like us who not eat meat and other like product. Becoz of this reason Cow has its own importance in Jain and other major religion like Hindu or whatever it is.

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  2. I am neither jain nor vegan, but I am trying to develop what I would call a practice of ethical eating. I do not eat meat of any kind, and have also stopped eating milk products. However, I do eat eggs from pasture raised chickens. This part of the jain religion confuses me and I find it outdated. A cow certainly endures more harm in the modern dairy industry than a pastured chicken endures, and an unfertilized chicken egg is not a potential life. I believe you can ethically eat eggs. You can get your own chickens and treat them very well as pets. Lots of people are doing that now even here in the states.

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  3. Mahavir, there is one word "Vigai" or "Vighai" in Jain Scriptures where Milk, Butter, Ghee are classified as NOT to be EATEN.
    Next time, you can ask Jain Sadhu/Sadhvi about this classification.

    I have been told by couple of Saints that "not drinking milk'' is as per Jainism only.

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  4. Dear Sir,
    I agree with rahes view on that. I am no jain scholar. I agree that the calf has priority over cow's milk. Excess can be taken from cow or buffalo and used as it contains great nutrtion. Already jains are not eating lots of food for nutrition. In that case milk can server as good source of calcium and nutrients.

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  5. I totally agree with views of rahes & ankur.its true that calf has first priority on cow's milk.
    But consuming milk is no harm to cow.

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  6. Mahavrji,
    Before writing this article on Jain monks, I wish you would have written an article about the hard life a Jain Monk lives and Tapasya he does. I agree with your opinion that consuming milk products is a topic of discussion but this is not a proper place for that. These discussions should be held.

    I am mostly surprised by your statement that you are not a vegan. I don't understand how can you criticize the other people for consuming milk products if you do that yourself.

    Speaking about Jain monks they follow a tradition called aagam and their behavior is according to that. If it should be changed we should discuss this with top Acharyas. Please don't help the Jainism defamation on such small grounds.

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  7. What about Dahi? Dahi clearly has many living bacterias. Also, how about consuming Haldi? Isn't is a Jamikand??

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  8. I didn't read your whole article, sorry. I'm a vegan and of course I use vitamin tablets with B12 in it, like all vegans do or I would get pretty sick. So if I would not have this tablets I would be forced to drink at least milk because you can't get B12 from vegetables or fruits. Of course we have problems with the milkindustry but it starts to make a big change if you don't kill the calf or the cow...

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  9. Jainism is an absolute religion. It has every concern about this world and beyond. Jain agams clearly mention "tyag" of all kinds of dairy products as one of 12 "niyams" a shravak has to follow. Milk is ok only after calf has consumed it and it is excess and cruelty free without injecting hormones etc. Cruelty free also means clean surroundings, proper nutrition and fodder given to cow.

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  10. Please refer utaradhyan sutra chapter 17 Gatha 15, it clearly states consumption of Milk and dairy products (vighai) is a sinful act.
    However interpretation is distorted to convince

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  11. Jain aagam clearly states consumption of vighai is a sinful. Please refer uttarayan sutra chapter 17 gatha 15. In simple langauge it states consumption of milk and other dairy products like curd, ghee, butter also oil, fried and jaggary is one of the biggest bottleneck in spiritual growth, itleads to durgati (Decline) since it creates agitation, distortions and strong desire for lust and body desires.
    Therefore it should be avoided.
    True meaning is distorted and dampened.

    Also concept of dwidal meaning dairy products in combination with pulses, cereals etc.,will cause serious health issue.

    True religion is much above food, however we are trapped and confused in at food level.

    True we are trapped in addictive food that's why nobody is openly speaking or supporting.

    Just think why most of our saints,mahatmas and so called jains seriously diseased, despite having most scienific religion. Why core vegiterain is equally diseased as nonvegiterain.

    It's time to introspect.

    Pradeep Shah
    Mumbai
    9096697773



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