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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.s18: The Jain Monks and Meat-Eating

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.s18

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The Jain Monks and Meat-Eating

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Ordinarily, a Jain whether a layman or a monk, must abstain from flesh eating.⁵¹ We are told of Jinadatta, a *sāvaga's* son who refrained from flesh-eating prescribed by a physician even at the stake of his life. He told his parents that he would enter into the flames of fire and die but would never violate his long-cherished vow by eating flesh.⁵² Further we are told of Addayakumāra who condemned flesh-eating in the course of a discussion with the Buddhists and the *Hatthitāvasas*.⁵³

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⁵¹ Cf that a Buddhist *Bhikkhu* is forbidden to eat flesh of a beast purposely killed for his sake, and the flesh of useful animals as horses, elephants, etc. (*Mahāvagga*, VI, 23. 10, 11), also *Sutta Nipāta*, *Amagandhasutta* (II 2). See also Prof. Kosambi's article on Meat-eating in the *Purātattva* (3.4 p. 323 ff).

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⁵² *Ava cū.* II p 202.

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⁵³ *Sūya* II, 6 37-42.

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But it seems that under extreme distress, as a special rule, the Jains were allowed to take meat.⁵⁴ Among the articles of food referred to above, we have seen that wine (*majja*) and meat (*māṃsa*) are mentioned along with rice, milk, curds, etc. as articles of food received by monks in alms. Justifying the mention of *majja* and *māṃsa* in the *Sūtra* the commentator remarks that these should be explained with reference to the *Cheda sūtras*, or perhaps a covetous monk might desire to eat flesh and hence they are included among the articles of food.⁵⁵

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⁵⁴ Cf the story of the five Brāhmanas narrated in the *Brhat-kalpa Bhāsya* (1.1013-16). See also *Bhag* (15) where Mahāvīra is said to have taken the flesh of a pigeon. Also cf. the conduct of the sages Vāmadeva, Bhāradvāja and Visvamitra, who being tormented by hunger ate the flesh of a dog and a cow and saved their lives (*Manu*. X. 106 ff).

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⁵⁵ *Ācā* Ti II 1 4 247

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Further, the question arose as to what a monk should do if he was offered bony flesh or bony fish. Under such circumstances, it is stated that he should try to avoid bones and should ask for flesh. But if inspite of his request, the giver threw bony flesh in his pot, he must retire to a solitary place and keeping aside the bones and the thorns, should swallow the rest.⁵⁶ Here again, the commentator explains that *majja* and *māṃsa* may be accepted as a cure for *lūtā* (a kind of cutaneous disease) etc. at the instance of a good physician.⁵⁷

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⁵⁶ *Das Sū* 5 1 73 f, See also *Cūrn*, p. 184, cf. also *Nisi. cū.* (16, p. 1084 ff.) where flesh-eating is allowed as a special case

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⁵⁷ *Ācā*, op cit.,; also cf 1 9 274.

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Besides there were certain countries where people were in the habit of taking meat. In the country of Sindhu, for example, people lived on flesh and so non-vegetarians were not despised in that country.⁵⁸ Then there were robber-settlements and solitary villages (*sunnagāma*) where nothing was available to eat except flesh. Under such circumstances a *sādhu*, setting aside the general principle, was allowed to take flesh as a special case.⁵⁹

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⁵⁸ *Brh Bhā.* 1 1239.

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⁵⁹ *Ibid* 1. 2906-11; also *Nisi. cū.* Pt., p. 134.

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In fact, these examples only show that the Jains took a practical view of the question of flesh-eating. In times when no other food was available except meat, Jain monks were advised to take it rather than starve themselves to death. The wandering monks who passed through all sorts of countries and met all sorts of people, most of them having a predilection to meat diet, could not be too punctilious about their diet, and a via media had to be found out if they were to preach their religion without the pangs of hunger. They could, however, atone for their sin after performing prāyaścitta.

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