Animals for food

Jainism view the use of animals for food?
The Jains, who are strict vegetarians, practise true Ahimsa to the extent that they literally will not harm a fly. Some Jains will sweep the path before them and wear gauze masks over their mouths so as not to harm small insects by inadvertently treading on them or breathing them in.
According to Jain scriptures, All living things love their life, desire pleasure and are averse to pain; they dislike any injury to themselves; everybody is desirous of life and to every being, his own life is very dear.
How does Jainism view the use of animals for food?
In addition to the cruelties involved in actual killing animals for food, the lives of animals while living are also miserable.
Dairy cows suffer a life of agony: the pain of constant pregnancy, milking machines on their teats, over working their milk producing gland system, and finally the slaughtering when unable to produce enough milk.
Separating the cow and her calf in less than 48 hours after birth is another agony. Chaining these calves for life in a small crate and slaughtering them at tender age of four months is routine in the industry.
Animals raised for food are mostly brought to this world by artificial insemination. Debeaking, branding, castration, dehorning, and much more pains are the facts of life for these animals.
The process of raising animals for food denies the right of animals as living beings, treats them as slaves and inflicts cruelty upon them. By doing so, humans reject all the values, and become very insensitive. As one result, this breeds and invites crime and violence within the society.
Looking at Jain values of Ahimsa, the scriptures list various sinful trades, sinful acts, and ways to limit the amount.
Does vegetarianism place greater priority on animal rights than on human welfare?
Not really. vegetarianism is also a human welfare movement. By eliminating an animal-based diet and eating plant based healthy foods, humans reap many benefits. The following are a few examples. The incidence of heart disease, strokes, and cancer may be reduced by removing meat and dairy from the diet. A plant-based diet requires less resources and produces less waste which leads to a cleaner environment. Instead of raising animals for food and feeding large amounts of grain to them, that grain can be used to feed many starving humans. World hunger problems may be alleviated when we stop cycling grain through animals. So, what do the humans have to lose for animal rights?
Look at this Jain teaching: 'Live and Let Live.' LIVE is human welfare, and LET LIVE is animal rights. They are complimentary. There is an attitude of caring and sharing. This is what vegetarianism includes; sharing this planet with animals and not harming them for human selfishness.
Can one work to improve conditions for animals without being a vegetarian
Yes, one can. Many men and women, who were not vegetarian, started working towards improving the conditions of animals. They were born in non-vegetarian families and they were raised with animal flesh and dairy products as their main food. A stage came in their life when they realized what truly fair treatment toward animals would mean. They joined their hands with those who were saving and protecting animals. In the process, not only did they become kind to animals, but also to themselves. This way, many animal rights workers have become vegetarian at some time in their lives. If not, they are kind at heart, but still a slave to old habits of meat eating.
Those who are born and raised vegetarian are lucky. Their minds, speech, and actions are nourished for kindness to animals and all other non-human life. Most individuals who are raised with those values will not harm animals, nor will they support any harm to animals.
Here is a true life example -- My Transition to Vegetarian... I was born into a Russian/American family and raised as a typical American meat eater. My evolution into the animal and environmental rights movement has been gradual. A turning point for me occurred when I was 15 years old. A friend and I had just eaten hot dogs for lunch, and walked next door to a leather shop. I whispered to her that she shouldn't buy anything in there because it is all dead animals. The clerk behind the counter heard my comment to my friend and asked me if I ate meat. I was shocked. I had never made the connection before that moment. I never realized that the meat on my plate was anything but 'food'. As I realized, while standing in that store, that meat is dead animal, I replied, "No, I don't eat meat" to the clerk. My friend thought I had just lied to the clerk. I explained to her that from this moment on I would not eat meat. That was 26 years ago. My personal evolution continued when I saw the pain of a dairy cow being separated from her calf and realized that the male calves on this farm were being shipped to veal facilities. I then quit using dairy products. I am now a strong advocate of strict vegetarianism for our own health and the well-being of animals and the environment. Rae Sikora("Jivan Sanskar")
Shoul we use produsts from slaughter
A slaughterhouse is a product of human greed and hi-tech combined for mass killing of animals. What are the products from these slaughterhouses? They are flesh, skin, bones, blood, fat, hair, feathers, etc. Sale of each such by-product contributes to the profits of the business. We can, and should live without any of these. None of them are necessary for happy and healthy life. If we consume them, we directly or indirectly pay for them, encouraging further slaughter. On the other hand, when we stop buying them, we send a message to the killing plant, "kill less animals, because we still have some unsold products." As our number increases it will result in a tremendous force to close some of the slaughterhouses.
Since animals kill each other in nature, why should the Jains be concerned about the abuse of animals; such as for example, killing them to eat?
In nature, big fish eats a little fish because its mind is not developed as much as of human who can discriminate and restraint to a great deal. Humans can also rationalize what is right and wrong and so why should they support abuse or killing of innocent animals? Plus, there is a big difference between natural birth and human breeding; and even bigger difference between animals killing each other and mass killing by humans.
The process of raising animals for food involves bringing them in this world by artificial insemination; separating mothers from their young ones; raising them in cages and confined spaces; feeding them unnatural food contaminated with chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics; and finally killing them at a young age. All these actions result in a desensitized attitude and the suppression of compassion at the conscience.
As Jains, we do have to protect all kinds of living beings. There are different laws in the jungle than in human society. In the law of jungle, the strong ones eat the weak ones, but in the law of society, the strong one protects the weak one.
What We Wear. What do the Jain principles teach about the wearing of silk, pearls, ivory, and other clothing and fashion items that involve animal products?
All these items are produced by killing an animal. When we learn the processes used to obtain these products, it becomes obvious that they do not fit into the Jain lifestyle.
Producing silk requires boiling silk worms alive. Producing Wool coats requires the killing of fur bearing animals. Do not mistake leather as a useless by-product of meat production either. Leather coat, shoes, belts, and purses are made from animals bred specifically for smooth skins. Ivory is obtained by killing elephants. Wool production causes animal suffering in various ways.
Many people believe that some pearls are manufactured in factories, and they are called "artificial" pearls. Actually, pearl is a product of pain. When a foreign particle gets into the body, if the oyster or fish can not get rid of it, then the creature in pain coats it with a special secretion. When solidified, that secretion becomes a pearl. In nature, a very few creatures would have to develop such pearls. Therefore the businessmen introduce foreign particles in the body, and force them to develop pearls inside. When ready, they kill them, and extract pearls, and sell them as "artificial" pearls. The larger the foreign particle, the more pain, and larger secretion, and larger pearl.
By using such materials, we become participants in Pranatipat (killing), Adattadan (stealing), and Parigrah (attachment for accumulation). As Jains, we believe in avoiding all Dravya Himsa (actual violence), as well as Bhav Himsa (psychic violence). So all the righteous Jains would reject wearing silk, pearls, leather, ivory, and similar clothing and fashion items.
Just as we would not want anyone to take our life or that of our beloved ones, we shall not take or encourage anyone else to take life of others too. As Jains, we should live simple lives, without any showoff. We should not wear any fashion item that involves taking life. If we can not give life, we should not take either.
honey Bees are manipulated worldwide to produce many products for human use: honey, beeswax, propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly and venom. They are intelligent insects with a complex communication system. Because bees are seen flying free, they are also often considered free of the usual cruelties of the animal farming industry. However bees undergo treatments similar to those endured by other farmed animals. They go through routine examination and handling, artificial feeding regimes, drug and pesticide treatment, genetic manipulation, artificial insemination, transportation (by air, rail and road) and slaughter.