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Amit on June 2008

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An Interesting Article

Apurva on May 2008

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Dear Young Jains,

After reading the article below, you will be further inspired to become vegan. Congratulations to those that already follow a vegan lifestyle! For questions and additional information, please contact Pravin Shah, the chairperson of the JAINA education committee at education@jaina.org.

Apurva Patel
Director of Education- YJA

Life Cycle of a Dairy Cow in America

In her lifetime, an American dairy cow experiences many lifestyle changes.

1st Phase - Birth

From the moment of her artificially induced conception to her birth nine months later, she exists in the nurturing environment of her mother’s womb.

2nd Phase – Productive life

After birth, bonding with her mother lasts for no more than a few minutes to couple of days. Does a calf experience separation anxiety? We should know the answer to that question after hearing her tortured cry (I have seen this in my visit to a dairy farm).

After separation, she is force-fed between one and two gallons of colostrums by the human farmer. Without this first nutrient-rich bovine milk, she would succumb to illness and die in her first two months of life.

Does the mother accept that separation?  Each year, tens of thousands of incidents are reported in which angry cows seek revenge upon dairy farmers. Each year, hundreds of dairy farmers are trampled, gored, attacked, and killed. Newspaper accounts blame such incidents on irrational unthinking beasts.

Cows live a lifetime of stress so long as they produce enough milk to be profitable to the dairy farmer. Once she becomes unproductive (around 5 years of age), or once she becomes too diseased to be cured, she is culled (removed) from the herd.

3rd Phase – Unproductive Life Journey

About thirty percent of America’s dairy cows are culled from herds each year. To be culled is to be taken from the familiar surroundings of a farm and packed onto a truck with other non-productive or diseased creatures. The fear factor culled cows experience is extreme.

Most Americans would guess that at this point the cow is sent to slaughter house. That is not so. Additional indignities await her.  The true torture begins once the cow leaves the dairy farm. Her first stop is not the slaughterhouse but the auction ring.

Also once a cow leaves a farm for her ultimate death, compassion is no longer a concern to human handlers called middleman.  Cows are loaded onto trucks at the dairy farm. The ride to auction can be traumatic. Terrified creatures are unloaded from the truck after bumpy rides in which they receive no food or water and are guided into holding pens. Employees of auction houses are often low paid workers who have no interest in animal rights issues. Their job is to move the animals in the proper direction. The cows are led into rings while spectators sit in tiered bleachers and offer bids to an auctioneer’s call.  (I have seen the auctioning of cows).

Many bidders sit in the audience, content to purchase number of animals depending upon the size of their slaughter operation. Each cow or calf awaits its turn… Twenty three cents per pound? Sold. Next.

4th Phase – Final Extinction

The cow is now owned by the successful bidder. It is his job to get the animal loaded onto his truck and shipped safely to his slaughterhouse facility. After experiencing a first truck ride, no cow wants to ever again climb the ramp onto man’s vehicles.  These are the most painful and undignified moments of a cow’s life. Tails are grabbed and twisted. Nose rings are pulled and sometimes ripped from faces. Gentle creatures are stunned with high voltage electrical prods. Even the most stubborn of creatures eventually goes for her second and final ride.

All cows are slaughtered in America when they are around 5 years of age while their life expectancy is around 15 years. Some are to be slaughtered in factories, while others are to be slaughtered in sheds. Some receive a bullet to the head while others are stunned.  (I have visited the American slaughter house).

5th Phase – Recycled Phase

The first step in the slaughter house is o cut their throats so that they are bled. One can see that some cows are awake and conscious during the bleeding process.  Spurting blood is collected in 55-gallon drums during slaughtering process. Blood is then dried and processed into powder, then packed into 50 pound bags. Dairy farmers buy this commodity as a protein supplement to be fed to future cows and their offspring. American cows are no longer vegetarian cows.  Their own blood protein is mixed with grains to feed the next generation of cows.

Conclusion

Twenty-seven million cows and other animals die each day in America.

If and when we drink a glass of milk, eat ice-cream, cheese, sweet, or for meat eaters, the meal of burger, or the nuggets, or the Colonel’s crispy wings, we are eating the suffering and death of once living creatures.

During the 3rd phase of their journey, the middlemen who are responsible for transportation of the cows are the most abusive of human handlers (worst in India because of long journey), but they exist to serve the whims of the consumer. We eat the fruit of his abusive labor and we are complicit in their crime.

Jain Practice

For Jains, Ahimsa is our supreme principle, and yet we use dairy products such as milk, Ghee and sweet not only in our home but also in our temple rituals and Swämivätslya dinner.
A cow is a five-sensed (Panchendriya) animal that also possesses mind.  Cruelty to five-sensed animals is considered the highest sin and a person is destined to suffer in the hell as per our scriptures.  In this situation a person will acquire following sinful karma

• Narak Äyushya Karma – “Panchendriya Vadha, Mahä-ärambha, Mahä-parigraha, and Raudra parinämathi Narak Äyushya Bandhäya chhe”. - Jain Darshan by Muni Shri Nyäya Vijayji
• Adattädäna Karma - We are responsible for stealing the cows’ milk without her permission
• Antaräya karma - We are responsible for forcefully separating the mother and child.

There are more than 6 million Americans are Vegan (New York Times Report), who do not use any animal products including dairy products such as milk, cheese, ice-cream, butter etc.  About 10 to 15% Jain Youth are Vegan who attend YJA and YJP conventions.  No Jain youth in America has denied the cruelty that exist in the American dairy industry or in fact in the dairy industries of the rest of the world.  However there is a significant  resistance among Jain adult populations in America, India and rest of the countries.

We earnestly request to the Jain community at large to study the subject from Cruelty point of view.  Significant literature is available on Internet and in book stores worldwide.

My great reverence to Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanuji and Pramodaben for their total dedication to practice vegan life style and spread the message of true Jain non-violence not only in America but throughout the world.  I hope that the other Jain scholars study this subject rationally from the cruelty of Panchendriya animal point of view.

Hats off to Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanuji and Pramodaben.

The treatment to the majority of cows in India is worst in many areas of their life cycle.  Only less than 1.0% of cows get sheltered in animal shelter places called Pänjarä-poles.  Hence more animal shelters will not solve the problem.  The only rational solution to the problem is to eliminate the root cause of the problem.  Eliminate the dairy products from our diet and rituals. Once the demand is reduced, the supply will be reduced and in-turn less cows will be produced and hence less cruelty in the world.  That will greatly help our environment also.

Please introspect seriously our religious practices under the current environment. Do not follow the scriptures blindly otherwise our supreme ideal of nonviolence will not have any meaningful value attach to it.  America is a land where we can practice our religion rationally.  Our children will practice our religion rationally but we will miss the opportunity if we do not wake-up.

Please let me know if you find any error in the information described in this article.

If I have hurt any one’s feeling with this article, I sincerely request forgiveness.

Pravin K. Shah,
Chairperson of Jaina Education Committee
Federation of Jaina Associations in North America

The majority information in this article is an abstract from the original article of Mr. Robert Cohen (http://www.notmilk.com).  However I have visited all such places in America and some places in India.

Frito Lay’s products

Amit on November 2007

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Be aware of what we take for granted as being vegetarian. Make sure you read the ingredients!! Porcine Enzymes are enzymes extracted from a pig’s intestine.
Seasoned Products Made Without Porcine EnzymesProducts Made and Distributed in the U.S.

Last Updated August 23rd, 2007
http://www.fritolay.com/fl/flstore/cgibin/ProdDetEv_Cat_351852_NavRoot_361689_ProdID_564690.htm

 http://www.fritolay.com/fl/flstore/cgi-bin/dietary_choices.htm

These products DO NOT have Porcine Enzymes but they still might be made with Chicken Stock or other meat flavorings. Please be aware and check the links.

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MangalamShow.com

Amit on November 2007

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JAINA is very happy to announce “Mangalam” a half hour TV Broadcast every Sunday on TVASIA beginning September 16th 2007. The Broadcast will be at 9:00 AM EST on Dish Network in North America (some local cable networks may have a different time slot) We request all to support this great venture to ensure the future of our Jain heritage and our unity in North America by advertising on the program. For more information contact Dr. Mamta Shah, Chair person of JAINA Media Production Committee, (516) 487-1852 or Mshaha8087@aol.com

On November 11th, we will be featuring a Youth Special and News report on the Multifaith conference in Mexico. Do not miss this exciting episode of Mangalam!

Register Now! Southeast Regional Leadership Summit

Meghi on November 2007

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The next Leadership will be held on November 17th, 2007 at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.  The registration fee of $40 includes 3 meals, workshops, and conference materials.  To register, please go to http://www.jainleadership.org/register.htm

Over the past three years JAINA’s Long Range Planning Committee, together with other Jain leaders, have developed a vision for the future of Jainism in North America. Dr. Dipak Jain, the Dean of Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, invited Jain leaders from across USA and Canada to a historic first summit to discuss the future of Jainism in North America on April 15-17, 2005 at the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago. Led by Dipak Jain and Prem Jain, Former Senior Vice President of CISCO, the conferences introduced concepts of management and organization that can be applied to improving the performance of our leadership and result in greater involvement of our community in solving common challenges facing us.  

The cost will be minimal and includes conference materials, as well as breakfast, lunch, snacks, tea break, and dinner. As there is limited space, please confirm as soon as possible.

The highlights of this conference includes:

- Leadership Training
- Community Concerns and Challenges
- Personal Experiences from Successful Community Members

And workshops such as:

- Universalization of Practices at Jain Centers in USA
- Community Concerns and Challenges
- Youth Issues
- Jain Center Policies

For more information, please contact:

Manoj Jain, Jain Center of Memphis, TN - JAINA LRPC - 901-240-2602
mkjain@aol.com

IndiCorps - a tremendous opportunity to help others in need

Amit on September 2007

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I just completed the Indicorps Fellowship, where I spent a year in India doing grassroots development work. The fellowship challenged me to live simply, to give without expecting anything in return, to love and serve a community as if they were my own, to reflect upon my own life and how to live consciously – all of which were principles that I felt my resonated with my Jain upbringing.

The fellowship experience was life defining - check out the website (www.indicorps.org). Even if its not the right time for you, spread the word for someone else looking for the opportunity to come to India, to do community service, and to contribute to positive change…

Ketki Sheth - ketki@indicorps.com

Please check out this video get a better feel of what we are involved in.

http://www.news.indicorps.org/magazine/content/blogcategory/16/35/

Day 10

Amit on September 2007

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Supreme Celibacy – UTTAM BRAHMCHARYA
External View: This means not only refraining from sexual intercourse but also includes all pleasures associated with the sense of touch, e.g. desiring for a cool breeze on a hot summer’s day or using a cushion for a hard surface. Again this dharma is practiced to keep our desires in check. The monks practice this to the highest degree with all their body, speech and mind. The householder refrains from sexual intercourse with anyone
except his or her spouse.

Internal View: Brahmacharya is derived from the words Brahma (Soul) and charya (to dwell). Nischay Brahmacharya means to dwell in your Soul. Only by residing in the Soul you are the master of the Universe. Residing outside your Soul makes you a slave to desires.

Day 9

Amit on September 2007

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Non-attachment – UTTAM ÄKINCHANYA
External View: This assists us in detaching from external possessions. Historically, ten possessions are listed in scriptures: land, house, silver, gold, wealth, grain, female servants, male servants, garments and utensils. Of course in today’s world, money, investments, car, and clothes are part of our possessions as well. Remaining unattached from these helps control our desires and leads to an influx of punya Karmas.
Internal View: This assists us in being unattached from our internal attachments: false belief, anger, pride, deceit, greed, laughter, liking, disliking, lamentation, fear, disgust, and
sexual desire.

Day 8

Amit on September 2007

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Renunciation – UTTAM TYÄG
External View: Contrary to popular belief, renouncing worldly possessions leads to a life of contentment and assists in keeping desires in check. Renunciation is done at the highest
level by monks who renounce not only the household but also their clothes. A person’s strength is measured not by the amount of wealth he accumulates but by the amount of wealth he renounces. By this measure the monks and laypeople living
balanced, Non-Possessive lives are the richest.

Internal View: Renouncing the emotions, the root cause of misery, is Nischay Uttam Tyag, which is only possible by contemplating on the true nature of the Soul.

Day 7 - Das Lakshan

Amit on September 2007

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Penance – UTTAM TAP
External View: This does not only mean fasting but also includes a reduced diet, restriction of certain types of foods, avoiding tasty foods, etc. The purpose of penance is to keep
desires and passions in control. Over-indulgence inevitably leads to misery. Penance leads to an influx of positive Karmas.
Internal View: Meditation prevents the rise of desires and passions in the Soul. In a deep state of meditation the desire to intake food does not arise. The first Tirthankar, Adinath Bhagwan was in such a meditative state for six months, during which he observed Nischay Uttam Tap. Only from the meditative energy from within, he went on for six months with no food.