Jain vegetarianism

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Jain vegetarianism is the mandatory, spiritually motivated diet practiced by the followers of Jainism. Rooted in the foundational principle of ahimsa (nonviolence), it is considered one of the most rigorous dietary frameworks on the Indian subcontinent. The diet strictly prohibits the consumption of meat, fish, eggs, alcoholic beverage, and honey. Furthermore, guided by a complex biological taxonomy of senses, it restricts the consumption of root and underground vegetables—such as potatoes, onions, garlic, and lotus stem—to prevent the destruction of microscopic lifeforms (nigoda) and to avoid uprooting entire plants. To further prevent the accidental ingestion of insects and mobile microorganisms (trasa jiva), the diet additionally forbids fungi (mushrooms), multi-seeded vegetables like brinjal (eggplant), and plants with tightly packed floral or leafy structures that harbor insects, such as cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage. The traditional dietary baseline is strictly lacto-vegetarian...

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