VEGETARIAN-FOOD AND JAIN-CONDUCT > Inedible Vegetables
Whenever some discussion takes place on vegetarian food or attempt is made to write
on it or posters, etc. are published, then in these, vegetarian food is presented
and shown in the form of green-vegetables only. In green-vegetables, too, carrot, radish, etc. tuber-root and brinjal, cabbage, etc. only are indicated and talked about, whereas in Jain-conduct these are treated as non-eatables.
While propagating vegetarian food in Jain community, we shall have to keep in mind
specially the fact that knowingly or unknowingly, it may not be so that we start
propagating about vegetarian food and the result may be the propagation of
non-eatable products. Therefore, we shall have to keep an eye on the broader
aspect of vegetarian food and propagate the same accordingly. Wheat, rice,
etc. cereals; mango, guava, apple, orange, etc. fruits and pumpkin, etc. pure
eatable vegetables too are included in vegetarian-food. These alone should be
exhibited in the form of vegetarian-food. Carrot, radish, etc. are vegetables or not ?
It is not worthwhile for us to get involved in this controversy. Therefore, we
thought it befitting to add the word Jain-conduct with the word vegetarian food.
May these be vegetables, but these are not eatables for Jains; therefore these are
non-eatables. Their propagation is not desirable for us. We intend propagation of
vegetarian food agreeable with Jain-conduct only. This is the reason why we have
declared this year as the year of vegetarian food and Jain-conduct.