Are Jains the original vegans? (2024)

While many in the West are partaking in Veganuary this month, few know about the 2,500-year-old faith that eschews anything that could potentially harm another living creature.

Although the term "vegan" was coined nearly 80 years ago by the British animal rights advocate Donald Watson, it is only in the last couple of decades that veganism (and Veganuary, the month long challenge to eat solely plant-based food) has really come into its own as an influential lifestyle trend. However, in many Eastern cultures, the practice of shunning meat as an act of kindness towards animals is ancient, going back more than two millennia.

In particular, Jainism, the Indian faith that originated in north India sometime between 5th-7th Century BCE, predating even Buddhism, comes closest to the modern-day vegan principles of avoiding animal products. "Non-violence or ahimsa is the basic principle of life for all Jains," explained Kusum Jain, retired professor of philosophy at the University of Rajasthan. Professor Jain, who has done extensive research as well as advised doctorate students on this subject, added, "This includes all living things – not just human beings, but also animals, insects and sometimes plants, even those living in water or under the earth. For Jains, hurting or harming any living being in any sense is violence."

She went on to elaborate that Jains also try to limit unkind thoughts or verbal expressions of ill-will, as they believe that "everything has consequences of karma". These beliefs emerge from the teachings of the 24 spiritual gurus known as tirthankaras – the last of whom was Mahavir, a contemporary of Buddha – that Jains follow in lieu of worshipping a creator deity. As professor Jain explained it, "Tirthankaras were human beings who became saints because of their actions. Since they got enlightenment and attained nirvana, they show us the path to liberation."

Although Jains constitute a miniscule 0.4% of India's population (according to the 2011 census), Jainism is still a living – indeed thriving – religion in the country. Jains are found all over India, with larger communities in the western states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, home to some exquisite Jain temples such as Ranakpur and Dilwara (or Delwara). Jains are also among the most prosperous communities in India, influential enough for upscale restaurants to offer separate Jain menus or Jain versions of their popular dishes (think of this as similar to "veganising" food with ingredient swaps or omissions).

Many of Jainism's strictest non-violent principles are now followed primarily by monks and nuns who have taken religious orders. Not only do they wear soft, unstitched robes, but they also cover their mouths with a mask in order to accidentally avoid breathing in any flying insects and sweep the path ahead of them as they walk so as to not step on ants or tiny critters.

But one aspect of life where most Jains tend to be stringent is in their food habits and rituals. In general, they follow a vegetarian diet, strictly avoiding meat, seafood and eggs. Jainism also prohibits eating any plant that grows under the soil – such as onions, potatoes, carrots and garlic – since uprooting them could kill insects that thrive in that ecosystem. To replace the flavour of onion and garlic, Jains add a dash of asafoetida to their dishes. This extract of gum from a variety of giant fennel has a pungent, garlicky smell and is used across India.

Chef Aruna Vijay, a recent finalist on MasterChef India and a practising Jain, spoke about the seasonal nature of their diet. "During the time of chaturmaas – meaning four months, roughly from June to October – which coincides with the monsoon season in India, we stay away from green leafy vegetables such as spinach, amaranth, coriander and mint. This is because lots of micro-organisms grow during the wet season and we could unknowingly kill small insects and worms when we chop and eat these plants."

She also added that for eight days during the peak of the rainy season, during a time known as paryushan, Jains avoid all vegetables and fruit, consuming only pulses, legumes and lentils, also leaning heavily on dairy, specifically yoghurt-based gravies.

Although the Jain diet is guided by the principle of compassion and non-violence, Jains are allowed to consume dairy and don't see any ethical dilemma in adding dairy to their diets. "In fact, ghee is considered one of the purest forms of food," said professor Jain.

Vijay surmised that it was perhaps because traditional dairy farming tended to be ethical and kind to the animals, and the scriptures were written at a time when there was no commercial mass production. "When I was growing up, we had cows at home for the household dairy needs such as milk, curd, butter and ghee. We used to always let the calf have her fill of the milk first before taking for our own consumption,"Vijay said.

While Jainism doesn't fit the purest form of veganism, the two concepts are linked. In her 2021 book, Whose Samosa is it Anyway?, food writer Sonal Ved explained that Jain dietary principles are tied to the idea of ahimsa and the cosmic repercussions of consuming meat. "Although Jain and vegan diets are different from one another, it is the act of eating cruelty-free food that is common between them," she said.

Taking a broader view of food habits across India, it is interesting to note that Indian cuisine has many dishes that are naturally vegan. Ved, whose most recent book, The Indian Vegan published in November 2023, said that when she was doing research for her books, she came to understand just how vegan friendly regional Indian food was. "I realised that from Malvani cuisine that originates on the banks of the Arabian Sea on the west coast of India, to Bengali food in the east, Indians have been savouring plant-based textures in place of meat for over several decades," she said.

"In the South Indian thali, for example, except for the curd, everything is vegan – rice, kootu, poriyal, sambhar, rasam," said Vijay, enumerating the vegetable and lentil dishes served along with steamed rice in these traditional platters.

Given how easy it is to be a vegan in India, it is not surprising that many people from the younger generations – both living in India and elsewhere – are adopting this lifestyle, with many Jains also moving to a dairy-free, completely vegan diet. "Indian eating habits are definitely changing, especially post Covid," noted Vijay. "There is now a strong focus on health, and I am seeing many of my own friends turning vegan."

According to Ved, "The Indian vegan food market was valued at $1,372.3m in 2022 and is expected to grow further. This shows veganism is clearly not a fad but is becoming a way of life." Ved welcomes this, "considering veganism's obvious links to living a sustainable lifestyle, plus slowing down climate change's snowballing effects," she said.

Professor Jain sees this as an extension of the fundamental principles of non-violence that the Jain community follows. "The last Tirthankara was born more than 2,500 years ago, so I would say veganism is a very new concept compared to Jain philosophy," she said with a laugh.

Irrespective of the term used to describe them, the important thing, as Vijay noted, is that "[Jains] try their best to avoid harming anything, even by mistake. Our motto is 'live and let live'."

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