Consuming food, water etc. in the night is very
strictly prohibited in the Jain Dharma There are two reasons for this
prohibition. First, if we eat food during the night, there is the
possibility of our committing violence because many minute creatures and
germs may get killed if we take food during night times. Secondly if we
take food late in the night we may not be able to digest it because we
will not do any work in the night that helps digestion. Hence, it is not
good to take food in the night according to the principles of health. The
habit of consuming food etc. during the night may result in indigestion
foul smell in the breath, putrefaction of teeth, constipation and several
diseases of the throat. The digestive system becomes inactive during the
night owing to the absence of sunlight. Hence the food taken during night,
does not get digested; and its putrefaction in the body is harmful to
health. The germs and microbes that disappear when there is sunlight do
not really get destroyed; they take shelter in the shadowy places and
after sunset, they enter pervade the atmosphere. These microbes that are
invisible to the naked eye, get into our food and cause many dreadful
diseases.
Of all the religions in the world, the Jain Dharm is
unique in examining with great care and thoughtful-ness even such
comparatively small matters as food and drink. The Jain dharma
concentrates more on the development of the mind than on the development
of the body. After all certain effects of food, both good and bad. fall
not only on the body, but on the mind.
