Concept of Pancasila in Indian Thaought

SR No.: 001666
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kamla Jain
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi
Publication Year: 1983
Total Pages: 290
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Principle
File Size: 16 MB

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The Concept of Pañcasila in Indian Thought
About the classification or types of theft there is nothing special about it; according to the Pātañjala system, this can be classified into one hundred and eighty varieties like violence. The term 'himpsādaya' (violence etc.) in sūtra No. 34 (book 2) pertains to all the rest of the major four types of vices (theft, falsehood, etc.). It therefore needs no repetition.
But what Patañjali says especially about the vow of nonstealing deserves notice. He says, "As soon as one is grounded in abstinence from theft, all jewels approach him."i One cannot, of course, logically make such an assertion about the reaching of jewels to one who fulfils his pledge of nonstealing. Nor can one really see such cases happening, that is those who do not steal others' valuables or aquire the riches of the world approach the Yogins by themselves, but this does not underrake the value of this high principle from subjective, spiritual or social point of view. Patañjali calls the fruit of inculcating the vow of non-stealing in life, the attainment of all jewels. Here it may be noted that the term 'attainment of jewels' (sarvaratnopasthānam) has two meanings, literally it means the accumulation of jewels, but really it means the fulfilment of all the material desires by the acquisition of the greatest quality of santoșa or contentment. Patañjali in his entire work uses the terms with psychological implications. Accordingly attainment in this connection is not physical acquisition but the state of mind acquired through this contentment. This contentment in Pātañjala terminology is a niyama or observance, which is thus grounded in yama of non-stealing. This virtue of contentment has been metaphorically described by Pataõjali as jewel, and to this extent it is right. Jainism
Like the Pātañjala system the precept occupies the third position in the list of vratas in Jainism. Its importance has been 1. अस्तेय प्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोपस्थानम् ।
--Pāt. Yoga. 2.37.