Jain Journal 2008 01 No 03

SR No.: 520269
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 2008
Total Pages: 56
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 13

SatyaRanjanBanerjee:Contributionofthe Jainsin DevelopingMoral FibresoftheIndians
In all the scriptures, this is considered as the greatest virtue of human beings. The Jains believe that if human beings observe celibacy (brahmacarya) for the formation of their character, their lives will be greatly uplifted. The human society will also be greatly protected from the defilement of character. This rule is to be observed by the sādhus and sādhvis without any exception, but in the case of laymen and women, this vrata (vow) can also be observed in a limited way. The rule of celibacy is practically for the betterment of human life and society.
One of the finest moral values as propagated by the Jains is their economic measurement as expressed by the term aparigraha which means "to renounce all interest in worldly things, and not to keep any property." The word parigraha has many meanings. Kālidāsa has used the word parigraha in the sense of marriage. Kālidāsa has said kṣatra-parigraha-kṣamā (I. 21) marriageable by the kṣatriyas, parigraha-bahutve 'pi (1.31) even though I have many marriages. But in Jainism, it is used in a special sense. The term aparigraha means not to keep any kind of property, land property or rice and paddy property. It is opposite to parigraha which means keeping or accumulating things (paritaḥ sarvataḥ sākalyena vā gṛhnāti iti parigraha-pari-grah+ac). Every now and then human beings are accumulating excess property beyond the limit of his demand and necessity. As a result, the desire for increasing property is getting heaped up day by day and men have become greedy gradually. For that reason, the desire (kāma), anger (krodha), delusion (moha) and envy (mātsarya) are generated in a society. In the Gītā (II. 62-63) the effect of these qualities is illustrated thus:
dhyāyato viṣayan puṁsaḥ sangasteṣūpajāyate/ sangat samjayate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho 'bhijāyate // krodhad bhavati sammohaḥ sammohat smṛti-vibhramaḥ/ smrti-bhramsad buddhināśo buddhināśāt praṇaśyati //
117
"The man dwelling on sense-objects develops attachment for them; from attachment is born desire, and from desire generates anger.