Aparigraha the Humane Solution

Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 68

Chapter-III APARIGRAHA- THE HUMANE SOLUTION Importance
Consumerism and environmental degradation, discussed in the previous two essays, raise the question : "Is it better not to think and be comfortable with a myopic view of futuristic issues or is it better to think seriously and be farsighted about the future of mankind?' A farsighted view presents a bleak future with no easy solution. Perhaps, there is no solution in the context of what is euphemistically called
development,' 'progress' and ‘material advancement'. This path and the speed of man's journey on it are unable to give him peace and happiness. On the other hand, journeying inward, at a controlled pace, with self-discipline have a lasting solution. The problems of consumerism and environmental degradation can be tackled only by an attitude of mind, not just at the individual level but at the social level. More important people, for instance, the policy makers who have a greater role to play, have to change the prevailing atmosphere which is detrimental to the human race and its future. The solution lies in the limiting of desires pertaining to personal material achievements and focussing on social betterment. It is in this light and spirit that aparigraha has to be understood and studied, where mankind in general is primary and the individual in particular is secondary. This further implies that the individual and his moral growth can not be ignored, since the individual is the chief organ of the society. Limiting or controlling one's desires (icchā-parimāra), one of the five ethical precepts of morality (pañcaśīla) provides an answer to the crisis that mankind is facing. In the present day world the gulf between the rich and the poor is widening. This is endangering world peace and drastically deteriotating humaneness. This makes aparigraha very pertinent today. Aparigraha does not mean renunciation from the world for the achievement of a purely spiritual goal; it is a social goal with a social mission.
The principle of aparigraha, (iccha-parimāņa, parigrahaparimāņa, parimita-parigraha) is not a rigorous principle of self control or an ascetic way of life that may entail self-torture of some kind. Such