Aparigraha the Humane Solution

Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 75

APARIGRAHA - THE HUMANE SOLUTION
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The celebrated conversation between Yājñavalkya and his wife Maitreyi that occurs in Brhadāranyaka Upanişad shows that possessions and wealth do not help in attaining immortality. When Yājñavalkya wanted to distribute his estate between his two wives, Maitreyi chose the spiritual portion of his estate. She said, “Supposing lobtain possession of the whole earth full of wealth, by that I shall not attain immortality.' "Certainly not', Yājsavalkya replied. 'Such a life will be only like the life of those who have all kinds of conveniences; there is no hope for immortality by mere possessions of wealth. It is not for its own sake that everything is held dear but for the sake of atman that everything is precious.' This conversation shows that possessions may become hindrances to the attainment of the goal. Similar examples can be quoted from other Upanişads on the importance of aparigraha as a necessary step to the attainment of the ideal. Brhadāranyaka also talks of the renunciation of the very desire for wealth. These examples reveal that aparigraha is a celebrated virtue in Upanişads, which is not so evident in the Vedas and the Brahmanas. This is the marked difference that one sees in Upanișadic thought. The contribution of Upanisads towards philosophical and ethical notions is clearly noticeable.
Following the historical sequence, the Sūtra period follows the Upanişadic period. The Yogasūtras of Patañjalienunciate the eightfold path of yoga - așțāngika yoga -as the spiritual excercise for the cessation of mental modifications. The first step of this eight foldyogic path is the adopting of the five moral principles known as yamas. Aparigraha is clearly mentioned as one of the five yamas. The five yamas are known in Jainism as the five vratas and in Buddhism as the five silas. According to Patañjali, the five yamas are (1) abstinence from violence, (2) from falsehood, (3) from stealing, (4) from adultery and (5) from possessions or taking gifts. But whereas aparigraha is usually translated as non-possession especially in Jaina and Buddhist systems, J. H. Woods translates aparigraha as the concept appears in Patañjala Yoga system as abstinence from acceptance of gifts. Wood's translation
1. Bịhdāraṇyaka Upanişad - 3,5,1. 2. Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali - 1,2.