Aparigraha the Humane Solution

Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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APARIGRAHA - THE HUMANE SOLUTION
'ādana' means acceptance and vermaņam' means abstinence. Thus, literally it means abstinence from the acceptance of something external. The term 'bahiddha' is very wide in its implications. While discussing the types of parigraha, its wide ranging implications will be made clear. In Pārsvanātha's code it is even more extensive as it includes also the vow of celibacy and chastity, which is given the fourth place in Mahāvīra's five-fold scheme. Aparigraha or non-possession as the fifth vow restricts its meaning to abstinence from the acceptance of external objects. 'Bahiddhadānao' confines itself to the external object but the Jaina scriptures do not restrict themselves only to this implication. They have also introduced the finer or subtle implication to this. They point out that sheer non acceptance of something external is meaningless unless non-acceptance is accompanied by detachment, control of desire or cleaving - mürchā or mamatva. In Daśvaikālika Sūtra, parigraha is identified with mūrchā or attachment. In the Tattvārtha Sūtra Umāswāti has emphatically pointed out that parigraha is nothing but 'mūrcha' or attachment or desire. Desire being the root of parigraha, is the root of suffering). As soon as desire is overpowered, suffering comes to an end. The Uttarādhyayana Sūtra tells that desires are as endless as the sky4. Hence instead of trying to satisfy them over and over again, they should be destroyed from the roots. Thus mere non-acceptance of external objects is meaningless, if the desire persists. Addition of this finer and subjective implication makes the Jaina vow of aparigraha both socially and individually significant. Amrtacandra points out that he who is unable to root out mūrchāor attachment to his belongings cannot establish himself in the vow of non-possession, even if he gives up all his belongings including clothes. It is only mūrchā which is the true essence of parigraha. Thus anything may become parigraha ifone has attachment to it, be it living or non-living (jada or cetana), visible or invisible (rupi or arupi), big or small (sthūla or sükşma).
1. Dasavaikālika 6,21. 2. Tattvārtha sūtra 7,21. 3. Dasavaikālika 2,5. 4. Uttarādhyayana 9,48.