Aparigraha the Humane Solution

Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 87

APARIGRAHA - THE HUMANE SOLUTION
an offence called nissaggiya pacittiya as prescribed in the Vinaya code of conduct for the monks and nuns.' Monks are not supposed to have any attachment to worldly possessions such as gold, silver, money, wife, children, servants i.e., to all worldly objects, which could be obstacles to his spiritual growth.2
However, in Buddhism aparigraha as a vow for the laity does not exist the way it occurs as aparigraha aṇuvrata for the householders in Jainism. The code of conduct for the householders in Buddhism is not discussed as systematically as in Jainism; though pañcasila mainly refers to the code of conduct of the laity and daśaśïlas for the monks and nuns. It becomes, therefore, necessary to collect stray references for aparigraha for the householders in Buddhist texts. For the laity too, attachment to possessions is denounced and it is said that one who has attachment to land, money, gold, silver, cattle, horses, servants, wife and relatives and is disturbed by such desires and attachment, and faces disaster just as a boat with a small hole in it ultimately faces disaster.3 Suttanipata clearly says that parigraha is an obstacle to dharma.* Dhammapada emphatically pronounces that one who establishes himself in aparigraha and tyāga is called a Brāhmaṇa. However, the term parigraha as it often occurs in the Buddhist texts refers more to attachment and cleaving towards the objects than the objects themselves. In his exhortation to Anathapindika, Buddha said: 'It is not life and wealth and power that enslaves man but the cleaving towards them.' He who possesses wealth and uses it rightly will be a blessing to his fellow beings. This point however, is closer to dana than to aparigraha as will be seen. There are other references in the Buddhist texts which highlight a modest living as important for spiritual and moral life; there are some silas meant for monks which denounce involvement in wordly life, such as attending
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5.
Parajika - p 339.
S.N. Kuma Sutta - 4, 5.
S. N. Kuma Sutta - 4, 5
S. N. Sundarikabhāradvāja Sutta - 16.
Dhammapada, 396.
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