Aparigraha the Humane Solution

Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 97

APARIGRAHA - THE HUMANE SOLUTION
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that condemns too much accumulation of wealth, indicating that Islam has its own principle and its practice of ‘iccha-parimana'.
Mahatma Gandhi's aparigraha and trusteeship
Mahatma Gandhi's faith in aparigraha is well-known and shown by his reverence for two important lines of Iso-panişad. But his uniqueness in this area is because he had a detailed human agenda, and a practical mission for mankind. To him ethics meant virtues or values to be absorbed in life for which he made his own life a living example. His commitment to simplicity in life is the essence of his practical ethics. Because of this ethical strength he could present his programme of trusteeship. He suggested to the eminent industrialists and wealthy people of his time that they voluntarily become trustees of the movable and immovable property which was more than their requirement, and vow to use this properly for the welfare of the under- privileged sections of the society, whatever they own is because of the labour and hard work of those who have helped them in accumulating it. In other words their possessions also belong to the people who have been instrumental in producing them. This ideology, Gandhiji felt, would completely overhaul the social structure. Thus in his later years Gandhiji very vehemently started propagating his views on trusteeship, where the owner becomes the trustee, and does not assert his ownership. Gandhiji said he would not discourage them from increasing their accumulations or possessions if they could do so by their acumen and intelligence, but they should refrain from asserting their ownership to these accumulations, and dedicate it to the society. The underlying principle behind this philosophy is, 'Whatever God has given me is being finally handed over to God.' Accordingly owner will change into a caretaker. Gandhiji later extended this philosophy to the body, mind and intellect too, of which the individual is not really the owner. It seems, in the broad outline of 'trusteeship' of Gandhiji, there is a combination of both dāna and aparigraha implying that the benefits of our possessions should go directly to the deserving class and also absence of attachment (mūrchā) or non-acceptance of
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Isopanişad - 1.