Basic Jain Culture Non Possession

Author(s): Padamchand Shastri, N L Jain
Publisher: Veer Seva Mandir Trust

Page 15

Basically, the chain of possession is very large and, in other words, all the sins like violence etc. are included in it. As a result, it is propitious to be freed from possessions. All the ford-builders and great men have followed the path of renouncing the possessions. Firstly, they tried to renounce the family of possession like wrong faith, passion, quasi-passion, non-religious tales, sensuals and sleep etc. and, then, all the internal ones of external possessions like riches and grains etc. and this led them to be freed of other sins. 1. FAMILY OF POSSESSION 1. Wrong FaithTM: As per BA, verse 56, the wrong faith is defined
as non-belief in the true nature of reals and realities. Until this kind of non-belief is there, there will always be attachment with possessions. In contrast, when there will be rational faith in their true nature through right knowledge, there will be the tendency of absorption in the selfand moving away from the alien or non-self. It is only, then, he will be able to move towards renunciation of possessions. In gross terms, wrong-faith is five-fold :(1) Reverse, (2) Mono-sided or absolutist, (3) Reverential, (4) Doubt-born and (5) Ignorancial. (1) Reverse wrong faith? : It is to believe that liberation is
attained through violence, falsity, stealth, illicit sex, possession,
attachment, aversion, delusion and ignorance etc. (ii) Absolutist8 : It is to believe that the entity has only one form.
For example, the admission of an entity as absolutely existing at all times or not existing at all times. The existing entity has only one form or facet. Similarly, the admission of an entity as totally composite or componental, temporary or permanent etc. also represent the absolutist wrong faith as per Dhavala 8 P.20. In contrast, as per Jain philosophy, every entity is multi
aspectal. It has always many aspects at the same time. (ii) Reverential': It is to offer reverence and services equally