Basic Jain Culture Non Possession

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

Page 24

or granthas or possession. The renouncer of these volitions is called 'nirgrantha' or non-possessioned. He is known as non-possessed also. In both cases, the vow is that of renouncing of possessions rather than adoption of some of it as the vow is defined as dis-engagement rather than engagement
Even if a person is engaged in auspicious activities or volitions, he can not be the total renouncer of non-possessions as the venerable Jinas are.
All this means that he will be the totally non-possessed and knotless who will observe totally abstinence from activities. Prior to this stage, it will be just a formal designation of knotless. In the aphorism of T.S. 9.46 deseribing the varicties of monks, the knotless ones are defined as those who are to acquire omniscience and omniconation within a Muhurta or those who are just prone to destory the destructive karmic species.
With this essence in mind, one should consider the derivation of possession and non-possession in a little detail when these terms are related with devoidance of karmas. This will make us understand the true sense of the term 'possession'. Had the acharyas wanted, they would have called 'parigraha' (all-round grasping) as 'graha' (grasping) only as the same sense also results from the term 'graha' which we have discussed above. For example, the term 'graha' means which is received or grasped i.e. receiving of external material. Alternatively, the instrument of receiving is 'graha', i.e. attachment and aversion. But it seems that by adding the prefix 'pari' (from all sides), the acharyas have involved spiritualism in it. Per chance, they meant that we should not involve ourselves in receiving external materials, instead we should look into the soul and the Karmic mud associated with it. We must differentiate between the two and get away froni karmas and be nonpossessed. The reception of karmas is also a possession. This becomes established from the derivation of the word 'Parigraha'.