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Religion in everyday life
primary goal of human life is to attain liberation by adopting the vows of non-violence and truthfulness, thereby blocking the flow of karmic influx.
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Until a person is operating within a family and has a reciprocal interaction with the world, he cannot be absolutely free of possessiveness. He cannot live his life by begging for alms like the ascetic. Thus there is a framework within which a layperson must acquire his possessions. This framework keeps his possessiveness in check. A householder must learn to mark his limits and earn his livelihood accordingly. He must provide for himself as well as for his family and community.
Given that certain possessions are necessary in life, you may ask is there any dictum for how these possessions must be acquired? Acārya Hemacandra and other great seers speak of wealth acquired through righteous means.
The source of earning should be just and righteous. 5
A householder acquires wealth as well as luxuries, but he must not gain his wealth by unjust methods. His wealth must always reflect his honesty and hardwork. Such wealth will not be tarnished by sin. On the contrary, wealth that is acquired by injustice and exploitation is sinful and can never have everlasting benefit. Wherever such wealth travels, it causes misery, hatred and jealousy.
How well our Acāryas have explained this intangible difference! They were indeed great idealists with a realistic approach to life. They did not give impractical sermons that a person who stays in the framework of a family should not acquire necessary possessions. Jainism does not believe in such imaginary ideals. Those who live in the flights of imagination can never attain great heights in life.
The conflicts of life cannot be battled in the darkness of ignorance. The householder should exercise vigilance and always ask himself the question, "Have I earned my money from a legitimate and justified source or otherwise?"
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nyāya-sampanna-vibhavaḥ -- Acarya Hemacandra
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