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What is possessiveness?
his necessities. The watchfulness over one's desires and the resulting action there-in, is non-possessiveness, which is the pathway to liberation.
In the context of possessiveness, the venerable Mahāvīra says of Ananda, the householder:
He limits his own desires. 10
Here, the reference is not to the extent of wealth or objects. Ananda learns to limit his own desires which are endless. When desires are limited, objects are automatically limited; this is the first step to non-possessiveness.
Just as a ship cannot sail without water, human beings cannot live without a certain amount of wealth and luxuries. As countless drops of water float beneath the ship, causing it no harm, so also those who stay afloat their possessions sail smoothly through life. All the wealth in the world may lie at a person's feet, but if his mind is free of desires, then he is free of fear and danger. Even a whirlpool of wealth cannot stop his spiritual journey. But just as a little water entering the ship can cause it to sink, so also a few waves of attachment can rock the boat of life. Money and wealth are not possessiveness or sin, but can be the medium for possessiveness and sin.
Truly, attachment is possessiveness, attachment is sin and attachment is the cause of this worldly sojourn. This attachment towards wealth, material, country, political leanings, communal views, or even towards one's disciples is nothing but sheer burden - a dead weight that can cause a ship to sink.
The pursuit of detachment is the pursuit of nonpossessiveness. The foremost condition on the path of nonpossessiveness is not the relinquishing of wealth and objects, but of attachment. Only he who can overcome his desires and ambitions can tread the path of non-possessiveness. He is not forbidden the use of objects, but must always remain vigilant and detached from those objects. If two sets of clothing are enough for a year, then an accumulation of many more clothes 10 icchāparimāņam kareha -- Upāsakadašānga Sutra
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