________________
222
The Concept of Pancasila in Indian Thought
gifts. In this sense it therefore means non-possession or non-attachment to possessions. The second meaning of aparigraha, i.e. giving gifts or dāna, to the deserving ones implies at least minimization of attachment to one's own things which are given in dāna. Non-attachment is the common feature in both the concepts, and thus the two implications are not contradictory.
Now taking the concept of 'aparigraha' in Patañjala sūtras, Vyāsa in his comment says,"Abstinence from acceptance of gifts is abstinence from appropriating objects, because one sees the disadvantages in acquiring them or keeping them or losing them or in being attached to them, or in harming them."1 The same idea is amplified in Vācaspati Misra's explanation. He says, "since passions increase because of application to the enjoyments, the skill of the organs also increases. Although obtained without effort, objects, if unauthorized, have disadvantages, when one acquires them, since the acquisition of such things is censured. And even authorized objects, when acquired, are evidently disadvantageous because they are needed to be looked after etc. Therefore, abstinence from acceptance of gifts is the refusal to appropriate them."2
In another sūtras Patañjali shows the clear and distinct picture of the condition one may acquire after establishing oneself in aparigraha. He says, “As soon as the yogin is established in abstinence from acceptance of gifts he gets a thorough illumination upon the conditions of birth." Vyāsa points out that the yogin who has established himself in aparigraha would get a clear picture of 'who he was' and “what he would become' etc. And his desire to know all this would be fulfilled only after establishing himself in this abstention. It is, however, not easy to justify it logically. Yet it cannot 1. विषयाणामर्जनरक्षणक्षयसङ्गहिंसादोषदर्शनादस्वीकरणमपरिग्रहः ।।
-Vyāsa's comm. on Pät. Yoga., 2.30. 2. Vācaspati Misra's explanation of the same. 3. 34fGFRITT STFHAYFIT EFTTET: I --Pāt. Yoga, 2,39.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
