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LIVELIHOOD WITH RELIGION: LIMITS TO DESIRES
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enunciation has been propagated keeping in view the problem of mental unhappiness. As Economics proposes that we should have more wants, it is clear that this principle has been enunciated with the objective of providing more and more comforts and luxuries in life. Mahavira did not talk about dispossession of resources for the societal individual leading a family life. That is possible only for hermits. For a social being, he enunciated the principle of limiting desires and wants. A societal person cannot live by ending all desires and needs, but he cannot, at the same time, live peacefully by expanding them. That is why Mahavir propounded the middle course of limitation of desires and wants.
Basic Divergence The approach of religion in respect of life is basically different from that of Economics. Religion interprets life with the objective of development of self-awakening. Economics interprets life through the medium of economic activities. The background and perspectives of both interpretations are not the same. That is why it seems that Theology does not support Economics and Economics does not support Theology. But both religion and wealth are associated with social life. Consequently, on some points in life, a confluence of both takes place and the two impact each other. Bhagwan Mahavira said, “Conquer desires with contentment”. Fire cannot be extinguished by puiting fuel into it. In the same way, desires cannot be satisfied by fulfilling desires. The increase in wants calls for the multiplication of articles of consumption and increase in production and labour. However, it is only an illusion that it contributes to happiness and peace. With expansion in wants, the standard of living rises, but it cannot be accepted that it leads to higher levels of happiness and peace.
Boundary Line of Desires A religious person is also a social being. Because of this, he is not able to relinquish the needs which are essentials and means of convenience. Mahavira did not give a direction to social beings to relinquish the essential needs. He only desired that such needs which fall into the categories of luxuries be given up by a religious
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