Economics of Mahaveera

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Adarsh Sahitya Sangh

Page 57

LIMITATION OF INDIVIDUAL OWNERSHIP AND PERSONAL CONSUMPTION
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it becomes difficult to abstain from it. Tonsils may enlarge, teeth may be damaged and any other consequence may be experienced, but it cannot be abandoned. The same holds true for wine or alcohol. To start with, the consumption of alcohol is started as a part of fashion or copying others. Then discontentment (in the absence of consumption) makes the drinker its slave, and it turns into a nervous habit. It is obvious that ultimately its consequences have to be suffered.
A letter was received from an army officer in Jodhpur. He had written, "Reverend Acharya, I worked in high positions in the army. Now I am retired. The habit of drinking has eaten into my body. Even after making efforts to give it up, I am not able to do so. Please give me some guidance to give up this habit."
Those who are learned, wise and thoughtful keep their needs limited from the very beginning. Balanced food is essential for life, but unbalanced food or excess eating is not essential. This is the golden rule for all types of consumption. And yet, today, the need for control or limitation of wants is ignored or not assigned its due importance.
Hunger and Wants Initially, wants arise from hunger, but, in due course, the wants turn into hunger. For satisfying hunger, the need can be fulfilled but for satisfying the hunger for needs, there are neither the means nor any power in this world. Today's economists cannot fulfil these; nor any government or its finance ministry could eradicate the hunger for wants. When the hunger for wants gets ignited, man can never be liberated from unhappiness.
A society with controlled wants is never unhappy. Nobody can grow so rich that he can raise a mountain of wealth or dig a deep ditch which may remain empty. In the society, where desires, wants and consumption are limited, nobody shall remain hungry. On the contrary, where desires, wants and consumption