Economics of Mahaveera

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

Page 63

LIMITATION OF INDIVIDUAL OWNERSHIP AND PERSONAL CONSUMPTION
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list of such articles should be decided for each day. The fourteen directives of the Jain literature are well-known. One directive says that during any day one should not eat more than five or a given number of staple foods. A limitation of this kind is essential. There must be some limitation in the variety of food one eats. Naturopaths say that one does not have to eat more than one type of foodgrains. If wheat is preferred, eat wheat. If rice is preferred, eat rice. If millet is to be the choice, then eat millet. Do not eat more than one type of staple food. If this rule is followed, the digestion will remain normal. This directive, therefore, is prescribed not only from the point of view of self-discipline but it is also desirable for maintaining good digestion and health.
Again, one must not eat a number of things at a time. Dr. Ganguli was a famous doctor of Calcutta. He came to meet Gurudev. During the talk, Dr. Ganguli said, “If one wants to live healthy, all that is necessary — some bread, a small quantity of dal (paste of any pulse), one vegetable, curry and one fruit. Nothing more is needed."
In the early times, the kings used to eat royal foods. No wonder that the diseases were also royal at that time. The name of TB or tuberculosis was rajyakshama, or the royal disease. The rich people suffered from it, but the disease did not affect the poor people. Today, everybody has become 'royal' and the royal ailments have become common.
Numerous Principles of Limitation One must put a limitation on the use of the means of transportation as well. Today, I will not make use of a vehicle more than a given limit.' Put a limitation to travel. 'Today I will not go beyond the limit of one hundred kilometres.' Put a limitation to the use of footwear also. 'I will not use shoes or chappals beyond a limit.' If this awareness is created, it will result in a considerable amount of restraint – and hence control — over the wanton way in which energy and fuel are being wasted. A person goes for some work requiring only ten steps from his home but loitres around the entire market and goes on wandering without any purpose, without any worthwhile object. Modern