Environmental Doctrines of Jainism

Author(s): S M Jain
Publisher: S M Jain

Page 26

DOCTRINE OF NON-CONSUMERISM
(APARIGARH)
is that the injunctions and cautions are not only for possessions of human beings but also for those of other living beings including natural resources.
'चौर प्रयोगचौरार्थ – दान विलोपसदृशसन्मिश्राः। Stafeta PAHA, VAR fuit: 1158 11
- Ratnakaranda Shravakachar "To encourage and acquiesce theft, to purchase stolen articles, to violate laws of land to earn by corrupt means, to ........ purchase to lower rate and sale at high rate, to adulterate, to take bribe to use false measures are all transgression of the row of non-stealing."
स्तेनप्रयोगतदा हुतादान विरुद्ध राज्यातिक्रमहीनाधिक H a o QCERTI 7/22||
- Tatvarth Sutra "One should neither steal nor ask non-encourage others to steal and should also not acquiesce stealing. To purchase stolen things, to violate laws such as tax evasion, to adulterate cheaper things in costlie for more profit, to weigh more and less while purchasing and selling are also acts of stealing and one should not do those." Weighing while purchasing and selling should be correct implies equitability in give and take from natural resources also. As in case of taking fruits from trees and simultaneously helping trees in dispersal of their seeds is an equitable mode of give and take. This sums up that we should compensate nature to the extant we take from it e.g. planting trees, keeping water sources and air clean and free from pollution. This Doctrine of Non-stealing is therefore important for environmental health.
"Aparigraha" the important Jain doctrine and one of the five main mandatory vows ordained both for laity and ascetics, implies nonacquisition, non possession and non-consumerism to promote social harmony and also to stop unbridled exploitation of natural resources. Enlightened Jain Arhats and Acharyas have, for ages, been advising restraint on consumerism and have prescribed vows to limit wants to minimum. With increasing industrialization and mad race for economic development, consumerism is rising because the very definition and index of development is higher and higher per capita consumption level. Any increase in consumption puts more and more pressure on natural resources, which are being exploited beyond their carrying capacities, damaging, degrading and even completely exhausting many of the shrinking resources. Presently consumerism is the most damaging cause of environmental degradation.
Jain thinkers have examined in depth the root causes of consumerism. It is human weakness of indulgence in sensual pleasures of five sense of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing and the insatiable desire and passion to acquire the means more and more that triggers consumerism and its twin concomitants acquisition and possession The desires and the greed are deep pits of unfathomable depth and can never be filled. This irrational infatuation for desires and greed is