Gandhi And Jainism

Author(s): Shugan C Jain
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 85

community, he must relinquish the desire for children and wealth and live a life of Vanprastha. Hence, he resolved to observe celibacy. His earlier two attempts to practise celibacy failed, because the motive that actuated this effort was none the highest. His main object then was to escape having more children and allow his wife to recuperate. He also wanted to enhance his selfcontrol and restraint (Sanyam). He had explored the possibility of celibacy for the last six years. During the long marches of the rebellion also, he became fully convinced about the necessity of practising celibacy for public service. He and his wife began to sleep in separate beds. Later, on religious grounds, based on long discussion with Raychandbhai, he set about trying to develop love without lust in order to use his energies more constructively. After full discussion and mature deliberation with his wife", and with her consent, he took the solemn vow of celibacy, or Brhmacharya in 1906. Gandhi said:
Life without brhmacharya appears to me to be insipid and animal like. The brute by nature knows no self-restraint. Man is man because he is capable of and only in so far as he exercises selfrestraint. What formerly appeared to me to be extravagant praise of brhmacharya in our religious books seems now, with increasing clearness, to be absolutely proper and founded on experience?49
Jain ethics for votary / householders also lays significant importance on Brhamcharya. Lust is also considered as a psychical possession and cause of tainting the pure nature of soul. The vow of celibacy in Jainism for a householder is called Svadarasantoshpariman that limits the sexual relations to one's religiously wedded spouse only and gradually enhanced to complete abstinence.
Non possession (Aparigraha): His persuading his wife and children to return the expensive gifts given to him on his return journey in India to a trust to be used for benefit of the needy,
Pg.62 | Gandhi & Jainism