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Is wealth everything?
So far economics is concerned, it says that man is a social animal and in society wealth is very important. If wants are limited economic progress does not get its impetus. That's why for economical progress unlimited nature of wants is essential. "Man is a social animal" against the backdrop of this thought it is not unjustified for economics to adopt the policy of unlimited wants. But is man only a social animal? Is he not a person? Does he not experience the sensation of pain and pleasure? Do unlimited wants not cause him stress physical and mental? Does the desire, hidden behind the vast ocean of wants, not upset hormonal balance and cause perversions of the mind? If not so, only then we can accept implicitly, the vastness of wants. When we see a man with a human perspective we can not accept, implicitly the unlimited nature of wants. So, not only religious but also from the human perspective, it is essential to control wants.
Lord Mahavir never talked of non-possessiveness for a social man. This is possible only for a monk. He postulated the limitation of cravings for a householder. Economics gives more importance for consumption of luxury items because it fosters social and economic development; it improves the standard of living. On the other hand it is also a fact that the more consumption increases inequality in the society; it gives negative effect on the poor and intensifies the instincts of aversion and hatred in the poor. So wealth is something but not everything. Main thing is the humanity which can build a beautiful peaceful and harmonious society.
Root of other ills
In Jainism we find the principle of triple "A". It means Ahimsa, Aparigrah, and Anekant. Universal love for all living beings, minimizing wants and possession and respecting all view points, these are the key elements of Jainism. Practice of ahimsa is not possible without practicing aparigrah. Man with excess possession cannot lead non-violent life because the possession themselves are made through violent means. Greed is one which prods man in to the activities of earning money. With the expansion of these activities greed also grows. The more wealthy the person is, the greater his desire for wealth. While satisfying his own desires he does not care if he ruins the happiness of others. He forgets the fact that just as he likes happiness and loathes sufferings, others also do so. Everybody wants to live an independent life. Nobody likes domination by others. But, nevertheless a person, attached to a possession, takes hold of the other poor people and accumulates fortune, engaging them forcibly in his service. Not only killing but hurting other beings and snatching other's independence is also a kind of violence. Thus it is fact that the cause of violence is also possession or greed. Defining the parigrah Lord says " muccha pariggaho vutto" means attachment is the parigrah. On the basis of this definition anekant is also not possible without aparigrah because Anekant means attitudinal non attachment. So in logical language we can say that conjunction of these three (A.A.A) is equal to Jainism.
14th Biennial JAINA Convention 2007
Jain Education International
186
For Private & Personal Use Only
Nobody likes domination by others. But, nevertheless
a person, attached to a possession, takes hold of the other poor people
and accumulates fortune, engaging them forcibly in his service. Not only killing but hurting other beings. and snatching other's independence is also a kind of violence. Thus it is fact that the cause of violence is also possession or greed.
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