Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

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Jesus Christ had condemned the ownership of possessions and said 'You can take camel out of the needle's eye but you cannot take a rich man through the gates of heaven'.
Aparigraha in Jainism
Complete non possession for monks and limitation to property and possessions for a layman is a great doctrine of Aparigrah.
We are passing through an era of transition in values, volitions and validations. There is a continuously growing trend of movement from limitation to accumulation, mind to machine and inner show to outer show. Every conscientious person is pained to see all this. One has to remember that the inner happiness is more beneficial than outer pleasures.
If we want to preserve the basic identity of Jain religion and culture, we must follow the principle of limitation to possessions and non-attachment. In the basic principles of Jain religion non-violence is uppermost but the principle of non-possession lies at its roots. Respecting other's needs is the slogan of the Aprigraha principle.
Mahavira preached the monks to adopt the principle of Aparigrah in completeness. A Sage or a Monk is the perfect model of Aparigrah because he does not keep any possession and has no attachment with any relations. Mahavira postulated the 'iccha parimana vrata' a vow of limiting desires i.e. keeping in check the cravings of the men living in the society. A householder cannot give up all his desires and continue to live at the same time, but he can minimize his desires to live peacefully.
1. Two types In Jainism, there are two types of possessions, namely internal and external. Internal: The internal possessions are four types of 'passion' - anger, ego, greed and deceit. All of these 'passions' increasingly lead to a sense of 'mineness' i.e. possession in all activities.
External: The external possessions are classified as living beings - family, servants, animals etc. and non-living beings as wealth, property etc. It seems that the external objects by them are not possessions but the feelings of their ownership is attachment and is parigrah.
2. Needs and Desires Ascetics are asked to give up all types of possessions and become Aparigrahi or Nirgranth. They are known as Mahavratis, while the householders are permitted to have some possessions according to their needs without getting attached to them, and are known as Anuvratis. The emphasis is on the feeling of mine-ness, for the possessions should be absent. Mahavira said, "Do not accumulate wealth." It harms the interest of others. Wealth is a means of satisfying wants but not an end by itself.
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