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3. Non-Possessiveness (Aprigraha) Non-possessiveness is one of the five vows prescribed for laymen as well as ascetics. This vow “asks for minimizing accumulation of possessions and personal enjoyment. The wants and desires must be reduced and kept in check as much as possible in thoughts, words, and actions. With the limited resources on this planet, we must be aware of the consequences of our possessiveness. Unchecked possessiveness can lead to great direct harm to oneself, family, society, and the environment” (Jain, Y. 2007: 17).
Besides laying the foundation-stone of the Jain way of life for a modern living, and suggesting ways for self-evaluation with respect to a number of constituent elements as discussed above, the book Jain Way of Life also gives tips on a number of day-to-day activities such as healthy diet, responsible food purchasing, eating and drinking out, purchasing of household items including cruelty-free products, excelling in work-place, donations and gift-giving, family celebrations, vacationing, etc.
Further on, for those living abroad, the book also gives guidelines for how to raise children, how to get them through schooling, how to develop partnership with non-Jain groups. For the Jain readers especially, the book offers briefs on Jain festivals, Jain pooja, prayers and symbols, Jain scriptures, Paryuashan parv and Das Lakshan, Kshamvani parv, meditation, practice of equanimity and Pratikraman, Jain philosophy and history, comparison of Jainism with other religions, Jain Centres and Societies of North America.
The book Jain Way of Life not only prescribes a code of conduct for Jains to live life in modern times but also provides a methodology for measuring one's progress in living a Jain way of life. Thus a number of five-point scales of self-evaluation have been developed by the author/editor with respect to various aspects/items pertaining to one's mind, body, possession, consumption, spirituality, life and the world. For example, the section on "My Mind & My Body” has the following nine scales on forgiveness, anger, passions/sexuality, active mind, death/preparation, pride, relaxation/meditation, body care, and vibrations/karma. The section "My Things” has four scales on greed, money, material possessions and travel. The section "My
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Jains in India and Abroad
