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THÉ ETHICAL CODE
165
society to derive the maximum benefit out of his skill in producing wealth.
The detached outlook toward life as a whole which man is to ultimately adopt is thus practised even while leading an ordinary house-holder's life. Ultimately man is to curb all his desires and attain purity of self. In the matter of cultivating a sense of detachment in every-day life the principle of non-possession thus means imposing a voluntary limitation on his desires. The principle as observable by the house-holder is referred to as parimitaparigraha.
The five ethical principles are thus the guide-posts for man who is in search of his own self. The integrated pattern observable in the ethical principles is evident from the fact that all the principles are ultimately to be referred to the standard of non-violence. The observance of the integrated ethical scheme, the Jainas believe, helps man in the matter of realizing personality-integration.
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