The Jain 1992 04 Special Issue

Author(s): Natubhai Shah, Vinod Kapashi
Publisher: UK Jain Samaj Europe

Page 17

period of his Sadhana - accomplishment. Sometimes he was turned out because he did not chase away the cows from the hermitage. At places cowherds beat him; insects and gnats troubled him; thieves involved him and Kings imprisoned him. Ignorant people pelted him with stones and set dogs after him. But he tolerated all the hardships with patience and never flinched or uttered any harsh word against them.
Always to speak the truth (saly) and never to steal (acaurya) were other ingredients of the code of conduct he preached; they were essential for good neighbourliness, social security, national solidarity and international brotherhood. Sexual restraint (brahmararya) was another essential, the lack of which led to many other evils and thwarted social progress and spiritual advancement.
books (dvadasanga) forming the oldest part of the Jain canonical literature contain authentic teachings of Mahavira. The seventh Anga, namely, Upasakadasa is entirely devoted to the description of the conduct to be followed by the householder. There we come across the fifth vow to be observed by householders. It is that of curtailing one's desires and possessions: commercial, professional as well as domestic. Does it have any significance particularly for the present age? If a system wants to survive, it must have practical applicability for all times to come. Preachers of the doctrines of Mahavira, the followers and the admirers of him, all of us, have a special responsibility in this age of the necessities of life. Every one of us has a role to play if the fifth vow prescribed by Mahavira and practised by his ideal upasadas like Ananda is to have any meaning. When the curtailment of desires and possessions is not done voluntarily it is brought about by the force of socialism. Therefore, it is imperative to know which way the wind blows in this regard. The same idea can be explained in Jain terminology; if one wants to know the reality one should look at the things from four points of view: substance (dravya), place (ksetra), time (kala) and condition (bhava). Otherwise there will be no proper assessment of the things, and therefore, no way out of confusion. Hence, the fifth vow of limitation of possessions, in other words, of controlling of one's avarice (lobha), has a great significance today, and, if observed honestly, it can be helpful in solving our problems without any violence (himsa).
Aparigraha, the vow of non-possession or curtailment of one's desires was equally important. The more the desires and possessions, the more the delusion. This meant an increase of worldly burdens and complications; it hindered spiritual progress; it impaired the freedom of the soul. The craving for worldly possessions invites many evils. At any given time the wealth and the economic resources of a nation are limited. What is the best way for a fair distribution of wealth? In the light of the teachings of Lord Mahavira the solution consists in putting voluntary restrictions on one's desires for possessions. Otherwise there is no end to the multiplication of one's desires. This would result in an unequal distribution of wealth among the people and would lead to suffering among them. Today what we call Socialism or Marxism also preaches a similar doctrine as far as the economic aspect of worldly life is concerned. But there is a great difference in the means advocated. Mahavira taught tolerance and Ahimsa and therefore, he preached that one should voluntarily curtail one's possessions, whereas an ideology like Marxism lays stress on force to be used by the State or Government; it does not believe in Ahimsa.
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Every age has its own problems. At the time of Mahavira, the killing of animals in the name of religion was so rampant that not only he but Lord Buddha also raised a strong voice against this cult and preached the doctrine of Ahimsa and compassion. Ever since then, the doctrine of Ahimsa gained everlasting importance. Recently Gandhiji employed such weapons in the political sphere and he came out successful. Times are always changing. Old problems disappear and new ones come up. This is an eternal law of Nature. Today there is an all round demand for social and economic justice. It is quite a well established fact that Mahavira never considered the warna, the caste, as a barrier to admittance to his order (samghai or 10 spiritual progress. As regards economic justice, the conduct prescribed for a householder is worth consideration. The twelve Anga-
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