________________ The Cardinal Tenets of Mahavira and Jainism 123 wealth has become the obsession of the reading community, and like an infectious disease it has spread its contagion upon all and sundry. It is high time that we should realise the futility of the excess of wealth, which has no use for the possessor. The fourth cardinal creed of aparigraha, the vow of non-possession, lays its finger, upon the root of the preceding evil. The possessive and acquisitive instincts are the most degrading passions of humanity, It springs from and feeds upon undue self-love and self-esteem. It only strengthens the animal ego. It fosters greed and avarice which leads to the emasculation of the intellectually weaker sections of humanity. It deprives our unfortunate fellow-beings of their means of self-development. We should ponder over the far reaching evil consequences of this vain love of possession. There is not enough of material good in the world and the enormous hiatus in the living standards of the rich and the poor will not be tolerated by the forces of nature. The present political and economic maladjustment is the result of this unethical proclivity. The desire for having more than others and what is necessary is a crime and a sin. The trends of modern thought and policies of the states all over the world are definitely set against this psycho-ethical malady. Mabavira went to the root of the problem of evil when he gave it a co-ordinate status with non-violence. Observance of celibacy (Brahmacarya) has been recommended for the monastic order. But the psychology of celibacy goes deeper than the outward observance. Adultery has been denounced by all the prophets of the world. The impulse of race preservation must be canalized in proper channels. Conjugal relationship must be based upon and fostered by mutual love and love of posterity. It is in the interest of the future generations that a man must learn to control his sex life. These are the cardinal tenents of the Jaina creed, and happily tbey have been equally emphasised by the Buddha and the apostles of the orthodox Brahminical creed. It will be a travesty of truth and grievous error of judgement if we delude ourselves into to the belief that these were the teachings of one particular religion. They constitute the universal basis of all religions in the true sense of the term. Institutionalised religions may have erred in their empbasis upon the one or the other. That was because they had to accommodate themselves to the political exigencies of the time. Every religion has its genesis in the realisation of the highest truth, wbich, however, becomes enervated by the impact of material forces and misapplied enthusiasm. The rot must be checked and corrected by a deeper philosophy of life. It is a matter of inspiration that Mabavira and the
