Vajrakavach

Author(s): Dharnendrasagar
Publisher: Jain Sahitya Prakashan Mandir

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things. The scriptures are unanimous in holding that possessing things is our infatuation because, in possessing the things we become possessed by the things.
In the time of Lord Parshvanatha, only four vows were recognised and in the fourth vow viz. non-possession, the fifth vow of continence was included; for, possession included having a woman as having money, jewellary etc. Hence continence which is connected with a woman was considered as a part and parcel of non-possession or Aparigraha. So continence was not separate vow.
Possession is the starting point of worldly life. It is sheer ignorance to consider those things as yours which are not really yours. Philosophically, worldly things give you joy, and pain and provoke the desire for more of it. That is why, possession is considered evil.
There is a vast difference between needs and desires. Needs are limited and desires are unlimited. Needs can be met, desires cannot be satisfied. Needs, pertain to body, desires spring from the mind and are endless.
It is incomprehensible, why we desire to possess more than we need. There are two explanations of this: 1) we are not convinced that we have sufficient merits that will provide us what we need and 2) we are feeling insecure about the future. This insecurity feeling troubles the haves and havenots both. This is a kind of disease. The
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