17 May

Aprigraha – One of the basic principles of Jainisim which can save world from economic crisis

Aparigraha means limiting your needs. It is very important as it creates content. It creates the feeling of happiness. But at the same time it is also a very revolutionary concept, because it goes ultra-virus to everything that is taught to us by our current socio-economic frame work.


What is the current society teaching us?


It is teaching us that accumulating is the goal of life. The more things one has, the more worthy he is. Worth and self-respect is only dependent on how much a human has.


Example:-


A) How much money an individual has?

B) How much property he owns?

C) How many acquisitions he has?


The current 21st century is teaching us that by acquiring more & more, you will become a happier person. The advertisements doesn’t sell things, it sells a person – happiness. It sells a human – satisfaction.

Ads and product packaging’s promise us to offer pleasure and happiness. This deludes us in believing materialism and consumerism is cause of happiness.


By purchasing particular goods, they promise us happiness and satisfaction.
But in reality, its not what one truly gets in the barter, rather it’s a big lie to mislead us. Because, for some people its profitable, to motivate us to move & acquire things, which in reality are of little value to development & happiness of ours. But for somebody its profitable so it is promoted & advertise very strongly.


From childhood we are taught this idea, that accumulating and hoarding is the goal of life. If it is wrong, then what is right? APARIGRAHA. One may find what I will say next as something controversial, completely against what we have learnt & also against our common sense.


If your heart says “YES”, then don’t buy it.


Because, by buying that you are simply increasing your dependency on that commodity.
There are two ways to achieve happiness in this fast growing life of today’s world.


A) Externally by getting objects of pleasure.

B) Practicing connections with inner self.

Steve Jobs, someone who was among the riches people of world, had almost no furniture in his house. He just had a picture of Einstein, whom he admired greatly, and he had a Tiffany lamp and a chair and a bed. He just didn’t believe in having lots of things around but he was incredibly careful in what he selected. Original photo by Diana Walker/SJ/Contour by Getty Images. Jobs in Woodside, CA on December 15, 1982.


So, when we indulge in a race of accumulations, our mind is objects & becomes extrovert. In a simple way, the more we accumulate, no doubt we would feel happy but that happiness is for a short span of time. But when you practice inner peace satisfactions, you connect within you & you start to experience inner happiness.

When I say about inner happiness, many people don’t understand such words. That is joy inside us, but for that our mind is to be diverted inward & how this can be done is only by “APARIGRAHA” (the less you need, the more happy you are).
If you are in race of today’s worldly material objects, your time is wasted, energy, youth is wasted & more importantly your mind lies disturbed all the time. It looses the capacity to connect with the inner ‘object’. Naturally you start feeling less & less happy. That is the reason a research was done in United States of America & they found people were more happy 30 years ago than now in today’s world where consumerism has increased.

Indian civilization for the largest time has practiced Aparigraha. Even today if one visits the rural areas of India one will find people there wholeheartedly practicing Aparigraha. They are live examples of how the ones owning the least end are also the ones most satisfied and calm.


A) Houses – LARGER

B) Phones – FASTER

C) Computers – SMARTER

etc etc.


But some how we don’t feel happy every year in spite of having all facilities. We are happy, but its duration is shorter. I am not against the technology provided in today’s world but I want to say, there should be a minimum use of all commodities & we should not be dependent on these things.
Example- If we have a car, why we need the top car? If you have a choice to spend your energy and you spend three years to get this car, instead you could have done something more meaningful.

Today people own more vehicles than they need. There are way more private vehicles on streets than ever before. Due to this, many times in emergency situations Ambulance gets stuck in traffic. People should prefer public vehicles, bicycles, or car pooling.


And also word “APARIGRAHA” in experience means to remain constantly well financially. This universe is not dead material structure, but its an intelligent entity.
So when you live a disciplined life, when you are not over indulging and not breaking law of nature, nature will always provide for you what you actually need.


What is “SANTOSH”?


Some people say, if we do meditation we will feel happier & our inner happiness would blossom. To some extend its true, but actually when you limit your needs, its only than your inner peace is created naturally And this is called “APARIGRAHA”. Ecologically, our planet would be so clean, & beautiful.


Just ask yourself a question inside?


Can I still remain happy without this?


And answer would automatically come & slowly your inner happiness will make you realize, ‘YES I am already inside you!’. One good morning, you wake up, you would find yourself in satisfaction.

How to know that you are following “APARIGRAHA”.


Example- If tomorrow suppose you become owner of millions in your pocket & you find the happiness more, then you are really NOT following aparigraha.
When one follows APARIGRAHA, then one wouldn’t really mind even billions in their pocket.

Indian Dharmic traditions teaches to practice Aparigraha unlike any worldly religions. Happiness is childlike, simple and within everyone. It need not be searched outside.


A) I was a happy person.

B) I am a happy person

C) I will be a happy person.


The most important thing of “APRIGRAHA” is to think that, “Nothing in this world belongs to me”.


Everything has been given to me by The Supreme & I am simply managing.


We live on a finite planet. Within a single person, there is a infinite desire. So, finite planet & infinite desire cannot merge with each others. If a human is given a chance, he would consume the entire universe, the whole galaxy and on top still feel empty & dissatisfied.

Latur almost every year faces a drought like situation. Water is an important resource. Farmers suicide over lack of water. While in nearby cities people carelessly use water. Aparigraha suggests to use only as much one needs.


So we as a humanity, we are destroying the mother land, because we just want too much which in reality we don’t need.


Why cant we leave the tree as a tree?


Why we humans in a hoard of getting money?

Why cant we use the money for progress of humanity?

Businessmen like Sir Ratan Tata, Azim Premji, Bill Gates, and many more like them, do donate a part of their income to social upliftment initiatives. Ratan Tata has started hospitals, colleges, schools for social upliftment.


One should feel lucky that God has selected us to help uplift the needy. One should believe in using their resources optimally to help others and not just hoard material.
Who is suffering from accumulations? The one who is over accumulating. There is no mental peace and a sense of satisfaction or completeness.
“APARIGRAHA” is freedom from dissatisfaction. It is freedom from being over dependent on worldly objects for one’s own happiness.

Jain Monks practice the staunch Aparigraha. Aparigraha is one of the five Mahavrats of Jainism. The other Mahavrats are Satya (truth), Ahimsa (Non-viloence), Bhramacharya (Celibacy) and Asteya (Non-stealing)

In today’s time, Jain monks do the highest level of APARIGRAHA in their life. Jain monks doesn’t use electricity, don’t travel on vehicle, posses only one clothing, don’t even will to eat different varieties. They truly believe in less consumption and strictly practice minimalism in their life to get liberation. They practically use the least things required to live in a better & smooth way.

Aneesh Aruna Kothari
( Virar)

Comments

  1. Proud of you brother.. keep going n make family proud always♥️😍🙏💯🙏♥️

  2. Aparigrah is related with brahmchary

    Abhrahm is leads us towards parigrah

    Amazing articles pleaze share more articles related with brahmchary.

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