Book Title: Applied Philosophy Of Jainism
Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Prachya Vidyapeeth

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Page 75
________________ 68 : Applied Philosophy of Jainism master.' The scientific achievements and mastery over the nature have turned man into a selfish being open to temptation. Selfishness and temptation have eroded our spiritual and moral values of self sacrifice and service to the needy. In their place the mad scramble for power and wealth, a mad race that has endangered our social institutions, these values can survive only if we check our selfish and greedy attitudes. Lord Mahāvīra in Uttarādhyayana-sūtra has rightly observed 'where there is inner desire for material gain and possession of worldly objects of enjoyments, there is greed. The limitless desire for power and wealth has caused man to lose his sense of respect for others. This attitude, in turn, has created a gulf between haves and have nots, which has resulted in the loss of mutual faith and sense of brotherhood. The desire for power and possession has also given birth to the race for atomic weapons. This desire to accumulate more power and wealth is called “parigraha'. And not to accumulate power and possession beyond minimum requirement constitutes the principle of aparigraha, a constituent of pañcayāma of Lord Mahāvīra's philosophy. Though Mahāvīra has laid stress on the principle of non-violence (ahiṁsā) yet, he also observed that in the root of all violence and war there is the lust for power and possession. Therefore, in order to restore peace and brotherhood and to uproot the violence, we will have to develop mutual faith and sense of security. Everyone has right to use the, gift of the nature, but has no right to deprive others of using these gifts. In Jainism and Pātañjala-yoga system the principle of non-possession (aparigraha) is accepted as fifth vow, but if viewed seriously it is the first basic principle. Jaina thinkers are of the view that if this very principle is violated all other vows automatically becomes violated because as the root of violence and theft there is lust for power and possession. According to Uttarādhyayana-sūtra the root of all mental and physical sufferings is the desire for worldly enjoyment, therefore only detachment from the worldly enjoyment can put an end to the suffering. While materialism seeks to eliminate suffering by fulfillment of human desire it cannot eradicate the primal cause from which the stream

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