Aparigraha

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Aparigraha" by Niraj Jain, based on the provided pages:

The book "Aparigraha" by Niraj Jain, drawing upon Jain philosophy, critiques the pervasive human tendency towards Parigraha (possessiveness, accumulation, greed) and advocates for Aparigraha (non-possessiveness, detachment) as the path to true happiness and spiritual progress.

The Core Problem: A Leaky Life

The text begins with an analogy of a house. An architect designs a perfect house, but the owner asks to mark spots for future repairs due to potential leaks. The architect explains that if the house is built according to the design, leaks shouldn't occur. If they do, repairs must be made at the point of the leak. Similarly, Lord Mahavir provided a blueprint for a flawless personality, a "leak-proof" life, through his teachings. However, humanity has deviated, allowing "leaks" of sin to enter their lives. The question is, how to repair these leaks and build a complete personality when the "design" of life has been flawed?

The Root of Sin: Parigraha

The author identifies Parigraha as the root cause of the five cardinal sins in Jainism: Himsa (violence), Mridhyavada (falsehood), Steya (theft), Kushil (unlawful sexual conduct), and Parigraha. While other sins might dominate in specific contexts or times, Parigraha is presented as the primary gateway for all other vices in the present era. Unlike the other sins, which are often not pursued for their own pleasure, Parigraha is actively embraced and pursued for the happiness and sense of fortune it supposedly brings.

Parigraha's Pervasive Influence:

• Corrupting Other Sins: The text details how Parigraha compels individuals to commit violence, speak falsehoods, steal, and engage in misconduct, even if they intellectually condemn these actions. The desire to acquire and protect possessions overrides moral considerations.
• Destroying Relationships: Parigraha is shown to be the cause of familial discord, legal disputes between siblings, strained relationships between spouses, and rifts between friends.
• Fueling Desire and Dissatisfaction: The book argues that Parigraha breeds endless desire and dissatisfaction. Just as a cuckoo chick envies a peacock's colorful feathers and a peacock chick envies a cuckoo's sweet voice, humans are perpetually unhappy with what they have, craving what others possess. This constant longing makes them beggars.
• Devaluing Life: The author emphasizes that in the pursuit of wealth, people fail to account for the invaluable resource they are expending: their time and life itself. Every breath taken while accumulating wealth is a breath lost from life, yet this is not factored into the "cost."

The Wisdom of Detachment:

The text advocates for Aparigraha as the solution. This involves:

• Setting Limits on Desires: The core of Aparigraha lies in defining boundaries for one's wishes and desires.
• Cultivating Contentment (Santosh): Contentment is presented as a supreme wealth that diminishes the importance of all material possessions. Kabir's verse highlights this: "Wealth of cows, elephants, horses, and mines of jewels, all these are wealth, but a greater wealth than these is 'wealth of contentment.' When this is available, all other wealth becomes insignificant."
• Living Within One's Means: A key practical advice is to live within one's income, viewing this ability as wisdom and the highest dharma for a householder.
• Understanding the Futility of Excessive Accumulation: The text quotes Jain Acharyas and scriptures, including the Gita, emphasizing that true happiness comes not from acquisition but from contentment and equanimity in both gain and loss.

Illustrative Narratives and Quotes:

The book uses several compelling narratives to illustrate its points:

• The Emperor and the Rupee: A story where a saint throws a rupee at an emperor, not out of malice, but because the rupee, a burden on his conscience, couldn't be given to the emperor who was sitting too high to receive it with an open hand. This illustrates how even rulers can be "beggars" driven by desire.
• The Two Students: Two students are late for class. One lost a rupee and searched for it; the other held it down with his foot, preventing its owner from retrieving it. Both are punished, highlighting how both loss and possessiveness lead to suffering and obstruction of duty.
• The Cuckoo and the Peacock: This illustrates the universal human tendency to envy what others have.

The text also includes numerous quotes from Jain Acharyas, philosophers like Kautilya, and poets like Kabir and Rahim, reinforcing the message of detachment and contentment.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, "Aparigraha" argues that the ceaseless pursuit of material possessions, driven by Parigraha, pollutes and corrupts life. To regain natural purity and radiance, individuals must introspect their possessiveness. True well-being and liberation are only possible through the cultivation of contentment and the restraint of desires, leading to a life of peace and spiritual fulfillment. The ultimate lesson is that controlling the mind and desires is the greatest mantra in the world.