Non-possession facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the South Asian religious concept. For the Russian Orthodox 16th-century movement, see non-possessors.

Non-possession (Sanskrit: अपरिग्रह, aparigraha) is an important idea in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. These are spiritual traditions from South Asia. In Jainism, aparigraha means being free from wanting too many things. It's about not being greedy or holding onto things too tightly.

Aparigraha is the opposite of parigraha. It means only wanting what you truly need. What you need can change depending on your life and situation. This idea helps people avoid being greedy or wanting things so much that it hurts others. It stops people from harming other living things or nature just to get what they want.

Aparigraha is also linked to dāna, which means giving to charity. It affects both the person giving and the person receiving.

Non-possession is one of the key ideas in satyagraha. This is a way of thinking based on different spiritual traditions from India. Mahatma Gandhi used it as part of his nonviolent protests. Gandhi's idea of aparigraha was special because it was part of his active fight against social problems in India. He connected non-possession with choosing to live simply. But living by non-possession doesn't mean living in poverty. It means taking only what you need, not more or less.

Understanding Non-Possession
Non-Possession in Jainism
Non-Possession in Hinduism
Non-Possession in Gandhi's Teachings
Non-Possession, Charity, and Nature
Difference from Non-Stealing
In Literature
See also

Understanding Non-Possession

Aparigraha is a Sanskrit word. It comes from "a-" and "parigraha." The "a-" means "non-," so aparigraha is the opposite of parigraha.

Parigraha means wanting, collecting, or taking many things. It also means accepting gifts or doing good deeds only to get something in return. Parigraha includes both the feeling of wanting things and the things you get because of that feeling. The idea that aparigraha helps free the soul was first taught by Rishabhanatha, a very important teacher in Jainism.

The word parigraha also appears in old Vedic texts. There, it could mean fencing an altar, enclosing something, or receiving a gift. In later texts, it meant accepting gifts, owning property, or controlling others. Sometimes, it even referred to being married or having a family.

The good quality of aparigraha means taking only what you truly need and nothing extra. In the Yoga teachings of Hinduism, it also means not accepting gifts that are not right to take. It includes not being jealous and not hoarding things. Aparigraha also means letting go of control, fears, and worries. It helps you live a happy life without being tied down by anxiety.

Non-Possession in Jainism

Aparigraha is one of the main good qualities in Jainism. It is also one of five important promises that both regular people and monks must follow. This Jain promise means limiting how many things you own and limiting your desires.

In Jainism, collecting a lot of wealth can lead to greed, jealousy, and selfishness. Giving up strong feelings for things and material possessions helps people find freedom in Jain philosophy. Eating just enough to live is seen as better than eating too much for pleasure. Similarly, using things is best when it's for survival. It's not good if it's for hoarding, showing off, or boosting your ego. Not owning too much and not being attached are good qualities. They are especially suggested for people later in life. After ahiṃsā (non-violence), aparigraha is the second most important quality in Jainism.

Jainism believes that being attached to things or feelings leads to strong desires. These desires can then lead to violence. Jain texts say that "attachment to possessions" (parigraha) has two types. One is attachment to inner feelings and thoughts. The other is attachment to outer, material things.

Non-Possession in Hinduism

In the Yoga Sūtras (II.30), aparigraha is listed as the fifth of the yamas. These are rules for how to control yourself. The other rules are ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (not stealing), and brahmacharya (being pure in thoughts and actions).

अहिंसासत्यास्तेय ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहाः यमाः ॥३०॥

Non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, purity, and non-possessiveness are the five Yamas. (30)

So, aparigraha is one of five key self-restraints in Hinduism. These, along with five practices (niyamas), are suggested for living a good and wise life. These good qualities are discussed in many old Hindu texts. It is part of the ethical teachings in Hinduism.

One scholar, James Wood, says that aparigraha means not taking things. This is because you understand the problems that come with "getting them, keeping them, losing them, being attached to them, or harming them." Patanjali suggests that greed and wanting material things make you even more greedy. This cycle takes you away from the good reasons that should guide a person.

When we start to fulfill our desires, new levels of greed can grow. If you are greedy or hoard things, it can make you lie, steal, cheat, or even hurt others to get what you want. Greed is a big example of not practicing aparigraha. This is because greed usually means collecting things far beyond what you need now or in the future.

Controlling possessiveness and greed, or aparigraha, leads you away from harmful greed. It helps you avoid hurting others. It guides you towards good actions and understanding your true reasons for doing things. The good quality of not wanting too much and not owning too much is a way to live a spiritual life. In the world, aparigraha means living simply and not being possessive. Inside yourself, it means not being attached, not craving, and being content.

अपरिग्रहस्थैर्ये जन्मकथंतासंबोधः ॥३९॥

When you are steady in non-possessiveness, you gain spiritual understanding of why and how things happen.

Non-Possession in Gandhi's Teachings

Mahatma Gandhi used the idea of non-possession in his satyagraha movement. He believed that owning too much can cause problems.

Gandhi said that if you own something, you might feel like you have to protect it from everyone else. But he thought that if others wanted something he had, it might be because they needed it more.

Non-possession means that no one has the right to have exclusive access to something. This applies whether it's by social agreement or just by taking it.

Gandhi's view was that having possessions brings more trouble than it's worth:

The possession of anything then became a troublesome thing and a burden. Exploring the cause of that joy, I found that if I kept anything as my own, I had to defend it against the whole world.... And I said to myself: if [other people] want it and would take it, they do so not from any malicious motive but... because theirs was a greater need than mine.

Non-Possession, Charity, and Nature

Some people believe that aparigraha also means being charitable (dāna) and protecting nature. Taking and wasting too much from nature, or from other people, does not fit with the idea of aparigraha.

Experts suggest that aparigraha connects with ideas about keeping our environment healthy and sustainable. Aparigraha encourages us to reduce waste. It also adds a spiritual reason to stop destroying ecosystems and nature.

Difference from Non-Stealing

Asteya is another one of the five promises taken by Jain monks. It means not stealing. It also means not wanting to take something that belongs to someone else by force, trickery, or unfair means. This applies to actions, words, and thoughts.

Aparigraha, on the other hand, is about not being possessive or clinging to your own things. It also means not accepting gifts, especially improper ones. And it means not being greedy or craving things in your actions, words, and thoughts.

In Literature

The old Tamil moral book Tirukkural talks about aparigraha. It discusses it in chapters about giving things up and getting rid of desires.