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Non-possession is the fifth limited vow. As long as a person does
not know the richness of joy and peace that comes from within, he
tries to fill his empty and insecure existence with the clutter of
material acquisitions.
Lord Mahavir said, security born of material things is a delusion.
To remove this delusion, one takes the vow of non-possession and
realizes the perfection of the soul.
One must impose a limit on one’s needs, acquisitions, and
possessions such as land, real estate, goods, other valuables,
animals, money, etc. The surplus should be used for the
common good. One must also limit the every day usage of number of
food items, or articles and their quantity.
This Jain principle of limited possession for householders helps in
equitable distribution of wealth, comforts, etc., in the society.
Thus Jainism helps in establishing socialism, economic stability, and
welfare in the world.
Non-possession, like non-violence, affirms the oneness of all life
and is beneficial to an individual in his spiritual growth and to
the society for the redistribution of wealth.
Meditation
When you seek God, make even a short meditation so intense that it will seem you have spent hours with Him.
—Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, “Yogoda Magazine”
