“Gyan-vyan – A viewpoint” reaping the benefits of “Aparigraha (nonpossession or nonattachment)” for better health, living, and environmental sustainability

Dr. Satish Jain, an ex-Professor of Neurology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, explains in a short article what our ancient Indian practices of everyday life can teach us and how many of these practices need to be revisited for improving our now terribly messed-up daily lives. Being born in a Jain family, it was quite natural for me to follow the basic principles embraced by most of the members in any Jain household. The five principles of the Jain ethos are: Ahimsa (nonviolence), Satya (truthfulness), Asetya (nonstealing), Brahmacharya (celibacy/chastity), and Aparigraha (nonpossession and nonattachment). These vows are practiced to a variable extent not only by Jains but most Hindus, through self-discipline and ethical conduct passed on from one generation to the other over thousands of years. Aparigraha (Sanskrit: अपरिग्रह, Nonpossession) is a tenet followed in Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions in South Asia. Aparigraha means keeping the desire for possessions to a minimum and limited to what is necessary or important, depending on one’s life stage and context.[1]Aparigraha, with the principle of nonpossessiveness, is a timeless and profound aspect of Hindu ethics and spirituality. It encourages a life of simplicity, contentment, and generosity, fostering inner peace and spiritual growth[2] [Figure 1].Figure 1: Aparigraha: Nonpossessiveness – ”Live simply so that others may simply live”Parigraha (the opposite of Aparigraha) is also a Sanskrit word which means “taking or possessing more than one needs.” As per Jain texts, the word Parigraha has a deeper meaning. It refers not only to possessiveness, but also the greed for and attachment to material things. It is the greed to possess more and more and attachment to what one possesses that constitutes Parigraha. Many Jain scholars and thinkers believe that the underlying philosophy behind the concept of Parigraha being “needs can be fulfilled but greed can never be satisfied.”[3] As a practicing Neurologist for almost 40 years, the long hours spent in hospitals while teaching students and looking after patients suffering from debilitating and disabling diseases, took away whatever time I might have spent trying to do things that most of us keep on postponing for another day. Now, in the back-nine of my life, leading a semi-retired daily routine, I do have some time to look back and delve deep into the factors responsible for the present health and environmental scenario, and how these can be improved at the grassroots level in a practical manner without a major financial burden on the populations living globally, particularly so in the emerging economies. It is common knowledge that people of all age groups, regions, and countries are affected by Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The World Health Organization report of 2015 estimated that the NCDs were expected to kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally.[4] Children, adults, and the elderly are all vulnerable to the risk factors contributing to NCDs. The unhealthy diets and a lack of physical activity along with an irregular lifestyle, ultimately manifest in most people as raised blood pressure, increased blood glucose, elevated blood lipids, and obesity. These are the important metabolic risk factors that can lead to cardiovascular disease, the leading NCD in terms of premature deaths. NCDs have complex origins and are influenced by a variety of factors, including our behaviors, genetics, environment, and social conditions. The common behavior patterns that have been shown to be linked to NCDs are unhealthy habits like tobacco use, physical inactivity, poor diet, and excessive alcohol consumption [Figure 2].Figure 2: The causation of common noncommunicable diseases is explained in a simple wayThe consumerist society that we live in today directly fuels the rise of NCDs by promoting not only unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and the consumption of harmful products such as tobacco and alcohol. This consumerist culture and the widespread availability of unhealthy food products have resulted in a massive behavioral shift in society, and we have got almost addicted to the greed of consuming more and more of “junk foods,” contributing significantly to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. These changed behaviors resulting in a “global nutrition transition” are to a great extent driven by corporate interests and globalization. This harmful shift in the behavioral risk factors (a typical example of Parigraha) underlies the predisposition to most NCDs and needs to be reversed on a priority basis by formulating strategies by which we can work out better preventive and remedial practices. Aparigraha, signifying nonpossession and nonattachment, encourages individuals to release material possessions, desires, and attachments as a transformative path towards spiritual liberation and ethical enlightenment. The minimalist lifestyle advocates for reducing material belongings and decluttering spaces by prioritizing enriching experiences and meaningful connections over material accumulation. One way of practicing it is to contemplate the fact that we need not ever feel that we possess anything. It is the feeling of ownership that causes many of our problems. We need to follow the adage “Live simply so that others may simply live.”[2] This emphasis on minimalism in contemporary times holds great potential for solutions to many of the current problems prevailing in society. The multi-dimensional aspects of adopting Aparigraha do not signify only nonpossession and nonattachment, but have far-reaching implications for individual conduct and societal well-being. By reducing consumerism and materialism and the greed associated with these, Aparigraha offers a transformative pathway towards a healthier, more conscious, and sustainable lifestyle.[5] We live in an age of over-possession and over-consumption. Over the past two decades, online shopping has become such a common practice that it has become almost a “daily obsession and a compulsive habit.” The online retail market has grown year after year, mainly due to the postpandemic changes in shopping trends and the commercial holidays like the recently observed Black Friday sales. Comparing the sustainability of online shopping versus shopping in “Brick-and-Mortar” stores, one study found that traditional shopping contributes twice as many emissions as online shopping. However, there’s also a higher volume of returns derived from online purchases with the resultant greater abuse of the environment. The easy availability of free returns encourages a cycle of impulsive buying and its disposal that strains natural resources like water and contributes to the massive waste. As per an estimate in 2022 alone, companies in the USA sent over 9.5 billion pounds (by weight) of returned products straight to landfill.[6,7] Biodiversity is a concept and reality that affects and is affected by every human action. A constant fear of falling behind economically is driving individuals to clear acres of land for urban and agricultural development, poach animals, and selfishly burn fossil fuels to fulfill their greed and luxury. Instead, individuals need to practice self-restraint and pause to evaluate how their actions are slowly damaging the Earth.[8] Environmental sustainability involves maintaining ecological balance through the responsible use of available resources, reducing pollution, and protecting our biodiversity. It is crucial for human well-being and long-term survival. Embracing Aparigraha in our daily lives is a very practical methodology that can lead to remarkable benefits not only for individual well-being but also for environmental conservation and its sustainability. In addition, practicing minimalism and nonattachment to material possessions can foster contentment, inner peace, and reduced emotional and environmental turmoil. Moreover, the ecological benefits of Aparigraha are evident as it curtails excessive resource consumption, minimizes waste, and promotes responsible sustainability of the environment. The practice of Aparigraha can make us conscious of what we are consuming. It also invokes an ethical behavior, leading us to question if the things we possess were obtained through harm to others. This awareness and a sort of awakening encourage respect for resources and reduce the strain on the environment. By reducing our attachments to materialistic things, we can focus more on inner peace and spiritual awakening. In a broader sense, Aparigraha encourages nonpossessiveness in relationships also, breeding mutual respect and freedom instead of control, greed, and jealousy. Today, we need to wake up and face the challenges posed by NCDs and environmental sustainability. “Live and let others Live” being the basis of Aparigraha, provides us with an ethical tool for facing the challenges posed by these complexities of modern life [Figure 3]. This ancient wisdom that comes at no cost can offer valuable insights and practical guidelines for building a healthy and sustainable society. Practice of Aparigraha in our daily life provides us with a tool to show how a simple change in the thought process and our way of living can improve our lives by preventing climate change and help us in reducing the massive global burden of NCDs at no extra cost to society or the governments. The need of the hour for individuals, communities, policymakers, and governments is to integrate Aparigraha into everyday living practices and decision-making processes. We as individuals, and at the societal level, need to practice nonpossession and minimalistic consumption. By this simple change in our way of life, we can collectively contribute to a healthier lifestyle and a cleaner and more sustainable environment.Figure 3: Aparigraha for sustainability of the environment – ”Live and let others Live”I hope that I have been able to provide a “Curry for the Soul” that will be helpful in bringing out into our daily practice, some very important thoughts embedded in a common and ancient practice of Aparigraha among population groups in India and the neighboring countries. This approach of revisiting and learning from our ancient day-to-day living practices should appear attractive enough not only for individuals but also for the healthcare planners, environmentalists, and various governmental agencies!! Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.