Buddhist Perspective on the Development of Social Welfare
by Ashin Indacara | 2011 | 61,386 words
This page relates ‘Caga and Five Great Renunciations (Panca-maha-pariccaga)’ of the study on the Buddhist perspective on the development of Social Welfare, employing primarily the concepts of Utthana-sampada (persistent effort) and Arakkha-sampada (watchfulness). Based on the teachings of the Buddha in the Dighajanu Sutta and other canonical texts, this essay emphasizes the importance of effort, knowledge, and good karma in achieving social welfare.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
15. Cāga and Five Great Renunciations (Pañca-mahā-pariccāga)
Most remarkably, all true Bodhisatta, the greatest of mankind, must renounce completely the following possessions or ownerships by fulfilling their perfections. In this way, they become worthy of respect, and ready to become the full Buddha.
The nature of ‘The Five Great Renunciations’ is mentioned in Namakkāra Tīkā as:—
“Dukkhena karitabbaṃ pañcamahāpariccāgādi kammaṃ, dukkhena karitabbanti dukkaraṃ, pañcamahāpariccāgādi kammaṃ labbati. Ettha ca pañcamahāpariccāgoti–dhanapariccāgo, aṅgapariccāgo, puttapariccāgo, bhariyapariccāgo, jīvitapariccāgo cāti pañcavidho hoti.”[1]
(1) Dhana-pariccāga: Renunciation of high status and positions, such as kingship, universal rulership, wealth, power so that they are collectively known as ‘Dhana-paraiccāga’.
(2) Aṅga-pariccāga: Sacrifice of one’s own limbs such as hands, legs, ears, nose when someone asks for them.
(3) Putta-pariccāga: Giving away one’s children for other’s sake, persons who ask for them.
(4) Bhariya-pariccāga: Giving away or offering of one’s own wife when someone makes a demand for her.
(5) Jīvita-pariccāg: Renunciation or sacrifice of one’s own life.
These unique self-sacrifices or rare virtues are collectively termed “Five Great Renunciations”, because only uniquely rare and noble persons, after receiving solemn prophecy from the mouth of the Buddha, can perform them with complete freedom and high aim. As such the Bodhisatta, in countless lives, had to make supreme sacrifices for the sake of Supreme Enlightenment (Bodhi).
The Bodhisattas, the great of mankind, have to accomplish these five kinds of great renunciation before they attain to Buddha-hood in the countless lives. This is the law of nature of Bodhisatta. All Bodhisattas have to follow or practice the law of nature so-called ‘Five Great Renunciations’ with great solemn wish or vow from the beginning of getting prophecy from the one of former Buddha. Each kind of cāga is involved in Dānapāramī (the perfection of charity). It can be said that cāga is the branch or duplicate of dāna.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
J.A. VII, P. 333. Abhidhānapadīpikā Tīkā. P. 292. Namakkāra Tīkā. P. 124-157. Buddhavamsa Commentary, P. 72. Pali Text Society, P. 53.