Acharya Mahaprajna
A religious person is also a social being. Because of this, he is not able to relinquish the needs that are essential, as are means of convenience. Mahavira did not give a direction to social beings to relinquish the essential needs. He only desired that such needs, which fall into the categories of luxuries be given up by a religious person. In fact, by this criterion, the boundary line for limiting the wants can be drawn.
While fulfilling the wants that are essential or are means of convenience, it is necessary to control needs and wants which are mere luxuries. This approach keeps the doors open for improved standard of living and for economic development while putting an embargo on the standard of living based on luxuries.
