Friday, March 4, 2016

Acquire things, but don't show greed


The religious scripture like Vedanta teaches us that you can acquire materialistic comforts and gadgets; nothing wrong in it, but don’t show any greed for the same. While possessing the same, you should not show your possessiveness for the same. Many people misunderstood this inner meaning of this principle. It is not that you give up your possessions and only engage in religious rituals. The sacred book Gita extols concepts like a homeless and dispossessed.  Accordingly, people have either walked away from their home or leave possessions in the name of religion or spirituality.  Possession is physical. A physical entity cannot put any pressure upon your mental health and make you into bondage.  You may be the monarch of the whole world; yet you may show  no- feeling of attachment for the same. You may remain free of ‘me-ness.’ Contrarily, you may have very little under your custody, but hopelessly you cling so much for the miniscule possessions you have that ultimately you become dependent on the same and mentally you get upset, if you lose the possessions. Vedanta teaches for renunciation.  This renunciation is a mental process of virtually abandoning and it is not a physical state. You must learn the technique of renunciation and avoid greed for excessive attachment, dependence and acquisitiveness.   One should be able to identify the difference between the possession and the possessiveness. 

Possessiveness is known as excessive zeal to acquire, possess and brag about the possessions. Ultimately, these shackles you in bondage and you lose your freedom.  Possessiveness stems from the attitude of dependence and  lacks self-sufficiency. It develops fear, suspicion, friction and frustration.  The burden of possessiveness sometimes makes you despair because you are unable to work out the real plan what is to be done with the possession of these so many assets? This will definitely lead to emptiness, incompleteness and deficiency.  At that point of time, you become too obsessed with yourself and you lose your awareness.

Vedanta states that truth is the only reality in life, and the same only can lead you to the path of renunciation. You must accept the fact that inability to comply with the fullness of your purposeful life causes an imaginary void.  Then only, you get allured to obtain very many materialistic dispositions to fill the void.  When this allurement is met, you become jubilant. Vedanta teaches us how to acquire the knowledge of fullness. Reaching this stage, you will not hope for any desire.  You will be then completely independent of the world.  Vedanta also professes that you master the technique to obtain the world in such a way that you are comfortable at any occasion in your life.  Vedanta shows you how to gain from this world, but not becoming a slave of this illusion.  Your turning point is to introspect to analyze the inherent power and become aware.  Awareness is a function of the intellect.  You live in an illusory standard, ignoring the important aspect of the intellect. Look within yourself. Are you jealous, angry and are keeping a wrong notion clubbed with negativities towards people? Or your approach towards them is compassionate and full of kindness?

Analyze whether you are mean-minded or you are excessively attached to your all possessions.  Alternatively, you  may be inspired with a higher vibration to avoid all types of illusion to lead a blissful life and serve mankind. To overcome all the passionate traits, you must induce your ability to practice the concept of 3 D, namely  dedication, devotion and discrimination.  If you delve into the teachings of Gita, Krishna advises Arjuna to perform Yagna, a work which is a spirit of service, which ultimately leads you to a higher dedication and you  achieve a level of pure consciousness.  You must focus your attitude from taking to giving.  The art of giving provides  a bliss and you will be more dedicated to everybody you come across. The second D, which is devotion and that is nothing, but your sublimation to God.  Through this devotion and love, you can energize your feelings to express love for others, which will then remove hatred from your life as far as practicable.  Any ill feeling will not settle in your heart. Krishna says that who does not have anything is very dear to me. The third D discrimination is another important aspect, which is knowledge.  Through this power of discrimination, you can enjoy the possessions without any greed. This knowledge is your permanent companion and will remain with you till the time you perish. Then you begin to disinvest what is to be discarded and not that significant for a particular time in your complete life cycle.


You utilize the same for the present moment and the balance portion can be utilized for future.  Knowledge is nothing, but the permanent process of filtering your resources and how effectively you learn from the same.  It is a distinction between the permanent and impermanent phases we all pass through.  You always put your best efforts to become the center of the wheel of life.  When you do that, you will be able to grip the proceedings of the surroundings around you. All worldly affairs encircle and provoke you to fall into its trap. The attachments and desires spin ceaselessly around you and you will be in a swirl of convolution of mental anxieties to decide what to do and what not to do? At that stage,  learn to fix Atman at the centre of your life.  Then, remember God and He will fix all your problems to guide you to move in the right direction.  At that stage, you may be a millionaire or you may possess very many things, but there will be no obsession and that would be the real path of enjoyment.



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