Karma ,Renunciation & Non-Attachment

[bonny]

Hello,

I read this below topic from a book name "Living with Himalayan Masters " by swami Rama.I thought to share this, so that i want people to think and understand about Karma ,Renunciation & Non-Attachment .



From page 73, heading "Karma Is the Maker"



" I used to hear a lot about a sage called Uria Baba, who was very famous for his learning and spiritual
wisdom. He lived in Vrindavan. My master sent me to live with this sage. A devotee of this baba who knew
me well took me to Vrindavan. When I arrived there I found hundreds of people waiting to have darshan of
this great man. The baba was informed by his devotee about my arrival. He very kindly instructed his
devotee to take me to his room. This great man was very short in stature and about sixty-five years of age.

He was considered to be one of the greatest learned scholars of North India. He had a large following all
over the country. He was very kind and generous to me.In the evenings we used to go on the banks of the Jamuna for evening ablutions.

 One evening I asked him, “Is renouncing the world superior to living in the world? Which is the right path?” During those days I had been studying the philosophy of karma. I knew that karma means cause and effect; I also knew that it is difficult to get freedom from these twin laws of karma.


The baba, in the course of conversation, told me, “It is not necessary for all human beings to renounce
the world, for the path of renunciation is very difficult to tread. Actually it is not necessary to renounce the
objects of the world, because a human being does not actually own or possess anything. Therefore it is not
necessary to renounce anything—but the sense of possessiveness should be renounced.

“Whether you live in the world or outside, it does not make much difference. Attachment to the objects
of the world is the cause of misery. One who practices non-attachment faithfully and sincerely obtains
freedom from the bondage of karma. In the path of action, duties are not renounced, but are performed
skillfully and selflessly. The renunciate renounces the objects and goes far away from them, but he also
performs his essential duties. Those who live in the world as householders also perform their essential
duties. Those who become selfish by receiving and using the fruits of their actions create many
encumbrances for themselves. It becomes difficult for them to get freedom from this self-created bondage.
If all attachments and sense of ownership are not renounced, the path of renunciation becomes miserable. Ifthe householders do not practice non-attachment and continue to strengthen selfishness and possessiveness, it also creates misery for them.


“To attain the purpose of life, it is necessary to do one’s duties, whether one lives in the world or outside
it. The path of renunciation and the path of action, though two diverse ways, are equally helpful for attainingself-emancipation. One is the path of sacrifice, the other the path of conquest.”

Again the baba spoke: “The law of karma is applicable to all equally. Our past samskaras are deeply
rooted in the unconscious. These latent samskaras, or impressions, create various bubbles of thoughts and
express themselves through our speech and actions. It is possible for the aspirant to get freedom from these samskaras. These memories have a stronghold in the bed of our samskaras. Those who can burn these samskaras in the fire of non-attachment or knowledge are free from the bondage created by them. It is like a burnt rope, which loses its binding power though it still looks like a rope. When the latent impressions,though still in the unconscious, are burned by the fire of knowledge and lose the power of germination, they never grow. They are like roasted coffee beans. You can use them to brew a cup of coffee, but they have no power to grow. There are two varieties of diverse qualities of samskaras. One quality of samskara is helpful in the path of spirituality, and the other is an obstacle.


“Non-attachment is like a fire that burns the binding power of past samskaras. The benefits which are
derived by the renunicate by renouncing the world are derived by the householder by the practice of nonattachment.


The renunciate attains enlightenment outside the world, and the householder in the world.
“Non-attachment does not mean indifference or non-loving. Non-attachment and love are one and the
same. Non-attachment gives freedom, but attachment brings bondage. Through non-attachment the
householder remains aware of his purpose of life and does his duty selflessly. His actions become means for
him. In renunciation, the renunciate remains aware of the purpose of his life constantly and attains
enlightenment. Non-attachment and renunciation expand the consciousness. When an individual learns to
expand his consciousness or unites with the universal consciousness, then he no longer remains within the
bounds of his karma. One remains totally free.

“Such a great man has power to show the path of freedom to others. Whether he is in the world or
outside, he can also heal the sickness arising from karmic debts. He can remain untouched and above,
without being involved or reaping the fruits arising from others’ karmic debts. A true master has control
over himself and moves freely in the world. When a potter has completed making his pots, the wheel of the
potter still rotates for some time, but is unable to manufacture pots. For a liberated soul the wheel of life
remains in motion, but his karma does not create any bondage for him. His actions are called ‘actionless
actions.’ When the student is competent to tread the path of enlightenment it becomes easy for a great man to guide him, and one day he also attains ultimate freedom.”

[adhyaksh]

I appreciate your posting of various articles and you strike me as a genuine seeker. I would like to make a small contribution to your article above. The moment you disregard the notion that you are the Karta or Bhokta you have already renounced the world. This is called real sacrifice by lord Shiva himself. How does it matter whether such a person is a householder and Sanyasin - he is an avaduda who is constantly attached to this truth.