Miscellaneous - Religion   

Develop detachment

CHENNAI: There are innumerable forms of living beings in God’s creation and the scriptures state that the type of birth is determined by the Karma that the bonded soul had acquired by its actions in previous lives. It is difficult to get human birth and only man can strive for liberation from the cycle of transmigration. In all other births the bonded soul can only work out its Karma and then it has to be born again.

While Karma determines the conditions of birth, it is the mind (Antahkarana) in subtle form which is responsible for the unique characteristics of the individual as the latent tendencies (Vasana) of the previous lives remain ingrained in the mind.

In his discourse, Sri Mani Dravid Sastrigal said even though a human being experienced trials and tribulations in life it was difficult to develop detachment towards the world. Hence the fundamental spiritual exercise lies in tackling the Antahkarana without allowing it to act the way it likes. The latent tendencies in the mind will prod the person to engage in activities the way he did earlier. If one succumbs to it then there will not be spiritual progress; on the other hand one will only become more entangled in bondage by acquiring fresh Karma necessitating future births to enjoy it.

Understanding that it is the mind which binds one to the body and that it is attachment to the body which is the cause of sorrows, a spiritual seeker must with discrimination develop detachment realising that one cannot experience only happiness in worldly life and it alternates with sorrows. There are ways in which this can be done. For instance, when one loses something which is a source of joy, he must console himself thinking that he will not feel bad over the loss of something he did not possess. Another method is to see everything as Brahman (the Absolute). A person with such an outlook will then understand that there is nothing more to be attained by him; neither will there be anything for him to give up.

If one did not have something earlier or will not be able to have it in future and had acquired it only in between, it cannot be permanent. Everything in the world is hence transient and the source of eternal joy is within.

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