lessons-2

[Swami Vishvarupananda]

Nagi wrote:

>Some say one should not shun responsibilities and turn to vairagya for
wrong
>reasons.  I think there is no room for reasons, good or bad, in pursuit of
a
>goal, in this case vairagya. Dispassion/detachment.   Let us consider two
>situations.
>1. One who is rich beyond imagination gives up everything recognizing it is
>not permanent.  For example take Gautama Buddha.
>2. One who is poor gives up his poverty and derive solace in vairagya. (In
>this case lets say Nagy.
>Everybody appreciates the first case and detest the second saying he did
that
>for wrong reasons, at least my wife thinks so.  What I feel is, it's not
what
>others say, it's what gives permanent happiness that counts.

The thing is not, that it is wrong for a person in difficulties to renounce.
When we are deprived of the things mind desires, distatste for the world
awakens and that is good. And we should make good use of it to gain
permanent vairagya. Deprivements are out teachers in vairagya.
But, if we run away from our responsibilities due to distaste, that is no
real vairagya and will also not last.
Facing deprivement and remaining with our responsibilities often
requires more vairagya than running away. One should practice renunciation
in daily life, _attending to one's duties and foregoing the pleasures_.
One can practice asceticism even while living in the world. Once vairagya
has a proper foundation, then one can give up everything. But leaving the
world must never be a flight from responsibility or shying away from facing
the pains inflicted by life.
However, asceticism within daily life every earnest spiritual aspirant
should be sure to practise. So practise Jnana-Sannyasa by living like a
sannyasi while attending to your duties. The day will come when it is right
for you to leave the world and with it will come the opportunity to do so.

Om Om Om
Swami Vishvarupananda

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www.omkarananda-ashram.org