Nagesh D. Sonde

Renunciation

When Buddha said that the desire to renounce is more difficult than desire to possess some thing what he does possess or be some thing or some which he is not,  one is naturally surprised. Every one knows that in primordial world how difficult it is possess something or be something. Since acquisitive nature is inborn in human being as extension of his ego-sense he does not realise nor has he ever experienced the difficulty of renouncing what one has or what one is. Because renunciation of what one has or what one is is renouncing a part of one's image of one self, howsoever that image be imaginary, unreal and deceptive.  He will do any thing in life to prevent any one harming his possession or his position, saying that doing so hurts his pride, though what he means is that it hurts his ego, which he himself created as a halo around him. 

But when scriptures say that one has to be non-egoistic, non-attached to objects of desire or objects possessed, non-possessive of people and relationships, one does not stop and wonder about these suggestions, but overlooks them saying what is mentioned in scriptures should remain in scriptures, because they are of no use in primordial world to be put in practice. 

But there are others who are sensitive to the injunctions contained in scriptures, therefore they stop and wonder, proceed further seeking clarifications to their doubts and resolution to their dis-satisfaction. They quest, they inquire,  they investigate and find solutions in fragments, they deal therefore with fragments before they deal with larger ones. They soon find removing the small fragments in ot difficult, removing the smaller is necssary because only then they they see the larger ones becoming visible. Before the whole is visible the fragments need to separated and removed, the smaller one first, the larger one's later.

One should not touch the larger fragments unless the smaller ones are removed, the boulder should not be touched, unless both the smaller and the larger fragments are removed. Then with surprise and wonder one will see the huge boulder loose and ready fall. 

Similar is the case with renunciation. First renounce the small things possessed or the positions held, then the large things and positions.  Even as one sees the large ones becoming loose and detached then concentrate on the one's body which is the source and root cause of all desires, possessions and positions.  Then sudden realisation will dawn that even as the possessions and positions were not necessary for the body to exist, the possession of the body is also not necessary for the Self within, which is eternal and everlasting whereas the body is fleeting and subject to decay, deterioration and destruction.

It is easier said than done  but thisVhas been tried and experienced in small measure, the bigger obstacles becoming visible clearly for one to try their renunciation. One can hope with the strength and assurance, confidence and conviction, that when the time comes to renounce the body one will renounce with ease and confidence that what does not belong for eternal period in time is not the thing to be desired and cherished but the Self with which is eternal and everlasting is the thing to be desired and cherished. 

Thus did Buddha intended to convey when he said the renunciation of what one possess or what one thinks to be is more difficult than than acquiring possessions and positions. This is not possible, one should be consciously aware, unless one has grace showered by the Supreme Being. Then what is not possible if the Supreme Being showers his grace!

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