Detach and Renounce

In order to be detached, does one have to renounce everything? We often imagine that a person who is detached will be indifferent to those around him and dislike everything that reminds him of what he has renounced. This is not true. Detachment is only possible for those who remain unaffected or undisturbed by every situation in life. Only the person who is able to maintain equipoise and balance in the face of success and failure, love and hatred, pain and pleasure, is truly detached. With attachment arises dependence on the object of your attachment, and with dependence comes slavery — you are then controlled by your attachments. If the object of your attachment is out of your reach, you become miserable and hanker after it. Then again, if you manage to own it, you are in constant fear of losing it. Thereby, your freedom of expression, behavioural patterns and outlook on life become limited. With attachment arises the idea of possession, the sense of ownership — my house, my car, my family, my wealth. With each new possession, your ego is reinforced, until finally your possessions begin to dominate and control your life. Detachment, on the other hand, is the ability to remain unaffected in the face of trials and tribulations. Although detachment is a spontaneous inner development, karma sannyasins can implement it in their lives by first developing attachment. It is only after you have developed a universal attachment to everything around you that you will begin to experience inner detachment.

Source: Economic Times, 22/09/2018