As we have already seen, the capacity to be detached from worldly possessions and from whatever is near and dear to us is the hallmark of poverty in spirit. Jesus made it clear by a shocking statement like leaving one's own father and mother etc. for his sake (in Mark and Matthew) and hating them (in Luke ). This has to be understood in the context of hating and denying one's own self in order to be a disciple of Jesus. This can only mean that we should be willing to get rid of whatever belongs to our lower nature in order to promote our higher nature. The latter is our real self while the former is only the apparent one. Similarly, with our parents, near and dear ones and possessions, we should be willing to discard the apparent and false reality in them for the true one. This is achieved through our detachment from undue attachment to everything including our own self so that we may be truly liberated. How do we get detached from ourselves? It is done through getting rid of our false self in seeking name, fame, position, possessions etc at the cost of our true self that bestows our internal liberation.
How is the distinction between our higher nature and lower nature meant to apply to our possessions, parents, near and dear ones etc. To understand this, let us recall the words of Jesus: "Flesh can give birth only to flesh; it is spirit that gives birth to spirit" (John, 3:6). This may be taken as the general principle to distinguish between the lower and higher natures in man pertaining to his body and soul. The preponderance of the body and its inclinations issues forth in our lower nature, whereas the higher nature is in place where the spirit, the soul in our case, rules over the body. Why should it be so? Again, let us follow the words of Jesus: "The spirit alone gives life; the flesh is of no avail; the words which I have spoken to you are both spirit and life" (John, 6, 53).
The vital principle to keep in mind is that our soul that is the life-giving principle is overshadowed by our inordinate attention to the body and its accessories. We are externally related to the world through our five sense organs, which are powered by our mind. The mind is but a common name for our two internal faculties of intellect and will that are powered by our soul. In our rush to the external world through our senses, we all but forget the internal faculties and the soul that powers them. The Copernican revolution of getting back from our involvement with the world through the sense faculties to the internal source cannot be achieved without detachment from the world.
Detachment is possible only if we are awake to reality and willing to be conscious of illusions for what they are. This is why all great spiritual masters call our ordinary condition of living in the world a state of sleep. Enlightenment is the means to be awakened from our sleep and it runs concurrently with our detachment from the world. Jesus cautioned his disciples to keep awake and pray constantly for the same reason. By sleep is meant the spiritual slumber leading to a kind of stupor we are in due to our deep attachment to the world. Perpetual prayer means that we should always be in the spirit of prayer and not the formal prayers we make periodically. It means that our thinking, words and actions remain in conformity with the essence of prayer that is our union with God. Both wakefulness and spirit of prayer are involved in our detachment from the world.
If so, what is detachment? Is it possible to live in the world and get along with people and be gainfully employed etc.if one is busy with detachment? It is not only possible, but is the only meaningful way of living in the world for a human being, even for an ascetic or renunciate who has chosen to leave the world for the sake of spiritual life. There will be only those differences, which are dictated by the internal necessity of each state of life. Detachment consists in gaining internal freedom from the tyranny of external things whereby we become their slaves. When we are addicted to anything, we lose our freedom and are controlled by the object of our addiction. This truth is applicable not only to things we deal with, but also to people in our relationships. This is why Jesus advised his followers to leave one's father, mother, wife, children etc.to become his disciples. It does not mean that one should not take care of them; on the contrary, Jesus himself taught that it is God's commandment that everyone honor one's father, mother etc. Detachment, therefore, is not rejection, but purified attachment.
How is the distinction between our higher nature and lower nature meant to apply to our possessions, parents, near and dear ones etc. To understand this, let us recall the words of Jesus: "Flesh can give birth only to flesh; it is spirit that gives birth to spirit" (John, 3:6). This may be taken as the general principle to distinguish between the lower and higher natures in man pertaining to his body and soul. The preponderance of the body and its inclinations issues forth in our lower nature, whereas the higher nature is in place where the spirit, the soul in our case, rules over the body. Why should it be so? Again, let us follow the words of Jesus: "The spirit alone gives life; the flesh is of no avail; the words which I have spoken to you are both spirit and life" (John, 6, 53).
The vital principle to keep in mind is that our soul that is the life-giving principle is overshadowed by our inordinate attention to the body and its accessories. We are externally related to the world through our five sense organs, which are powered by our mind. The mind is but a common name for our two internal faculties of intellect and will that are powered by our soul. In our rush to the external world through our senses, we all but forget the internal faculties and the soul that powers them. The Copernican revolution of getting back from our involvement with the world through the sense faculties to the internal source cannot be achieved without detachment from the world.
Detachment is possible only if we are awake to reality and willing to be conscious of illusions for what they are. This is why all great spiritual masters call our ordinary condition of living in the world a state of sleep. Enlightenment is the means to be awakened from our sleep and it runs concurrently with our detachment from the world. Jesus cautioned his disciples to keep awake and pray constantly for the same reason. By sleep is meant the spiritual slumber leading to a kind of stupor we are in due to our deep attachment to the world. Perpetual prayer means that we should always be in the spirit of prayer and not the formal prayers we make periodically. It means that our thinking, words and actions remain in conformity with the essence of prayer that is our union with God. Both wakefulness and spirit of prayer are involved in our detachment from the world.
If so, what is detachment? Is it possible to live in the world and get along with people and be gainfully employed etc.if one is busy with detachment? It is not only possible, but is the only meaningful way of living in the world for a human being, even for an ascetic or renunciate who has chosen to leave the world for the sake of spiritual life. There will be only those differences, which are dictated by the internal necessity of each state of life. Detachment consists in gaining internal freedom from the tyranny of external things whereby we become their slaves. When we are addicted to anything, we lose our freedom and are controlled by the object of our addiction. This truth is applicable not only to things we deal with, but also to people in our relationships. This is why Jesus advised his followers to leave one's father, mother, wife, children etc.to become his disciples. It does not mean that one should not take care of them; on the contrary, Jesus himself taught that it is God's commandment that everyone honor one's father, mother etc. Detachment, therefore, is not rejection, but purified attachment.
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