Page 229 - Basic Writings of Sriramchandra

Reality at Dawn - Ways and Means
those who hold the view that the only means of cultivating non- attachment is to get away from home and family and retire to a solitary corner discarding all worldly ties. Renunciation effected by such forced means, is seldom found to be genuine, for it is just possible that in spite of their apparent forced detachment from the world, they may still inwardly be clinging to it. No doubt as a householder we have to look after many things, we have to support our family, we have to provide for the education of our children, we have to look to their wants and necessities, we have to protect them from heat and cold, from trouble and sickness and so on. For these necessities we earn and possess money and property. The real evil is only our undue attachment with things, which we are associated with. This is main cause of our sufferings. But if we are able to do everything in life thinking it to be our duty without any feeling of attraction or repulsion we are in a way free from worldly ties and have renounced the world in the true sense although we possess and make use of many things. Everything we possess shall, then, seem to be a sacred trust from the Supreme Master, for the discharge of the duties entrusted to us. Renunciation truly means non- attachment with worldly objects and not the non-possession of things. Thus a household life in which possession of things and worldly ties are indispensable is no impediment in the way of renunciation and consequently of realization, only if one is not unduly attached to the objects he is connected with. There are
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