A Thought for the Day From Sri Eknath Easwaran
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September 12
Each day is a little life; every waking and rising a little birth; every fresh morning a little youth; every going to rest and sleep a little death. - Arthur Schopenhauer
My grandmother, my spiritual teacher, used to tell me that the pain we associate with the great change called death arises from our innumerable selfish attachments. One day she illustrated this in a simple way by asking me to sit in a chair and hold tight to the arms. Then she tried to pull me out of the chair. She tugged and pulled at me, and I held on tight.
It was painful. She was a strong person, and even though I held on with all my strength, she pulled me out. Then she told me to sit down again, but this time not to hold on anywhere just to get up and come to her when she called. With ease I got out of the chair and went to her. This, she told me, is how to overcome the fear and pain of death. When we hold onto things -- houses, cars, books, guitars, our antique silver teapot -- we get attached and tied down.
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I need to learn...esp. when it comes to books....I seem to be obsessed with them and will not even allow members of the insectopedia/reptilia family to trespass into the area in which my book shelf is located...let alone homo sapiens
4 comments:
what if some external forces tie you down with rope? then you cant free up yourselves unless you're the hero in the movie..
on a serious note, if somebody is aimless and lazy, he gets commented as someone who doesn't have any attachment in life..you need attachement to something to move forward in your life, isn't it?..perhaps important thing is what you get attached...i think there is no meaning in life if you're not attached to something..
Every quote has an equal and opposite quote. - St. Veera
umm, i do find nimmy's grandmum a much wiser person than st. veera...
attachment is when you want something for yourself, and it is a highly evolved state when you can work without wanting anything for yourself. The answer therefore lies in expecting subtler (less physical, more emotional, intellectual, spiritual) benefits from your work.
Much easier said than done, esp. when you really really really want something. But then, that is why there is pain.
It is a difficult and frustrating habit to let go (do you see the irony?)
thanks for these wonderful thoughts, folks....and neha...a correction....it wasn't my grandmom! :) The text in bold - after the dotted line - is mine, the rest of it - above the dotted line - is the thought for the day from Eknath Easwaran! Hmm...I may have to look at a clear way of representing information from external sources! :)
:) i liked your grandmum's example. I refused with st. veera in attachment giving purpose to life, i believe attachment doesnt give purpose to life. I agree with your grandmum in attachment being a cause of pain.
guess someone else, not you, needs to learn how to write clearly. ;)
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