Deep Thoughts Is Detachment the Only way, for Happiness?

[Guest guest]

sairam,

 

I remember, somewhere, i read, "DETACHMENT" is the ONLY way, for "HAPPINESS."

How, one can be "DETACHED", as he can't escape doing things (some sort of karma.)

 

As being a human,

one should get married,

should work and earn for his family - all these actions ATTACHES him, more and

more, with the money, and, with his family.

 

Love, Marriage, Work, Job,...... - everything is ATTACHMENT.

So, leaving everything, is the only way, for DETACHMENT?

For that, one should become yogi/sanyasi?

Is that the ONLY way?

Any other ways of developing more DETACHMENT?

 

I find its very difficult.... developing DETACHMENT.

 

Let me say, if you are working, how can you work DETACHED? -

Atleast, how can one work, without expecting appreciation/growth? - though, he's

more focused, and, rendering good work, to others?

 

One more example...

If you're attending an interview, could you be DETACHED with the outcome

(result) - thoug, you do perform "TOO GOOD"?

 

If someone come to that stage,... more DETACHED with the outcome.... I

hope/believe like, he/she wont attend the interview, atleast - as he/she is

more DETACHED with anyting, and, may feel like, attending interview, and,

getting a job, are not NECESSITIES.

 

If thats the case, where does this lead?

Leaving everything... no expectations from anything, and, anybody?

Is that nothing, but, becoming YOGI/SANYASI?

 

So, if you are doing some work (need not be job, any sort of work (some sort of

karma)).... there must be some expectations... which is nothing but,

ATTACHMENT.

So, one should NEVER work, to develop more DETACHMENT?

 

Am I confusing?

I'm sorry, i dont mean.

 

Whats your opinion, on this topic?

 

Ranganath

[Guest guest]

practice u will find that your thoughts slow down and u just become a

witness/observer of the world. You get vision of god. You said that

marriage, work, etc is attachment. You can also take this the other way. All

these can also help you get detached. If you get attched first, then you have

to say Neti, Neti...(not this) and then discard it. This is vairagya yoga.

Remember, all paths that lead to god are same. Like swami says first practice

love, then detachment. you will succeed. regards, Arvind.

[Guest guest]

For instance, you may give charity and consider that for God, and your other

worldly duties for your own self. That is wrong. Consider every action big or

small, even the act of breathing, for the sake of Swami. Then the curtain will

dissolve. You will have eliminated the warp and the woof of which it is made.

Q: Swamiji has mentioned about actions being dedicated to Swami. What about

Lust? Can that be dedicated to Swami also? Baba: Yes of course, why not? If

you see Me in Lust, it will be instantly purified. You will not care for it

anymore because it will be transmitted into Love. Take this small example. You

have a child and having put the child on your lap, you fondle it with Love and

tenderness. You are actually seeing Me in this child. Now in case of your wife,

the mind gets feelings of lust and

desire for possession and enjoyment. But if you see Me in your wife, then

automatically such feelings will gradually diminish and you will have pure love

for her as well. When such a love develops, then feelings of 'mine' will

disappear. You begin to see Me in each other. Purity of mind is very essential

before one can see the reflection of the Spirit.

[Guest guest]

Sairam:

Nice topic, you have brought up, brother Ranganath.

Yes, I fully agree with your observations.

To the best of my little knowledge and understanding, "Detachment" means "just

doing our duties to the best of our capacity, and remaining unperturbed by the

outcome, or result"....to maintain equanimity in all circumstances. But I

know, this is easier said than done.

So, getting married, having family, being career oriented, everything is, of

course, part of one's life. But our 'attachment' should end with taking the

required efforts and doing our duties to the best of our abilities [be it for

the family, our job or anything]....dedicating everything to our Lord, beloved

Sai Baba.

The happiness or sorrow that you feel/experience, when your efforts bring

success or failure, show that you feel or think that 'YOU' are the DOER, which

is the route cause for your 'attachment'. When you start thinking that every

act, thought, word you speak, is NOT YOURS, but that of OUR BELOVED LORD'S,

then you will not get this doubt of 'attachment/detachment'.

It took quite a tough experience in my life, for me to realise this philosophy

and apply and practice the same in my life. Now even this mail of mine, I

believe is being written by our Baba to you......I learnt to dedicate every

small action to HIM and as HIS.

Hope this gives you some enlightenment.

sairam

[Guest guest]

: 1. First of all ---we MUST constantly remeber that we are NOT tis perishable

Body ...but the IMMORTAL SOUL ! And this ATMA is ain't gonna be attached to

anything at all ---NO Way whatsoever ! I wish to candidly postulate that

we "feel attached" ---this 'feeling' ----arises only due to our terrible

'Body Consciousness' !. Swami clearly tells us that "Only on Planet Earth

and Only in this sacred HUMAN body we can realise the divine." ( as told to

Hislop --- Read Hislop's "My BABA & I" ).... and Baba has also told us in many

recent discourses that

we are ALL divine ( "embodiments of Divine Love" ) - Always ...in All ways !

....and that we must consciously " reduce our 'body consciousness' " . Now in

light of Baba's teachings ...you can understand that in absence of Body

consciuosness ---what is there to 'attach' ?? Whatever you attach to in life

....be ity wealth, position, power, relationship ...etc ...all stem from

"individual ego "I" ---i.e. due to this 'Body Consciousness' only ! And if I

am NOT this Body at ALL ...and when All is One only in myriads of shapes and

forms and colors ...then What do I attach

to ? ...and Whom do i attach for ?? ...so nothing to attach / ...so nothing

to detach !! So one must realise that in Swami's brilliant cosmic play...of

Maya induced halluicnation ... there is "actually" / really ... Nothing as

'attachment ' at all. Yes ... the Mundane folks who are gullible or ignorant

or those still wallowing in the cesspool of illusion and desires ....these

....in their sensory delusions will "attach" to men and matter ---both of which

are perishable ( dust to dust ) ! Now , due to their wallowing in their

illusory, Ego induced, 'Body cionsciousness' ...they will feel that there is

something to "detach" ...But the TRUTH is there was nothing to attach at all. Y

You ...the IMMORTAL SOUL ...IS ALWAYS ONE... with the ENTIRE Universe

....Always ...in All ways....in all the birds and beasts and men and even inert

objects - seen and unseen ---Always ONE in BABA ... Always One with BABA ...

In fact , if i may express my purely personal conviction arrived after

considetrable occult experiences and deep cogitation .. I would pellucidly and

affirmatively declare in One line

: BABA …

BACKGROUND: #e9c2a6; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; PADDING-TOP:

0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8"> Is ALL THAT EXISTS !

16pt; BACKGROUND: lime; COLOR: black; mso-highlight: lime"> So BABA IS

....all there 'is' . Period . Nothing else 'is' ! So whither the

question of attachment or setachment to or fm ANthing ?? Hope theaforesaid

elucidation enlightens you ... as aslo all our brothers and

sisters ...and moderators and workers and shirkers ..and yogis and sanyasins

....all who in Truth are SAI BABA themselves ! ...without an iota of

incertitude ! It was a real pleasure to share ... Thanks again, Ram

RAM RAM

Thank you & God bless.

Om Sri Sai Ram

Sarvathah paanipaadam Tat sarvatokshi siromukham Sarvathah sruthimalloke Sarvamavritya thishthathi

[Guest guest]

is away from this. we are so attached to baba otherwise how can we survive. it

is my opinion. i don't know what will be others opinion about this. sai sister

arundhathi haridasn

[Guest guest]

Dear sister Arundhathi

Only Swami exists, the rest is a dream, is appearance. It is just that Suami

uses those terms like mind, attachment, surrender etc. to go down to our

kindergarden level and explain us His teachings; eventually He is going to say

that nothing of those things exist and that everything is His Divine Game

(Lila) and Divine Consciousness is all there is. Buddha says "Events happen,

dutties are done, therefore there is no doer thereof."

Sai Brother Orlando.

[Guest guest]

Hello Sai Brothers and sisters,

To my little understanding "attachment" and or

"detachment" is related to certain perspective.

As a human being we are born where we have

family...father, mother, grand parents, uncles aunites

and so on and on...

The Human race being social animal we tend to remain

social. We have our duites and responsibilities. One

woman is daughter, mother, auntie, sister,

sister-in-law, mother-in-law, teacher, or any of her

profession is....the same one woman has to play

different roles in her life.

She has to fulfil her duties with attachment at that

particular period of time, but once that period is

over she has to become detached.

Here one can see good example of attachment and

detachment

She will take care of the infant...but taking care of

the same child changes when the child starts going to

school, and it changes when the same child goes to

college. All the time she does care for her child but

the type of care changes. It is her duty to train the

child in younger age to differntiate "right" from

"wrong". She has to inculcate cultural values while

child is growing, like - be truthful, sincere, do not

lie, do not cheat, respect elder, respect others, help

others, do not hurt fellow beings and all the more

RESPECT one's ownself.

So when the same child is a grwonup person, she

need to remain detached from correcting him/her in

what they do out in the world. She need to TRUST her

child that he/she will do just the RIGHT thing and

even if the decision is not what she would have taken,

she need to remain detached and should not blame

herself for something goes wrong.

With Attachment at certain point she performs her

DUTY and once that DUTY is over, she need to remain

detached from the result.

So in a nut shell. one's attachment should be

there while performing the DUTY , be sincere in

performing your DUTY but one should be DETACHED from

the OUTCOME of that performance.

Once you have done your job WELL, result is not in

your hands. Let GOD take care of it.

And the same applies to men and in general to the

whole society.

Jai sai ram.

Meera

[Guest guest]

Om Sri Sai Ram

 

Detachment is the way not just for 'happiness' but for 'bliss'

itself. There is a lot of diference between happiness and Bliss.

Detachment leads to Bliss.

 

Detachment has got nothing to do with performing or not performing an

action. It is the state of mind with which the action is performed.

One need not be a celibate or Yogi to be detached. He can very well

be a householder, an officer or a filmstar and still be detached

mentally from his actions. Swami describes this state with the eg of

the lotus. The lotus maintains its fragrance and purity even if

immersed in mud and dirt.

 

One can go about the routine life being completely detached, without

meditating in the forest. Swami says,"Head in the forest, hands in

the society". Swami gives three qualifications for a devotee. 3 Hs-

Head of Shankara, Heart of Buddha, Hands of Janaka. Janaka was a king

but he was a detached soul. He was always performing yagas, yet he

ruled the kingdom wisely. He had a wife and 2 daughters, but was

called a 'Rajarshi'(Raja+Rishi). This is the way Swami wants a

devotee to perform his karma.

 

But how does a common man bring about this detachment? Of course its

difficult not to expect good results at job or an interview. But

consider this. If before attending an interview, one feels, if the

Will of God is that I'll get this job, I'll be successful; otherwise

I wont be. Then even if his performance was 'too good' and yet wasnt

selected, will he feel disappointed? Like its said, "Disappointments

happen when there are appointments" Only if we have prior

expectations of how the result will turn out to be, will we be

disappointed.

This is applicable in every walk of life. There is nothing wrong in

doing any action we feel right, but the result of the action is not

in our hands. "Do your best and leave the rest". This is a sure way

of developing detachment. When you are detached from the result, you

are detached from the action itself.

 

Of course, talking of Yogic or complete detachment, it means

realizing that one is not different from God, thus detachment from

any form of worship, from one's own body.Then there is no question of

action or result, or of leaving it to God, who is but oneself.

detachment is not impossible nor difficult. It is entirely upto us

whether we want to stay in this 'fool's paradise' of Samsaara, or

remain in total bliss. It is difficult for us to let go because we

want to remain in the clutches of Maya. God descends on earth as an

avatar to make this possible, for not just you and me, but the entire

humanity. Swami has come for nothing but this- to help us realize we

are ONE with Him.So, dont worry just give Him your hand, He'll take

you to the eternal light.

 

Recently, I heard a beautiful statement by Swami to a devotee who

asked what is moksha? Pointing towrds a pool of dirty water, He

said,"When u find no difference between this muddy water and the holy

Ganga jal, you have attained moksha"

 

In Sai Seva

Meera

[Guest guest]

Sairam bros and sisters,

 

Reading brother ramji's reply, what example that dawned my mind is this

 

" We are nothing but sandpots immersed in water "

 

What pervades throughout is nothing else than water. Every pore is hollow.

Everything is hollow. Each of us are just balooons of different color, different size...

eventually going to burst oneday and whats inside is nothing but whats outside.

 

So, there is nothing to get attached.

 

Each of us are male and female in nature.When we identify ourselves as male, we

attach these variables like How old am I ?What is special about me ? ... Is

there anyone else than me as Female?AM i great or Shes great....We FIXing up an

identity gives things a dual meaning.

 

When we declare Male is existing, then also Female got to exist...

Similarly when we say , i need to be detached, there we unneccessarily pose attachment.

HONESTLY, there is NO MALE / FEMALE / Attachment / detachment......when things

are so transient as a soap bubble.

 

When we are UP and feeling RICH ! Its SWami

When we are Down and depressed ! Its swami.......Its the separation from him,

reason for all turbulences..

SEPARATION IS THUS AN ILLUSION...

 

Lets be AWARE.....Its very clear, we are aware of this knowledge "Everything is ONE and is GOD

himself"

 

But How frequent are WE AWARE OF THIS is IMPORTANT ... After shouting to a fellow member

or abusing him mentally for hours....If we realise "Oh...I should not have

thought / told him like that, He

is divine himself and its all swami's play".........Can we get to that point of

awareness as quick as possible.

Say from hours to minutes to seconds to microseconds to every breath...is what our prayers to be ?

 

Trying to answer to Bro, Ranganath...I remember this email from Bro.Rajesh who

sends the messages from

Bhagavan.......Where swami says "A HERMIT IS THE ONE WHO LIVeS amongst the real world YET HAVING GOD

as his VISION....." Message copy pasted for easy reading..

 

A Message from Bhagawan

You can be sitting at the peak of the Himalayas,

And still have a very restless mind.

Leaving all, and dressing in an orange robe,

Does not make you a hermit.

A hermit is one that lives amongst the real world,

And is not affected by any of its adversities.

Do your duties, but do not be attached.

Enjoy your riches by learning to give and share.

Do not be addicted to them.

Learn to live with your physical ailments.

Ignore the pain of the body.

Concentrate on the ailments of your soul.

Do not be hindered by burdens and sufferings.

Know that they are only illusions,

To stray you from your spiritual needs.

Do not respond to the voices of your senses.

Look inward and hear My voice.

Listen to My call, and respond immediately!

 

Theres nothing wrong, in losing ourselves in the situation. Sometimes "NO

EMOTION ONLY DEVOTION" state

is difficult to achieve. When Sita was kidnapped, Rama cried. When draupathi was

in deep trouble, Arjuna cried.

WHO ARE WE NOT TO CRY ?? The Keyword is to behave like a rubber ball not like a brick.

 

When we through the rubber ball, It FALLS but it bounces quickly with the same

force its been thrown in but whereas a brick breaks when it falls...

 

Lovelovelove:-) Anand

[Guest guest]

to me ...

Detachment can be

achieved by accepting every thing as a gift from God. (will of God) - I

am ok with this concept.

Whatever happens,

I can feel that it was Swamy's will, perfect - no worry.

But I am not following

the other part. Do every thing as an offering to God. Do your best in every

thing you do.

How do I get inspiration?.

Please guide on this part.

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram

 

Deepak LA

[Guest guest]

Detachment means not to worry, analyse and expect and then perform an action.

Duties can not be neglected. We have four Varna Asrama Dharmas. All of them

spell out appropriate duties for each stage. Duty need to be done. Geeta in

Karma Sanyasa Yoga taught how to do duty and not reach for anyhting. If the

cause is right, pious and pure the divinity will take it to the next stage. If

the cause becomes selfishness, and for the self fulfilling desires, the effect

will hit ultimately, on eway or another. Swami reiterates that nobody can

escape Karma and it's effect. The state of beingness prevents to analyse the

action and it's consequences, as all actions ar done with the knowledge that

the human is just a reflection and instrument of t GOD and no pride attached to

the action. THe detachment referes to the pride and not to the action itself.

Sai RAm

Meena Chintapallirb202 (AT) daimlerchrysler (DOT) com wrote:

This topic is still little confusing to me ... Detachment can be achieved

by accepting every thing as a gift from God. (will of God) - I am ok with this

concept. Whatever happens, I can feel that it was Swamy's will, perfect -

no worry. But I am not following the other part. Do every thing as an

offering to God. Do your best in every thing you do. How do I get

inspiration?. Please guide on this part.

[Guest guest]

You have explained ' detachment ' very nicely. Swami is bringing us all closer

and closer as I agree with every word of what you have written. Thank you for

this wonderful letter.

Sai Ram Saraswathy

[Guest guest]

uttaraayana we have very limited festivals but all of them are with fasting,

celebrating the nature and it's beauty and self control related. This

Uttaraayana is for rising from the state of DWAITA of being the instrument of

God to the self realization of the AATMIC awareness that we are GODS ourselves,

the state of Brahma Rishitwam. When that state is attained, it is a state of

beingness and awareness to do all actions for the benefit of the COSMOS and not

for the self. Always for upliftment of Humanity than for the self. This

realization makes one eager to reach out than think before the actions. That

eagerness is from the AATMIC awareness. Thisawareness is the energy and

Inspiration. That can not be realized untill the Body-Mind- Complex of pride

and Ego are totally annihilated. All of Swami's discourses reiterate this

point. Swami, the writer of GEETA is reborn to implement the teachings through

actions. Unless Seva activities are

eagerly participated for reaching out to lift distress of another being with

love, sympathy and empathy, all actions and seva become quantitative and not

qualitative. Through the sanctified seva with pure love, sympathy and empathy,

our own pride dissolves. The inspiration for service comes from your own

AATMIC awareness. To get there, we may have to start doing seva and then

reflect upon the experiential awareness of the quality of the seva and it is

all Swa- adhyaayanam.(Self taught and realization). What happens if the

COSMIC COnsciousness decides not to act and balance the nature? " Utseedeyu

rimeloka, na kuryaam karma chey daham Sankarasya cha kartaasyaam, upahanyaa

mimaa prajaaha" Those worlds would perish if I did not

perform action; I would be the author of confusion of "castes" and would destroy

these beings. ( Geeta chapter 3, sloka 24) " Sakartaa karmanya vidwaamso,

yathaa kurwanti Bharataaha Kuryaat dwidwaam stathaa Asaktaha, Chikeershu rloka

sangraham" As the Ignorant men act from attachment to action, O Bharata, so

should the wise men act without attachment, wishing the welfare of the world

( Bhagawadgeeta, chapter 3, sloka 25) With pranaams at The Lotus Feet of our

Beloved Sai Baba Meena Chintapalli