Ramshukdasji Maharaj-Why the Expectation of Gaining Happiness from the Temporary

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It is not that one has to give up things. One has to only give up the

desire of getting happiness, pleasure, and enjoyment from them. If we

give up this body, then it will die; rather one has to not give up

doing things for it, but one has to give up the desire to take

pleasure from it, the desire to make it live long. Similarly, we have

to sacrifice the desire to gain pleasure from all things and persons.

Just like in cold winters, covering with a blanket is not with intent

of seeking pleasure, but for protection from the cold. But when the

blanket has to be of a certain type, the comforter must be of certain

material, that is attachment. When it does not matter whether it is a

high grade comforter or ordinary one, a blanket or a piece of sack,

as our main concern is only protection against the cold - this is not

attachment, rather it is a necessity.

 

Attachment and necessity are two separate things. There is attachment

or desire (lust) for the world, but there is need, a necessity, a

dearness for the Supreme Consciousness (Paramatma, God). Necessities

are those that can be fulfilled, whereas desires & attachments are

endless and cannot be fulfilled. That which cannot be fulfilled or

satisfied, what is the difficulty, the obstacle in giving it up?

 

When a child is born, then many things are questionable - will is

grow-up or not? will he study or not? will he get married or not?

will he have children or not? will he have wealth or not? etc. In all

of these there will be some uncertainty. But whether he will die or

not, on this point there is no uncertainty. He will definitely die

some day. If that which is for certainty, if we remain firmly rooted

in that knowledge, then what will we hold on to? By accepting that

which is inevitable, we will not suffer sorrow. Rather, knowing that

separation is a certainty, is inevitable, at this very moment accept

their separation. And when separation is a certainty, why must we

have desire and expectation of gaining happiness from them ? If we

expect happiness from them , then when they separate from us, we will

have to cry and on our separation from them, then too, we will have

to cry. But if from the very beginning, if we give up the expectation

of gaining happiness from them, then there will be no need to cry.