Qualities of Renunciation - Dr TN Chugh
SIRSA NEWS
30 June, 2017
Pictures/Videos: GS Mann Amar S Jyani
Qualities of Renunciation
Renunciation is an act of self sacrifice acquiring freedom from cravings,
lust and desires through positive thoughts and actions. It is voluntary process
of relinquishing or rejecting many rights, titles or ambitions. However, it
does not involve a wish to abandon our family, home, friends, job etc. to live
as begger. It is a specific thought to avoid attachment to worldly pleasure so
as to secure liberation from undesired rebirth. We must try to learn and seek
spiritual motivation to stop attachment through the habitual conduct of
renouncement.
The concepts of ‘Renunciation’ also convey the process of abandonment,
repudiation, renouncement, abdication, self sacrifice, surrender, abjuration,
rejection, denial, etc. The word renunciation is linked with a word of Latin
language ‘Renunciatio or Renuntiare’ that conveys its meaning as renouncement.
Another instance of renunciation is related to stock exchange, which involves
surrender to others of the truth, to buy new shares in aright issue.
Progress on Spiritual
Path:
In religion, it generally affirms abandonment, occupation of
material satisfaction, in the interest of attaining spiritual enlightenment.
According to the sacred concept, the renounced status of life is ‘Sannyasa’,
that also suggests ‘giving up worldly interest and leading a holy life’. No one
can make advancement on spiritual path if tightly bound by the chain of fast
attachments.
Process of raising
Renunciation:
Human
life is a great opportunity for us to adopt renunciation through compassion. The
practice of renunciation can be performed:
·
During any stage of life but generally in old age, being possible in males
or females.
·
The concerned person needs to lose
interest in the events of worldly pleasure by conceiving that these are
deceptive and cannot provide real satisfaction or contentment.
·
True inner renunciation is a matter related to heart and mind that
pertains to the world of desires and aversions within.
·
Make strong determination to abandon attachment and attain permanent
liberation from contaminated rebirth (achieve salvation).
·
Acquire state of calmness, pre-requisite of love and knowledge, purify
intellect and do not reveal the truth hidden in every being.
·
Adopt truthfulness and liberality (kindness and gentleness).
·
Follow abstention from injustice, illegal sex, injuring anyone,
appropriating the properties of others and wicked actions.
Regulation of Desires:
The desire comprises a strong feeling of ‘craving or wishing’ to need certain
materials or achieve certain mental objectives (happenings). The sense of hope
gets increased to procure enjoyment, seek progress and achieve the necessary
goals. Desires arise from bodily structure and functions, for instance, food,
home, wealth etc. On the other hand emotions come through mental state. A
creative person is motivated by desires to achieve and not by the desires to
beat others.
Dedicate to the goods you deserve and desire for yourself as these give
you peace of mind and happiness. Sometimes, desire is point of all
achievements, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which
transcends everything for those who do not adopt renunciation.
Strength of contentment:
Mental satisfaction is the noble quality of a person with a feeling of
intellectual and emotional situation of internal satisfaction. The contented
person leads a simple life with regulated longings and curtailed needs. The
quality of contentment conveys =
·
Never develop the eager desire for acquiring wealth and power. It is a
humane quality and not a weakness.
·
Submit your desires under the mighty hands of God. Cast off your anxieties
on Him because He cares for you.
·
Contentment is the treasure of satisfaction (Satosh-dhan or Sabar-naama).
·
The self centered persons are lovers of money and crazy about the desires
for wealth, proud, arrogance and contemptuous boasting.
·
Simmering discontent can lead to outbreak of violence, jealousy, worries,
misery, distress and mental agitation. Such persons promote uncontrolled
desires, greed, anger, worldly attachment, negativity and illusion but they
drift away from God.
Concept of Asceticism:
An ascetic person dedicates his or her life to a pursuit of contemplative
ideals and practices extreme self denial or mortification for religious
reasons. Such person leads simple life, abstains from normal pleasures and
desires self mental satisfaction. Adoption of frugal life style involves
freedom from material possession and physical pleasure. The very objective lies
in pursuing spiritual goal through regular prayers and meditation. The natural
asceticism pertains to life style where the aspect of living is reduced to
weakness or a minimum pattern, like eating simple minimal amount of food,
simple clothing, sleeping on floor or cave. It may also include the habits of
simple begging, fasting, ethical practices as humility, compassion, patience
and prayers. The unnatural asceticism is the practice that involves body
mortification or self infliction of pain, such as sleeping on a bed of nails
(punishing one’s flesh). The monks and Priests are ascetics (Saniyasi) with the
virtuous qualities of bachelorhood, disarmament, poverty, self restrain,
kindness to all creatures, non-acceptance of gifts, insight of conduct and
purity of body, speech and mind.
However, materialistic asceticism refers to people who tend to lead simple
life but do not withdraw from the world. Wealth is bad ethically only in so far
as it is temptation to idleness and sinful enjoyment of life.
Divine bliss on
Renunciation:
The realization of renunciation is a gateway through which we enter the
spiritual path of supreme happiness leading to eternal liberation or ‘Nirvana’.
It is a journey towards spiritual transformation where simplicity is
sufficient, bliss is within and sparing is plenty. The most important and sublime
objective of human being should be to acquire direct link with God, through
meditation, for blessed approach to eternal abode.
According to Patrick Olivelle, “The person with the quality of
renunciation has sky in his belief, knowledge is his absolute, union is
initiation, compassion alone is his past time, bliss is his garland, the cave
of solitude is his fellowship and his effort is gain of spiritual knowledge”.
The
excellence of renunciation bestows ease, peace, fulfillment, complacency,
sufficiency, pleasure, ecstasy, serenity, mental and spiritual elevation, and
sacred benevolence. Continue to express heartfelt gratitude to God for what you
have and you will end up having more due to His kind grace.
Contributed by: Dr. Triloki Nath Chugh.
Co-ordinator, Shah Satnam Ji Educational
Institutions, Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa (Haryana, India)
The writer is an eminent former Professor of Zoology; he
has more than 3 decades of teaching experience in various colleges of KUK and
is presently Co-ordinator, Shah Satnam Ji Educational Institutions, DSS, Sirsa.
He can be reached on his Mobile No:+91-94160 48789 and email: trilokichugh@gmail.com . Dr Chugh has published many Zoology research
papers; Guided several M.Phil students for research; M.Sc. Secured 2nd Position
BITS PILANI 1968; Gold Medalist in French Diploma 1981 KUK; Prinicipal at SSS
Boys College for 7 years. The views expressed in the article are exclusive to
Dr TN Chugh.
