Light To Lamp Lights: 48 ►The Tradition of Renunciation

There has been a very dignified tradition of renunciation in Indian culture. It has been accepted as a process of bringing sublime to life. The path of renunciation has been kept open for all persons, whether most ordinary or the greatest. According to the four stages (ashramas) of man's life, the stage of renunciation (sanyasa) is considered to be indispensable. In the Jaina tradition, there is no provision to wait till the last stage of life for renunciation. The Upanishads ordain that one must proceed in the path of renunciation from the day there is the sense of detachment. According to Buddhism, it is necessary to follow the path of renunciation at least once in life, even if it is for a brief period.

The concept of renunciation in Jainism is very different from other traditions. One definition of renunciation is that a person may remain in the world, but let the world not be in his mind. Abandoning home, family, and possessions and living like a poor ascetic is also renunciation. According to this tradition, an ascetic lives his life with very limited means and ultimately devotes his life completely to spiritual pursuits or the service of mankind. Such persons lend glory to the society and the nation, and being free from all worries, open new windows to progress.

Among the prominent individuals born in the world is a long list of ascetics. There have also been ascetics who have opened unprecedented sources of knowledge.  Whether Vedavyasa or Umaswati, Jinabhadra or Haribhadra, so many personalities have been included in this category. With the stream of knowledge that has flown from them, we are getting immersed even today. Looking at the bright lustre of knowledge and character, it is natural to be attracted towards that direction. But it seems that the current is flowing in the opposite direction. The interest in spiritual matters of renunciation is declining or is almost disappearing among the people of the young generation. They see only money everywhere. It is nothing new that money is the means of subsistence in life. It is an odd concept that life can be lived and lived well even without money. How would it be in the interest of the country to turn a blind eye to the fact that through it one can go forward on the path of restraint, sacrifice or renun­ciation?

Man is engaged in competition to earn and accumulate money. Anyone can be in that competi­tion. But who can be in the competition to abandon possessions? A wealthy businessman once decided to give charity of the kind never given before. He got a golden seat made and embedded it with diamonds and pearls. He invited a Brahmin and said to him, "Oh, respected Brahmin, I am presenting this seat to you. Have you seen such a charity anywhere?" Listening to those words, the Brahmin's self-respect was awakened. He brought out two rupees from his pocket. He kept that amount on the seat and said, "Sethji, I am giving up this seat. Have you seen such a sacrifice anywhere?" The Sethji's head bent with shame. On such an occasion, a maxim from the Ayaro comes to mind:

Truth is supreme; no untruth is higher than it. There can be a chain-reaction in violence. As for non-violence, there is no such thing. There can be competition in violence or accumulation of wealth. There can be no competition in discarding possessions. The path of discarding possessions alone is the path of renunciation.

Renunciation is neither an escape nor a conven­tion. It is a courageous path to follow. Those who follow this path of renunciation of household life remain free from frustrations, tensions, sense of inferiority, dissatisfaction etc. which are the ill­nesses of this age. Why do they not have any problems? On doing research, some reasons become clear. The reasons for tension, dissatisfaction etc. are the growing desires, increasing wishes and obsession with accumulation of wealth. The path of renunciation takes one to absence of desire, lack of wishes and lack of accumulation of wealth. How would the people going along this path would be invaded by the illnesses of the present age?

Spiritualism is the basis of Indian culture. It is necessary to make efforts and preserve the tradition of renunciation. The disappearance of the tradition of renunciation suggests the misfortune of the coun­try. It has been pointed out in the scriptures that an ascetic is the one to assure the whole world freedom from fear. Killing one ascetic is equal to killing innumerable beings. It is a fortunate country where there are sanyasis who follow the great vows like non-violence, non-possession etc. and carry on sadhana. It is possible to save ourselves from future dangers if, keeping in mind the significance of the tradition of renunciation, purposeful efforts are made to preserve and carry forward that tradition.