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58
Non-possessiveness and charity
beyond your needs. Then your mind turns to clothing and you think, "Should I not to be prepared for changes in weather?" You pack in cotton clothes for warm weather, and thick blankets and woollens in case of cold weather.
Then the thought occurs, "What if something gets stolen? Better to pack one more of each thing." In the process everything is duplicated.
Thus, uncontrolled imagination increases the baggage of life. You justify your possessiveness by believing that you are preparing yourself for the most unpredictable of situations, be it regarding food, medicine or clothes. Now, if you embark on your journey carrying all these belongings, can you have a pleasant trip? Will your steps be heavy or light? Obviously they will be heavy. You will soon be soaked in sweat and panting for breath. In all probability, you will unburden your weight on somebody else's shoulders.
Contrary to this, there is that other traveller who carries nothing but bare necessities. He does not imagine needs nor carry more than what is required. His steps are therefore lighter, and his journey pleasant. He reaches his destination easily enough.
Life is a journey too. Having come into this world, we do realize that life is not stagnant but ever flowing from the first breath. The question is, during the transition from childhood to youth, does the traveller of life carry the burden of his desires or does he travel light? And in this question lies the essence of the vow of non-possessiveness.
What we impose upon ourselves beyond our bare necessities adds to the burden of life. This is true of religious norms, rules and vows also. Austerities are burdensome if they are adopted more due to external pressures rather than out of a natural inclination to do so. No doubt, vows such as those of nonviolence and truthfulness benefit our lives greatly and help in resolving life's problems. But they have to evolve from within. If imposed, they will only hinder one's spiritual evolution. Instead of travelling higher and higher, one is weighed down by them as if tied to a stone in water.
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