JAINA Convention 2013 07 Detroit MI

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 73

is not. What is most amusing is that the one who is tied may even try to escape, but the other is under the delusion that he is independent. The secrets of possessiveness are very profound. It is essential that we understand its subtle facets.
We collect things so that they can serve us but instead, we end up serving them. Does the treasure chest look after us or do we look after it? Objects are not to be blamed. We become their slaves of our own accord. It is our perception, our thoughts and beliefs that bring about this slavery. How can things make anyone their slave? They are not even aware that humans believe they own them. If one is filled with the desire for things, he experiences bondage, and bereft of desire, he is free.
Who is a Real Owner?
In reality, one whose ownership is dependent on others, who tries to rule over others and make them his slaves is only possessive but not a true owner. One who has no longing to make anyone a slave and does not wish to own anything or anyone, he alone is a real owner in this world. He alone whose ownership is not dependent on others, is truly nonpossessive. He alone is truly happy, peaceful, settled and secure.
Possessiveness implies forgetfulness of the truth that one is not the real owner of things, but deep within the knowledge that, I am not the owner' remains. Even Alexander and Hitler knew this. Strangely, the more one knows this reality, the more he tries to spread and strengthen his sovereignty on the outside. It is possible that he may forget for a short while but time and again he remembers, "I am not the owner, I am not independent, I am not at peace, I am not happy."
This creates an inner void. One may try to fill this emptiness with wealth, name, fame, status and furniture but that vacuum, that hole, that inner poverty remains as it is. External things, outer associations cannot fill this abyss because they all remain outside, they cannot enter the realm of the Self. One is amassing 'things' but what is actually to be attained is the 'Self.' 'Things' can never become the 'Self.'
What is Non-Possessiveness?
If outer things cannot fill the inner vacuum, then is it possible to do so by giving up those things? One feels that he has tried to bring the external associations closer and attempted to collect things, but these did not satisfy the inner wants; so he should try renouncing them and thus fill the emptiness.
The Enlightened Ones question, 'If the inner deficiency could not be filled by the presence of external objects, then how can giving them up fill the space within?' But man is fundamentally mistaken in his thinking. First, he wishes to fill the inner chasm by collecting external things and having attained them, when he realises that they are incapable of filling the inner space, he tries to do so by relinquishing them. He is unable to understand that what cannot be filled with the addition of things will not be filled by subtracting them either.
Non-possessiveness does not mean giving up outer things. Non-possessiveness means attaining inner completeness by realising the Self, by abiding in the Self. When inner fulfilment is attained, the emptiness within is filled and scurrying around to collect outer objects ceases. Having experienced inner absoluteness, the interest neither to hoard things nor to give them up remains. The outer associations drop on their own.
When the Self is realised, inner wealth is attained. Then alone, does one understand how vain the effort of collecting or renouncing outer things is. Once inner completeness is attained, the hold over external things is automatically given up. One experiences that in reality one can never hold on to anything. Such a one, being in the midst of all, becomes non-possessive.
The meaning of non-possessiveness is not to have the sense of ownership. Non-possessiveness is transformation in one's relationship with others. When the sense of ownership weans, it results in nonpossessiveness. With clarity about possessiveness comes the manifestation of non-possessiveness. May all attain the sublime state of being truly nonpossessive.
Jainism: The Global Impact
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