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Seen rubbish on your head, will you keep it there? || Acharya Prashant, on Maitreya Upanishad (2019)
Scriptures and Saints
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1 year ago
Renunciation
Dispassion
Passion
Maitreyi Upanishad
Attachment
Non-attachment
Truth
Liberation
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that dispassion and renunciation are essentially the same phenomenon. Dispassion is the internal quality of no longer being attracted or attached to worldly objects, while renunciation is the affirmative expression of that internal state. He clarifies that renunciation is not an action but a non-action or an exercise in negation. Objects and the self exist on different planes and do not naturally belong together; it is only the force of passion that keeps them unnaturally joined. Therefore, dispassion is simply the cessation of the effort required to keep the self and objects together. He warns against the hypocrisy of external renunciation, where one might give up physical possessions or habits while remaining internally attached. Instead of focusing on renouncing things, he advises looking directly at one's current passions. By honestly observing the 'rubbish' one holds onto, one naturally develops a sense of repulsion, which is true dispassion. This observation also leads to a healthy skepticism of the 'I' or the occupant of the mind that chooses to collect such garbage. True renunciation happens silently and organically, often without the person even realizing it has occurred. Finally, Acharya Prashant suggests that human tendencies like attachment, desire, and attraction are not inherently bad. They are precious qualities that should be redirected toward the right goal, such as truth and liberation. Rather than trying to become desireless, one should use the energy of desire to chase what is truly valuable. Attachment becomes a problem only when it is directed toward the wrong entities. By investigating one's passions and understanding where they lead, one can naturally move toward a state of freedom.