Non Attachment 9

We have seen waves in the ocean. The waves seem to be constantly moving towards the shore. But many will be surprised to know that they never move to the shore. They are almost virtually stationary. We may say it is unbelievable. We have seen with our own eyes how they travel mile long distance to come to the shores. We might have even played on the waves that comes rolling over the ocean. But those who know the ocean will say that no wave moves. It only appears to be moving. The fact is that one wave gives rise to another and another and the process goes on ad infinitum. It is not that the wave rising one mile in the ocean moves to shore but it really dies as soon it rises, but it gives rise to another wave which in turn gives rise to another. What really happens is that when wave rises it depresses the water on either side, which causes another wave to rise. Thus one wave causes thousand waves. They don’t move but appear to move because they are so contiguous and continuous. 

Now suppose a man is drowned in a wave near the sea shore. Can we hold a distant wave responsible for his drowning? It will deny responsibility on the grounds that it never moved to the shore. In a way it is correct, there was a mile’s distance between the wave and the drowned man. But Krishna thinks that if the distant wave is a Sannyasin, it will own responsibility for the drowned man, because it is integral part of the ocean. Whether the distant wave visited the shore or not, it is as much responsible as the wave drowned the man. The ocean is one and indivisible. 

The right kind of Sannyasin takes responsibility for everything that happens anywhere in this wide world, even though he has no direct hand in any of it. This is a difficult role to play. Not to be a doer when one is doing something is not that difficult, although this and the other thing are two sides of the same coin. We have lost sight of this side of Sannyasa, which as much involvement in inaction. To do without being a doer, and to be a doer when one is not doing a thing are two sides of the coin of Sannyasa. But unfortunately we have a very limited concept of Sannyasa. For us a Sannyasin is one who leaves the world and shuts himself up in the mountain cave or a monastery and ceases to have any relation with the world. Such a Sannyasin says, now he is not responsible for what happens in this world. But this is very sectarian and mistaken view of Sannyasa. This world is like waves rising on the surface of ocean where no wave can say that it is not responsible for what happens to the rest of waves. 

Life is very complex, it is vast and deep. It is like an ocean of consciousness which is constantly creating waves....Contd. 

Dr. Dwarakanath, Director, Mitran foundation- the stressmanagement people