The parable of the prodigal son is a touching story in the Bible, through which Jesus introduces an infinitely compassionate God. The same story is said to be there in Buddhist Sutras also, but with a different ending. According to the Indian story, the son is not received back at home. What I mean is not a debate over the matter whether Jesus lived in India or not but an analysis of the varying endings in these stories. In both the stories, a young man, earnestly paining for absolute freedom, snatches his physical shares and leaves ceremoniously with Himalayan hopes into the freedom of his vision but miserably fails. Is freedom dangerous? India said that absolute freedom unless well managed is damaging to the last drop. I think Jesus was not denying this aspect of freedom. Wasn’t he going beyond, exposing the nature of an ever loving Consciousness that can contain people of all nature? However, what I see in this parable is the absolute truth that freedom is dangerous, unless properly disciplined to be in.
The word freedom might contain various subdivisions like political freedom, religious freedom, social freedom, economic freedom, intellectual freedom, academic freedom and it can even be software freedom. Freedom is generally spoken of as power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants. Freedom is all around. It is in freedom that love breaks out. The sad thing is that neither people dare to enjoy it nor society distributes it in full. People love to be like caged parrots which believe that it has the freedom to move its wings, open its beaks and streak all around the cage. We know that it is not freedom.
We are afraid to think on our own, we are afraid to act on our own, we are afraid to speak on our own….may be because we are in continuous fear of being alone. Masses continue in the same freedom cages of religions, politics or whatever, where everyone is stacked in boxes of rituals, traditions and belief patterns. Freedom is much sought for and it is for some sort of freedom that all struggles are for. If I had it in plenty, I would have gladly shared it all. I have heard of US bumper stickers on cars which say, ‘Do not follow me because I won’t lead you’. The quote may fit every king struggler of the times, who fight for something they have in their own premises.
Joseph Mattappally
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