759. My makeshift home……….

Every living being has to build home for shelter or at least while breeding. Home is a place where one feels safe and secure. While all living thing except humans have a temporary living place, majority of us own a place to live while some of us live in rented temporary accommodation. Further one can observe that those who live in rented temporary homes thrive to make them more comfortable whereas those who own a home spend much more effort in maintaining and developing this property. Either way there is a constant up gradation on the place of accommodation.

We are to realize that our Sthula Deha (Gross Body) is also a temporary abode for our Sukshma Deha (Subtle Body). The Karana Deha (Casual Body) the threshold of Higher Consciousness arrives from the Eternal Abode to live in numerous bodies over many lifetimes. That is our permanent dwelling.

A Seeker has to know that the Gross Body is perishable and Subtle Body has no permanent abode and the Causal Body is the map template and sole cause of illumination for the Gross and Subtle Body. By understanding thus we spend less time on assets such as experiences, memories, knowledge, evolution and karma which belong to the Subtle and Gross Body combination.

Moveable and Immovable Property, Bank Balance, Relationships, Name and Fame are something that belongs to this combination and are left behind when we they both part. Just as we keep our home clean and comfortable it is better to maintain the Gross Body which is the temporary home so that the Subtle Body can accommodate well in it. However it is not wise to give total attention to the temporary home at the cost of our permanent dwelling. That is what spiritual practice is about -- first understanding ourselves and then giving priority to our permanent dwelling.

Whatever is earned here in the name of assets has to be regarded as a temporary convenience or means for excel only. Giving prominence to assets than they deserve is bound to lead to disappointment in much the same way as it happens if a tenant makes large investments on a rented property only to find that he has to leave it behind eventually.

Puranadara Dasaru one of the prominent patron of Kannada Dasa Sahitya has penned a song “Allide nammane illiruvudu summane” meaning: My “home” is “there”; I have come here only for namesake. The poet says what is “here”, in this world, is just an appearance, or my being here is just an appearance. That is what this write up is all about, it is to strengthening our permanent assets while not ignoring the temporary ones. Looking for improvements in this makeshift arrangement called “Earth” in a way that does not compromise the Self.