DISINTERESTEDNESS
The idea of disinterestedness can be a very useful tool to measure one’s progress in a study like Yoga. The usual external objects, like a strong physique or an increase in strength or more relaxation or better concentration, these are also tools; but they are slightly deceptive. One may gain strength—physically—and yet one may not have progressed much as far as self-development is concerned. The strength might be used in wrong ways. One may gain a good external physique, but that, too, is no guarantee that there has occurred a true spiritual growth. A thing like relaxation is very useful, but one can relax by ordinary techniques and yet that relaxation may not generate anything by way of understanding or knowledge. On the contrary, it may lead to a Tamasic state. Or even concentration, which is the cream of the whole effort, may not produce a true insight and understanding. After all, it is just like training one’s muscles. One can gain strength in certain mental faculties, but just strength of the mind in this direction is not the end.
A REQUISITE
Disinterestedness is like becoming air-worthy to fly. Have you given up things so that you can rise high? If you are holding on to a lot of things, flying is difficult. It is in giving up that you gain – that is the whole idea. Possessions, external paraphernalia, even your own involvements, your ideals, your thoughts, all these are a hindrance to true spiritual growth. It is only in giving up these things that you can rise. One does not function freely when one is bound. So, the effort is to see that you can get free of these various binds. This is difficult because you love your own self, you love your ideas, you love your aspirations, your goals. The most important thing is our love for our own ego. To give this up is the highest development. So, this can be a good yardstick: to see whether you can give up things and yet function happily or whether you depend on these external aids and cannot do without them.
In the traditional literature there are several stages. There is non-stealing, which really means less and less interest in material things, not adding to one’s possessions. Why does an individual steal? Because he wants to add something to what he already has. If he could manage with what he has, then he would not steal. Yet he wants more, not knowing that by his acquisitions he is tying himself down to these things. At a little later stage, the suggestion is non-greed; not only that one does not add, but one rather sees if one can give away a little. At this stage, one consciously does away with a few things which one earlier could not. Now one realizes that these wants and needs and these external things are not really necessary. On the contrary, they are creating their own hindrances. So, one after one, the individual is suggested to give up as much as he can, to come down to the barest. When he has reached such a stage, he feels considerably free. He is not tied down; he is not dependent.
Then there is a positive content: As a result of giving up, one gets in touch with the inner awareness and one sees the worthwhileness of growing in that spiritual awareness. This means Santosa, or contentment. One has something with him, and that is why it is easy to give up things which are seen as hindrances. How there is an assurance that one has things that are quite satisfying. And in fact, that is the very goal – the inner peace, the inner tranquillity. This is the stage of Santosa.
VAIRAGYA
And again, beyond this is the idea to consciously cultivate disinterestedness. At the start, one has to recognize the areas where an effort, a conscious exertion, is to be applied. The earlier stages were rather subconscious; it was not directly suggested that one should feel disinterested. It was just suggested that one could try to reduce one’s wants, try to create contentment. From now onwards, it is a very direct suggestion that one should try to understand which things are holding one down. First, one has to identify the areas, and later, when one should try to find out which areas one can easily give up – certain physical things, certain sensory things. In this way, one reaches a particular development and growth. After that, one comes to difficult areas, the stages that are called as the Ekendriya. At this stage it is not first a question of the usual material objects that one holds on to generally, but there are certain opinions, experiences, perceptions, certain ideas which are a cause of attachment. They are very difficult to give up because they have been arrived at after a considerable work and study. One is reluctant to give up things which one has always felt to be the most worthwhile.
This difficulty is seen in other systems, too, like the school of devotion. There the devotee does not want to forget his own personality. Because if he does, then who worships whom? After all, the feeling is that he has to worship; and when he is not there, how can he carry on the worship? The devotee wants to remain the devotee; and the God, the God. It is a difficult stage when one has to create the understanding that even that little feeling of being a devotee is a changing concept. As the devotee grows, he cannot remain the tiny self that he was earlier. Just like a child holding on to a toy: he cannot hold on to it all his life. He grows out of that, though it gives him a lot of joy at that age. He feels that the toy belongs to him and that he can enjoy it. However, he can enjoy it only so long as he is a child. When he is no longer a child, he cannot enjoy it anymore.
HIGHER DISINTEREST
The later stage of what is called as Vairagya is one where you recognize and identify certain difficult spots. Then you work out the ultimate, which is called as the sense of mastery, when nothing can attract or disturb or cause desire in the aspirant. He is not interested in anything. He has understood the limitations of everything. And that, it is said, leads on to higher knowledge. These two are considered as the same. On one side, we call it as disinterestedness, on the other side we call it as knowledge and understanding. Because here one realizes that which is worthwhile as against that which is worthless. Earlier, one was attached to things, considering them as essential. Now, one realizes something else as really essential. And when one realizes that, one does not bother about small things.