DETACHMENT (VAIRAGYA)

Detachment, or Vairāgya, is discussed widely in the tradition of Sanatana Dharma (eternal order or righteousness). Vairāgya is an important concept in this tradition. It signifies detachment at the levels of body, mind, and intellect as well. It refers to a state of being emotionally detached from worldly desires and attachments, leading to a sense of freedom and liberation. Accordingly, this involves letting go of the notion of "I" in the body-mind-intellect complex along with all attachments to material possessions, relationships, and ego-driven desires. Sri Krishna in Śrimad Bhagavad Gita says that the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But with practise and detachment, or vairāgya, it can be controlled.

In the Sanatana Dharmic tradition, attachment is in the cycle of birth and death, but detachment is away from this cycle and into the realm of liberation, salvation, or elightenment. Detachment is closely associated with the concepts of self-realisation, consciousness, liberation, or moksha, and renunciation, or sannyasa. By internalising and practising detachment, one aims to transcend the cycle of samsara (birth and death) and attain union with the Supreme Being, or Brahman. In the Vivekchudamani, Adi Shankaracharya puts emphasis on the application of Vivek to discriminate between the inner and outer selves. The outer self gives sensual gratification, whereas the inner self gives Sat-Chit-Anand (Eternal Truth-Eternal Consciousness-Eternal Bliss). He says, "One should recover oneself, immersed in the sea of birth and death, by means of devotion to right discrimination."

1. Outline

The ultimate aim of all practises and efforts is to discover the inner self, or the inner spirit, rightly says Swami Vivekananda. The internal universe, the real one, is infinitely greater than the external one, which is only a shadowy projection of the true one. This world is neither true nor untrue; it is the shadow of truth. It is imagination—the gilded shadow of truth, says the sage philosopher. Vairāgya means detachment. We observe that the mind runs towards the objects of its attachment, in the direction it has been habituated to running in the past. The elimination of attachment eradicates the unnecessary wanderings of the mind.

Abhyās means practise, or a concerted and persistent effort to change an old habit or develop a new one. Sri Krishna observes in Śrimad Bhagavad Gita 

adveṣhṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva cha

nirmamo nirahankāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣhamī

santuṣhṭaḥ satataṁ yogī yatātmā dṛiḍha-niśhchayaḥ

mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ

Those devotees are very dear to Me who are free from malice towards all living beings, who are friendly, and who are compassionate. They are free from attachment to possessions and egotism, equipoised in happiness and distress, and ever-forgiving. They are ever-content, steadily united with Me in devotion, self-controlled, of firm resolve, and dedicated to Me in mind and intellect.

Detachment is seen as a means to achieve enlightenment, or Nirvana, and break free from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. It is also a fundamental aspect of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, which form the core teachings of Bhagwan Buddha. The Dhammapada says all desires driven by the senses bring only sorrow.

Insatiable are sensual desires. Sensual desires will not be satisfied even with a shower of gold. The wise know that sensual pleasure brings little satisfaction and much pain. The discipline of the Buddha does not even go after heavenly pleasures. The discipline of the Buddha has his mind fixed only on the process of ending cravings.

It further says that if a wise person were to take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, he would observe the four Noble Truths with high wisdom. The Four Noble Truths state that suffering arises from attachment and desire. The Noble Eightfold Path, which includes principles like right understanding, right intention, and right mindfulness, guides practitioners towards the development of detachment and the cessation of suffering.

Detachment is known as vairagya or aparigraha in Jainism. It is one of the five vows, or mahavratas, that Jains adhere to in their pursuit of liberation. Aparigraha refers to non-possessiveness and non-attachment to material possessions. Jains believe that attachment to worldly objects and desires leads to bondage and suffering, and by practising detachment, they seek to free themselves from the cycle of birth and death.

Detachment, in the Sanatana Dharmic tradition, does not imply indifference or apathy towards the world. Rather, it emphasises a balanced and non-attached approach to life. It involves recognising the impermanence and transient nature of the world and not being overly affected by the ups and downs of life. Detachment allows individuals to cultivate a sense of inner peace, equanimity, and spiritual growth.

2. Practise of Vairāgya

By looking into the defects of sensual life and reading books on Vairagya, dispassion should be cultivated.

Bhartrihari's Vairāgya Shatakam firmly says thatworldly pleasures have not been enjoyed by us, but we ourselves have been devoured; no religious austerities have been performed, but we ourselves have become scorched; time is not gone (being ever present and infinite), but we ourselves are gone (because of approaching death). Desire is not reduced in force, though we ourselves are reduced to senility.

Yoga-Vasistha Vairāgya-prakaraṇa  attributed to Sage Valmiki, addresses the issues of dispassion, self-efort, and self-realisation. It says that pleasures, pains, relatives, friends, life, death, and others will in no way enthral the mind of the (emancipated) Wise. To them, this passing life is like water drops sprinkled by the wind, and the sensual enjoyments are like a lightning flash. Also, the period of youth that is conducive to men’s liberation (if properly utilised) is only ephemeral.

In Śrimad Bhagavad Gita, wherein Sri Krishna stresses on Humbleness; freedom from hypocrisy; non-violence; forgiveness; simplicity; service of the Guru; cleanliness of body and mind; steadfastness; and self-control; dispassion towards the objects of the senses; absence of egotism; keeping in mind the evils of birth, disease, old age, and death; non-attachment; absence of clinging to spouse, children, home, and so on; even-mindedness amidst desired and undesired events in life; constant and exclusive devotion towards Me; an inclination for solitary places and an aversion for mundane society; constancy in spiritual knowledge; and philosophical pursuit of Absolute Truth—all these I declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to it, I call ignorance.

Sri Krishna says the saintly virtues endowed with divine nature are fearlessness, purity of mind, steadfastness in spiritual knowledge, charity, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of the sacred books, austerity, and straightforwardness; non-violence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, restraint from fault-finding, compassion towards all living beings, absence of covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and lack of fickleness; vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, bearing enmity towards none, and absence of vanity.

Dipassion, or detachment, or Vairāgya involves constant practise towards the realisation of self.

3. Scriptures

Detachment, or Vairāgya, is indeed a concept discussed in the scriptures of Sanatana Dharma. One needs to learn and control the mind by turning it away from material attachments and renounces the desires of the senses; such a person comes in touch with the inner bliss of the soul and becomes transcendentally situated, so says Garuda Purana. Kathopanishad goes ahead to say, "When one eliminates all selfish desires from the heart, then the materially fettered jīvātmā (soul) attains freedom from birth and death and becomes Godlike in virtue."

In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, detachment is presented as a virtue and a path to spiritual growth and self-realisation. It teaches that detachment does not imply renouncing one's responsibilities or withdrawing from the world. Instead, it involves maintaining a state of equanimity while actively participating in worldly affairs. Krishna emphasises that true detachment comes from understanding the transient nature of the physical world and recognising the eternal nature of the soul, or self.

Sri Krishna, in Śrimad Bhagavad Gita, emphasises the importance of detachment to Arjuna about the nature of the self, the impermanence of the physical body, and the eternal essence within. He says that the Vedas deal with the three modes of material nature (Sattivika, or mode of goodness; Rajasika, or mode of passion; and Tamasika, or mode of ignorance). O Arjuna, Rise above the three modes to a state of pure spiritual consciousness. Freeing yourself from dualities, eternally fixed in Truth, and without concern for material gain or safety, be situated in the self. Being free from attachment, fear, and anger, becoming fully absorbed in Me, and taking refuge in Me, many people in the past became purified by knowledge of Me and thus attained My divine love.

Sri Krishna describes two types of detachment: physical detachment and mental detachment. Karma yogis continue to discharge their worldly duties while internally practising detachment. They neither desire nor hate anything, and they should always be renounced. Free from all dualities, they are easily liberated from the bonds of material energy.

The Karma yogis, who are of purified intellect and who control the mind and senses, see the Soul of all souls in every living being. Though they perform all kinds of actions, they are never entangled.

Those steadfast in karma yoga always think, "I am not the doer," even while engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, moving, sleeping, breathing, speaking, excreting, grasping, and opening or closing the eyes. With the light of divine knowledge, they see that it is only the material senses that are moving amongst their objects.

Those who dedicate their actions to God, abandoning all attachments, remain untouched by sin, just as a lotus leaf is untouched by water.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita teaches that detachment, both in action and in the mind, is a key aspect of spiritual evolution. It enables individuals to perform their duties selflessly, maintain equanimity, and realise their higher selves. Detachment, as described in the Bhagavad Gita, is a means to attain self-realisation and union with the divine.

na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate

nānto na chādir na cha sampratiṣhṭhā

aśhvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam

asaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā

tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ

yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ

tam eva chādyaṁ puruṣhaṁ prapadye

yataḥ pravṛittiḥ prasṛitā purāṇī

The real form of this tree is not perceived in this world, neither its beginning nor end, nor its continued existence. But this deep-rooted aśhvatth tree must be cut down with a strong axe of detachment. Then one must search out the base of the tree, which is the Supreme Lord, from whom flowed forth the activity of the universe a long time ago. Upon taking refuge in Him, one will not return to this world again.

Detachment, or Vairāgya is one of the fourfold paths set out by Adi Shankaracharya to realise the Supreme Consciousness, or Brahman. In quintessence, he states in half a verse:

Brahma satyam jagan-mithya

Jivo brahmaiva naparah

Brahman, the Supreme Being, alone is truth and reality; this world is untruth and unreal or maya; and the jiva, or individual soul, is not different from Brahman.

The only way of realising Brahman is through jnana or knowledge, and in order to attain this jnana and the supreme realisation of the Absolute, a four-fold path is prescribed:

i. Viveka: right discrimination;

ii. Vairagya: detachment from the sensory attractions, leading to the extinction of desires;

iii. Sat Sampatti: Sama (almness), Dama (self-control), Uparati (detachment), Titiksa (endurance), Samadhi (creative concentration), and Sraddha (faith); and

iv. Mumuksutva: the sustained urge to attain liberation and the resolute will to shed human limitations and realise the Absolute Truth.

Sensual-driven desires need to be controlled by the Atman (the inner spirit) to realise its own Self through self-enquiry. Ramana Maharshi says: To all deep-thinking minds, the inquiry about the "I" and its nature has an irresistible fascination. Self-enquiry is the only infallible and direct means to realise the unconditioned, absolute being that you really are. When the subtle mind goes out through the brain and the sense organs, the gross names and forms appear; when it stays in the heart, the names and forms disappear. Not letting the mind go out but retaining it in the heart is what is called "inwardness". Letting the mind go out of the heart is known as "externalisation.". Thus, when the mind stays in the heart, the ‘I," which is the source of all thoughts, will go, and the Self, which has always existed, will shine.

Srimad Bhagavatam says to detach from the fruitive results of desire-induced actions. Material activities never entangle the devotees of the Supreme Lord, who are fully satisfied by serving the dust of His lotus feet. Nor do material activities entangle those intelligent sages who have freed themselves from the bondage of all fruitive reactions through the power of yoga. So how could there be any question of bondage for the Lord Himself, who assumes His transcendental forms according to His own sweet will?

yat-pāda-paṅkaja-parāga-niṣeva-tṛptā
yoga-prabhāva-vidhutākhila-karma-bandhāḥ
svairaṁ caranti munayo’pi na nahyamānās

tasyecchayātta-vapuṣaḥ kuta eva bandhaḥ (ŚB 10.33.34)

Yoga Vasistha Vairāgya-prakaraṇa attributed to Sage Valmiki, addresses the issues of dispassion, self-effort, and self-realisation.

Yoga-Vasistha, Sage Vasistha, teaches Sri Rama about liberation and "self-effort" as a step towards moksha, or liberation. It says, The world is nothing but the play of Consciousness. Sage Vasistha, while teaching Sri Rama, emphasises the need for "self-effort" in spiritual practise. This aspect of teaching is most important as it focuses on the free will of the human being to exercise self-effort. Yoga Vasistha holds that the highest human achievement is to become liberated in life (Jivana Mukta). Yoga-Vasistha says that enlightenment consists of just three steps: there is an appearance; what is the substance behind the appearance? The mind. What is the substance of the mind, and who understands all this? The answer is pure consciousness. In that consciousness, you and I, the subject and the object, appear to be divided.

4. Remarks

In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna says that He is not in favour of extreme asceticism: Some people perform stern austerities that are not enjoined by the scriptures but rather motivated by hypocrisy and egotism. Impelled by desire and attachment, they torment not only the elements of their bodies but also I, who dwell within them as the Supreme Soul. Know these senseless people to be of demonic resolve.

aśhāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ tapyante ye tapo janāḥ

dambhāhankāra-sanyuktāḥ kāma-rāga-balānvitāḥ

karṣhayantaḥ śharīra-sthaṁ bhūta-grāmam achetasaḥ

māṁ chaivāntaḥ śharīra-sthaṁ tān viddhy āsura-niśhchayān

The body, mind, and intellect are instruments for attaining Self-realisation. One should not expose the same to extremes. The body-mind-intellect mechanism is equipped with common sense, and that needs to be cultivated. There is no harm in taking good, nutritious food, especially if the constitution of the body, mind, and intellect requires it. Overall, detachment, or vairāgya, is viewed as a transformative practise that leads to inner freedom and a deeper understanding of the self and the ultimate reality. It plays a significant role in the tradition of Sanatana Dharma as a means to transcend the limitations of the material world and attain moksha, or liberation or salvation, or nirvana, or enlightenment.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita proclaims:

buddhyā viśhuddhayā yukto dhṛityātmānaṁ niyamya cha

śhabdādīn viṣhayāns tyaktvā rāga-dveṣhau vyudasya cha

vivikta-sevī laghv-āśhī yata-vāk-kāya-mānasaḥ

dhyāna-yoga-paro nityaṁ vairāgyaṁ samupāśhritaḥ

ahankāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ parigraham

vimuchya nirmamaḥ śhānto brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

 One becomes fit to attain Brahman (Supreme Being or Consciousness) when one possesses a purified intellect and firmly restrains the senses, abandoning sound and other objects of the senses and casting aside attraction and aversion. Such a person relishes solitude, eats lightly, controls body, mind, and speech, is ever engaged in meditation, and practises dispassion. Free from egotism, violence, arrogance, desire, possessiveness of property, and selfishness, such a person, situated in tranquilly, is fit for union with Brahman.

By cultivating detachment, individuals can attain a state of peace, clarity, and spiritual growth. Detachment enables one to overcome the delusions of the ego, reduce attachments and desires, and ultimately realise one's true nature as an immortal and divine being.

-Asutosh Satpathy