Possession
is regarded by the possessor as his ownership. That is why we often hear phrases of
ownership e.g. my house, my car, my scooter, my sevant. This shows one owns a thing about
which he speaks. Many such instances can be cited. The point for consideration, however,
is whether such a perception (thinking) is proved genuine on the touchstone of reality.
In
case we are gripped by the objects for which we strive and bear hardships, it is not
surprising that we are always haunted by the risk of their loss. We continue to safeguard
them. Gradually those objects take us for a ride. We don’t realize that we start
looking after and serving those objects. Though their owner, we become their slaves.
It
is undeniable that the owner does not go to the servant. It is the servant who seeks the
owner. Things do not come to us. We pursue things. This means that our ownership conceals
behind it the factum of serfdom.
We
are masters of the servants in our employ. But our mastery hangs on the existence of
servants. Our mastery terminates with the exit of servants. Obviously the key of our
mastery vests in the servants - not in us. For without the servants we can’t be
masters. How can we then be masters without those servants? It is quite funny that the
servant is delighted at the death of master as no body wants to be shackled as slave. On
the contrary, the master cries on the death of the servant. In the circumstances, the
point for consideration is: Who among the two is the servant, the tearful master or the
rejoicing servant? In truth, the one who is
the master of none, is the very owner. For nobody’s ownership cannot be demolished.
Independence is imperative for ownership. A subservient ownership can be no ownership.
The
objects have nothing to do with this concept. They are not blame worthy. They know not
whether we apprehend the objects as our masters. How can objects enslave anyone? It is we
who become slaves. Our perception and style of thinking drives us into their tentacles and
domination. We can not become masters of objects so long as we crave for them and we do
not get rid of craving. Our continuous craving would keep our slavery intact.
We
can liberate ourselves even if we are handcuffed; on the other hand, we would be captives
even with lots of gold ornaments around us. As a matter of fact no creature is more
crooked and eccentric than man. Human life is queer indeed. He alters the designation of slavery to mastery.
And changes the nomenclature of chains to ornaments. Change of names does not, however,
change reality. Truth always endures as truth. To sum up, our mastery or slavery is
determined by the pattern of our living. It is associated with the style and mode of our
perception and life. If we comprehend this facts, we can liberate ourselves from the
bonds.