“Belonging or belongings?”–Daily Metta

October 1:

“The possession of anything then became a troublesome thing to me and a burden.”

–Gandhi (Young India, April 30, 1925)

For Maja

When Natchiketa, the young hero from the Katha Upanishad, is sent to Death by his father, he willingly goes, curious to meet and learn from Death. Waiting for three days at Death’s home (he’s out on war and disease among other business), he is offered three boons for his patience. Not one to refuse such an illustrious offering, Natchiketa asks first of all to be reunited with his father, as they were before their conflict; he also asks to learn the fire sacrifice (the Upanishads often play off their spiritual teaching against ritual); and finally, he requests knowledge of the meaning of life – what happens when we die. Big questions! Death urges him to ask for something else; riches, power, anything, and not to waste his time on that third question, but Natchiketa won’t be bought off that easily. He says, and I paraphrase: “how can anyone want these things knowing that you are here and you exist?” Death, who has really just been testing to find out Natchiketa’s commitment and the depth of his desire, then accepts to be his teacher.

While the focus of the rest of the Upanishad is on the final question, I’m actually struck by the first boon: to be reunited–as loved as he was before–with his father; this above anything else, possessions, power or even knowledge. To make it relevant to nonviolence, in other words, Natchiketa’s first priority was belonging. But not just that, and here’s what I find interesting: when his desire for belonging was fulfilled, not even the greatest worldly possessions could tempt him.

Which is more fulfilling–belonging or having belongings? The Upanishad suggests belonging, and Gandhi affirms this, saying that when we have belonging, essentially, belongings become “a troublesome thing.” He goes on to add, “As I am describing my experiences, I can say that a great burden fell off of my shoulders, and I felt that I could now walk with ease and do my work also in the service of my fellow-men with great comfort and still greater joy.”