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Commentary
In contemporary life, the question of ownership looms large. We (almost) are what we own, as
the saying goes. We have to “acquire” to survive and to succeed. The dominant mark of success
is wealth or ownership of the largest quality and quantity of possessions. On the contrary,
Buddhadasa here invites us to take a reverse journey. He experiments with “owning” (almost)
nothing and experience the joy of “lightness of the heart.” He even contemplates living alone
without having anything for the rest of his life. His sense of indebtedness to the sacrifice of
ancestors and his compassion for other human beings brings him to reflect on what is the proper
balance between the desire to live completely alone, and the desire to help others. Finally he
finds his balance. What is interesting here is that he suggests we all experiment with owning less
and less, perhaps near the point of owning nothing at all, as a condition for helping us find our
own balance. The key word is “joy of lightness” when owning nothing. That joy is an
experiential testimony which sheds light on our self-reflection of “how much” we need to own to
have a good life. Do we all need to become a billionaire to feel successful and secure? This small
passage from Buddhadasa offers us a good “retreat point” to ponder on the big question of
possessions and a good life.
Questions
1. In this world of capitalist dominance, do you think it is sensible at all try to own fewer rather
than more possessions? Give reasons.
2. What do you think is best and worst consequences of owing as few things as possible?
Pedagogical activity
Make a drawing representing the progression experienced and proposed by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
before reaching the “proper balance between the desire to live completely alone, and the desire to
help others”. Discuss the opportunity and possibility of undertaking such an experiment in your
society.