Simplicity and Freedom

YOU have known what it is to be physically encumbered by some superfluous load; you have experienced the happy relief of dispensing with such load. Your experience illustrates the difference between a life burdened with a complexity of desires, beliefs, and speculations, and one rendered simple and free by the satisfaction of its natural needs, and a calm contemplation of the facts of existence, eliminating all argument and speculation.

You know what it is like to carry an unnecessary physical burden. You have felt the happy relief of putting it down. This experience illustrates the difference between two kinds of life. One is burdened by a tangle of desires, beliefs, and speculations. The other is simple and free, with its natural needs satisfied. It calmly considers the facts of existence, leaving out all argument and speculation.

There are those who cumber their drawers, cupboards, and rooms with rubbish and lumber. To such an extent is this carried sometimes, that the house cannot be properly cleaned, and vermin swarms. There is no use for the rubbish, but they will not part with it, even though, by so doing, they would also get rid of the vermin; but they like to think that it is there; like to feel that they have got it, especially if they are convinced that nobody else has its like; or they reason that it may be of some use some day; or it may become valuable; or it brings up old associations which they occasionally resuscitate, and take a paradoxical pleasure in sorrowing over.

Some people fill their drawers, cupboards, and rooms with junk and clutter. Sometimes they collect so much that the house cannot be properly cleaned, and vermin swarm. The junk is useless, but they will not part with it, even though doing so would also rid them of the vermin. They like to think it is there and to feel that they have it. This is especially true if they are convinced that nobody else has anything like it. Or they reason that it may be useful someday, or that it may become valuable. Or it brings back old memories that they occasionally revive, taking a paradoxical pleasure in grieving over them.

In a sweet, methodical, well-managed house, such superfluities, bringing with them dirt, discomfort, and care, are not allowed to accumulate; or should they have accumulated, they are gathered up and consigned to the fire and the dustbin, when it is decided to cleanse and restore the house, and give it light, comfort, and freedom.

In a pleasant, orderly, well-managed home, unnecessary things are not allowed to pile up. They bring dirt, discomfort, and worry. If they have piled up, they are gathered and thrown into the fire or the trash when it is decided to clean and restore the home, bringing light, comfort, and freedom to it.

In like manner men hoard up in their minds mental rubbish and lumber, and cling tenaciously to it, and fear its loss. Insatiate desires; thirsty cravings for unlawful and unnatural pleasures; conflicting beliefs about miracles, gods, angels, demons, and interminable theological complexities; hypothesis is piled upon hypothesis, speculation is added to speculation, until the simple, beautiful, all-sufficient facts of life are lost to sight and knowledge beneath the metaphysical pile.

In the same way, people hoard mental rubbish and clutter. They cling to it and fear losing it. They hoard endless desires and cravings for forbidden and unnatural pleasures. They hold conflicting beliefs about miracles, gods, angels, demons, and endless theological complexities. They pile one theory on another and add speculation to speculation. The pile of metaphysical ideas grows until it hides the simple, beautiful, and complete facts of life from sight and understanding.

Simplicity consists in being rid of this painful confusion of desires and superfluity of opinions, and adhering only to that which is permanent and essential.

Simplicity means letting go of the painful confusion of desires and the excess of opinions. It means holding on only to what is lasting and essential.

And what is permanent in life? What is essential? Virtue alone is permanent; character is essential. So simple is life when it is freed from all superfluities and rightly understood and lived, that it can be reduced to a few unmistakable, easy-to-be-understood, though hard-to-practise principles; and all great minds have so simplified life. Buddha reduced it to eight virtues, in the practice of which he declared that men would acquire perfect enlightenment; and these eight virtues he reduced to one, which he called Compassion. Confucius taught that the perfection of knowledge was contained in five virtues, and these he expressed in one which he called Reciprocity, or Sympathy. Jesus reduced the whole of life to the principle of Love. Compassion, Sympathy, Love, these three are identical. How simple they are, too! yet I cannot find a man who fully understands the depths and heights of these virtues, for whoso fully understood them would embody them in practice. He would be complete, perfect, divine. There would be nothing lacking in him of knowledge and virtue and wisdom. It is only when a man sets earnestly to work to order his life in accordance with the simple precepts of virtue, that he discovers what piles of mental rubbish he had hoarded up, and which he is now compelled to throw away. The exactions, too, which such a course of conduct makes upon his faith, endurance, patience, kindness, humility, reason, and strength of will, are, until the mind approaches the necessary condition of purity and simplicity, painful in their severity. The clearing-out process, whether of one’s mind, home, or place of business, is not a light and easy one, but it ends in comfort and repose.

What is lasting in life? What is essential? Virtue alone is lasting. Character is essential. When life is freed from everything unnecessary, understood rightly, and lived rightly, it is very simple. It can be reduced to a few clear, easily understood principles, though they are hard to put into practice. All great minds have simplified life in this way. Buddha reduced life to eight virtues. He declared that by practicing them, men would gain perfect enlightenment. He reduced these eight virtues to one, which he called Compassion. Confucius taught that perfect knowledge was contained in five virtues. He expressed these virtues as one, which he called Reciprocity, or Sympathy. Jesus reduced the whole of life to the principle of Love. Compassion, Sympathy, and Love are all the same. How simple they are, too! Yet I cannot find a man who fully understands the depths and heights of these virtues. Anyone who fully understood them would put them into practice. He would be complete, perfect, divine. He would lack nothing in knowledge, virtue, or wisdom. Only when a man earnestly sets out to live by the simple rules of virtue does he discover something. He discovers how much mental rubbish he has stored up and must now throw away. Such a way of life also makes painful demands on his faith, endurance, patience, kindness, humility, reason, and willpower. These demands remain painfully severe until his mind approaches the necessary state of purity and simplicity. Clearing out one’s mind, home, or place of business is not light or easy work. But it ends in comfort and peace.

All complexities of detail, whether in things material or mental, are reducible to a few fundamental laws or principles by virtue of which they exist and are regulated. Wise men govern their lives by a few simple rules. A life governed by the central principle of love will be found to be divinely consistent in all its details. Every thought, word, act, will fall into its proper place, and there will be no conflict and confusion.

All complex details, whether material or mental, can be reduced to a few basic laws or principles. These laws and principles give rise to those details and govern them. Wise people live by a few simple rules. A life guided by the central principle of love will be divinely consistent in every detail. Every thought, word, and action will fall into its proper place. There will be no conflict or confusion.

“What,” asked the learned man of the Buddhist saint who had acquired a wide reputation for sanctity and wisdom—“what is the most fundamental thing in Buddhism?” The saint replied, “The most fundamental thing in Buddhism is to cease from evil and to learn to do good.” “I did not ask you,” said the learned man, “to tell me what every child of three knows; I want you to tell me what is the most profound, the most subtle, the most important thing in Buddhism.” “The most profound, the most subtle, the most important thing in Buddhism,” said the saint, “is to cease from evil and to learn to do well. It is true that a child of three may know it, but grey-haired old men fail to put it into practice.” The commentator then goes on to say that the learned man did not want facts; he did not want Truth; he wanted to be given some subtle metaphysical speculation which would give rise to another speculation, and then to another and another, and so afford him an opportunity of bringing into play the wonderful intellect of which he was so proud.

A learned man once spoke to a Buddhist saint who was widely known for his holiness and wisdom. “What is the most fundamental thing in Buddhism?” he asked. The saint replied, “The most fundamental thing in Buddhism is to stop doing evil and learn to do good.” “I did not ask you to tell me what every three-year-old knows,” said the learned man. “I want you to tell me the deepest, subtlest, most important thing in Buddhism.” “The deepest, subtlest, most important thing in Buddhism,” said the saint, “is to stop doing evil and learn to do good. It is true that a three-year-old may know it, but gray-haired old men fail to put it into practice.” The commentator goes on to say that the learned man did not want facts or Truth. He wanted a subtle metaphysical speculation that would lead to another, and then another and another. This would give him a chance to use the wonderful intellect of which he was so proud.

A member of a philosophical school once proudly said to me, “Our system of metaphysics is the most perfect and complicated in the world.” I discovered how complicated it was by becoming involved in it and then pursuing the process of extrication back to the facts of life, to simplicity and freedom. I have since learned how better to utilize my energy and occupy my time in the pursuit and practice of those virtues that are firm and sure, rather than to waste it in the spinning of the pretty but unsubstantial threads of metaphysical cobwebs.

A member of a philosophical school once proudly told me, “Our system of metaphysics is the most perfect and complicated in the world.” I learned how complicated it was when I became involved in it. Then I worked my way out, back to the facts of life, to simplicity and freedom. Since then, I have learned to make better use of my time and energy. I pursue and practice virtues that are firm and sure, rather than waste my time and energy spinning pretty but insubstantial metaphysical cobwebs.

But while discountenancing assumption and pride, and that vanity which mistakes its own hypothesis for reality, I set no premium on ignorance and stupidity. Learning is a good thing. As an end in itself, as a possession to be proud of, it is a dead thing; but as a means to the high ends of human progress and human good it becomes a living power. Accompanied with a lowly mind, it is a powerful instrument for good. The Buddhist saint was no less learned than his proud questioner, but he was more simple and wise. Even hypotheses will not lead astray if they are perceived as mere hypotheses and are not confounded with facts. Yet the wisest men dispense with all hypotheses, and fall back on the simple practice of virtue. They thus become divine, and arrive at the acme of simplicity, enlightenment, and emancipation.

But while I reject arrogance, pride, and the vanity of mistaking one’s own hypothesis for reality, I do not value ignorance or stupidity. Learning is a good thing. As an end in itself, a possession to be proud of, it is a dead thing. But as a means to the higher goals of human progress and human good, it becomes a living power. Paired with humility, learning is a powerful instrument for good. The Buddhist saint was as learned as the proud man who questioned him, but he was simpler and wiser. Even hypotheses will not lead people astray if they are understood as mere hypotheses and not confused with facts. Yet the wisest people put aside all hypotheses and rely on the simple practice of virtue. In this way, they become divine and reach the height of simplicity, enlightenment, and freedom.

To arrive at the freedom and joy of simplicity, one must not think less, he must think more; only the thinking must be set to a high and useful purpose, and must be concentrated upon the facts and duties of life, instead of dissipated in unprofitable theorizing.

To find the freedom and joy of simplicity, you must think more, not less. But your thinking must serve a high and useful purpose. Focus on the facts and duties of life instead of wasting your thoughts on unproductive theories.

A life of simplicity is simple in all its parts because the heart which governs it has become pure and strong; because it is centred and rested in Truth. Harmful luxuries in food, and vain superfluities in dress; exaggerations of speech and insincerities of action; thoughts that tend to intellectual display and empty speculation—all these are set aside in order that virtue may be better understood and more earnestly embraced; the duties of life are undertaken in a spirit from which self is eliminated, and they become transfigured with a new and glorious light, even the light of Truth; the great fundamental facts of life, heretofore hidden from knowledge, stand plainly revealed, and the Eternal Verities about which the wordy theorizers can only guess and argue, become substantial possessions.

A life of simplicity is simple in every part because the heart that governs it has become pure and strong. It is centered and at rest in Truth. Harmful luxuries in food and needless displays in clothing are set aside. So are exaggerated speech, insincere actions, and thoughts aimed at showing off the intellect or indulging in empty speculation. All these are set aside so that virtue can be better understood and more sincerely embraced. Life’s duties are undertaken selflessly, and they are transformed by a new and glorious light, the light of Truth. The great fundamental facts of life, once hidden from view, are now plainly revealed. The Eternal Truths, which wordy theorists can only guess and argue about, become real possessions.

The simple-hearted, the true-hearted, the virtuous and wise, are no longer troubled with doubts and fears about the future and the unknown and unknowable. They take their stand upon the duty of the hour, and on the known and knowable. They do not barter away the actual for the hypothetical. They find in virtue an abiding security; they find in Truth an illuminating light which, while it reveals to them the true order of the facts of life, throws a halo of divine promise about the abyss of the unknown; and so they are at rest.

Those who are simple and sincere, virtuous and wise, are no longer troubled by doubts and fears about the future or what is unknown and unknowable. They focus on the duty at hand and on what is known and knowable. They do not trade what is real for what is hypothetical. They find lasting security in virtue. They also find an illuminating light in Truth. It reveals the true order of life’s facts and surrounds the abyss of the unknown with a glow of divine promise. And so they are at peace.

Simplicity works untrammelled, and becomes greatness and power. Suspicions, deceptions, impurities, despondencies, bewailings, doubts, and fears—all these things are cast away, left behind and ignored, and the freed man, strong, self-possessed, calm and pure, works in unclouded assurance, and inhabits heavenly places.

Simplicity works freely and becomes greatness and power. Suspicion, deception, impurity, despair, lamenting, doubt, and fear are all cast aside, left behind, and ignored. The freed man is strong, self-controlled, calm, and pure. He works with clear confidence and lives in heavenly places.