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Attachment and Detachment
Attachment is defined
as the ‘inability to practice or embrace detachment’ – in spirituality this is
viewed as the main obstacle towards a serene and fulfilled life. Detachment or
non-attachment, is a state in which a person overcomes their attachment to
desire for things, people or concepts of the world and thus attains a
heightened perspective. Detachment is considered a virtue and is promoted
widely in the East.
According to the
Bhagwad Gita (5.10) – “One who performs his duty without attachment,
surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action,
as the lotus is untouched by muddy water.” This actually means living life free
from encumbrances and the attractions and distractions that life has to offer,
not passively by running away from them, but actively by developing equanimity
and self-awareness.
Attachment means
holding on to things dearly as if you cannot live without them or as if your
very happiness and existence depend upon them. These are the mental bonds you
develop with things and objects you believe are important for you and your
happiness. They are the invisible strings that tie you to the external world
and its myriad attractions through your sense organs. Your attachments are part
of your consciousness. They bind you to the sensory world and limit your
vision, knowledge and awareness. They determine your actions, reactions and
inactions, your joys and sorrows and your successes and failures. When you
attached to things, they take control of your life, your body, mind and senses
and define your life, personality and destiny. They also limit your freedom and
awareness.
Contact with sense objects results in attachment. From attachment arises desires and from desires come anger. Anger leads to delusion. Delusion causes confusion of memories, and it ultimately leads to loss of discrimination. When we do not have right discrimination, we lose the ability to choose wisely, which results in the consequences of karma that bind us to this world and to the cycle of births and deaths. Influenced by our attachments and desires, we come under the influence of our sense organs and distract ourselves from the real purpose of life by seeking and accumulating things. We live and act as if our lives depend upon fulfilling our desires and building defences against pain and suffering. We desperately strive to secure our lives against the vagaries of life through our possessions and relationships. This thinking and attitude become so ingrained in our consciousness that we begin to accumulate things even when we do not actually need them, a situation most religions recognise as a serious problem responsible for our suffering and our bondage to the cycle of births and deaths.
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