about this attachment stuff
I've seen some people post stuff talking about attachment. Saying stuff like avoiding attachment to things. I think some of us have to stop for a second and not take things too seriously. One of the best parts of practice is being human. Crying, Laughing, giving a gift, smiling, saying thank you etc...
My insight into attachment is just the ways that we don't see clearly. If we have absolutely no attachment to anything than it is hard to do anything. Like listen to music, or things you enjoy; and yes I think there are things that you can enjoy. If you prefer to live in the woods in a hut than this doesn't pertain to you.
Attachment is the way that we contract our thoughts about a specific thing. Like your car. Attaching yourself to your car. The point is to enjoy your car while you have it, but don't worry too much if it gets stolen. Anyway, just my thoughts on some of the things I've been hearing people say on the postings.
Deep Gassho
Re: about this attachment stuff
Quote:
Originally Posted by will
...I think there are things that you can enjoy. If you prefer to live in the woods in a hut than this doesn't pertain to you.
... then maybe you enjoy your hut,
I think that our practice is this:
Be mindful, be careful, be human and passionate (not, as you can, the harmful passions ... but love and the other 'good' ones, live them in their moment!) ... Yet when the object of our enjoyment or love is gone, or when the world does not go the way we might wish "it would" or "should" ... let it go.
So, tend to your hut, keep the floor clean, the roof well mended, water the garden ... enjoy the birds chirping (remember, as Suzuki Roshi said, it is YOU chirping!!) ...
... yet when the candle falls over and the whole thing burns to the ground ... let it go.
We live in the world as it is, in this moment. We are happy with that! We do not live in the world as we think "it should be if we are to be happy".
So with huts, stolen cars, even the people in our lives who we love and think we 'need'. Love them, and need them too, when they are with you. Only love them when they are no longer with you.
A funny thing is that, hand in hand with our not being as attached to 'things' as a means of self-affirmation, we live more simply. Why buy a house filled with shiny things when I see every singing bird as a treasure? That kind of perspective.
Gassho, Jundo
