http://nipa1980.blogspot.com/2011/11/attachment.html
buddha taught us that one of the steps to being truly happy was to let go of all attachments.. that seeking 'things' to make ourselves happy will only lead to suffering.. for a number of reasons...
we can not attain happiness from external factors.. material possessions such as fancy clothes.. fast cars.. expensive gadgets or jewellery.. while an initial 'happy distraction' may make us happy in the long term.. belongings above a persons basic needs (which far too many people in this world still don't have!) of food and clean water and protection from the elements.. will only serve to mask our true self.. and our true level of happiness...
in fact.. attachment can even lead to unhappiness in an even more direct sense.. as we crave the latest 'must have' items.. we become unhappy at not having enough.. and our attachment to what we want becomes so severe we actually make ourselves unhappy at not having the belongings that we feel we 'need'...
attachment is a factor in human relationships also.. the loss of a loved one.. a family member.. a partner or a friend can cause great distress due to the attachment we have for that person.. and it would be true that if that attachment never existed then the pain of loss would equally not exist.. now while i definitely agree with the attachment to.. and pursuit of.. material items being a wasted effort.. i do feel that the relationships we share with others bring a happiness that far outweighs the pain we feel should they end.. but we should realise that sharing such happiness with others.. carries with it attachment that will cause us hurt at times...
i would rather share the most basic life with the one i care for more than any other.. than have the big house.. fast car and fancy gadgets.. with someone i could only be happy with because of the material items...
buddha taught us that one of the steps to being truly happy was to let go of all attachments.. that seeking 'things' to make ourselves happy will only lead to suffering.. for a number of reasons...
we can not attain happiness from external factors.. material possessions such as fancy clothes.. fast cars.. expensive gadgets or jewellery.. while an initial 'happy distraction' may make us happy in the long term.. belongings above a persons basic needs (which far too many people in this world still don't have!) of food and clean water and protection from the elements.. will only serve to mask our true self.. and our true level of happiness...
in fact.. attachment can even lead to unhappiness in an even more direct sense.. as we crave the latest 'must have' items.. we become unhappy at not having enough.. and our attachment to what we want becomes so severe we actually make ourselves unhappy at not having the belongings that we feel we 'need'...
attachment is a factor in human relationships also.. the loss of a loved one.. a family member.. a partner or a friend can cause great distress due to the attachment we have for that person.. and it would be true that if that attachment never existed then the pain of loss would equally not exist.. now while i definitely agree with the attachment to.. and pursuit of.. material items being a wasted effort.. i do feel that the relationships we share with others bring a happiness that far outweighs the pain we feel should they end.. but we should realise that sharing such happiness with others.. carries with it attachment that will cause us hurt at times...
i would rather share the most basic life with the one i care for more than any other.. than have the big house.. fast car and fancy gadgets.. with someone i could only be happy with because of the material items...
baax:
Thanks for the Buddha boost. 