On attachments

When a major decision is taken in life and a certain precious person or object is introduced in life, some thing that one's been waiting for a while it is but natural there is immediately a feeling of closeness and attachment. A zillion times I've learnt how attachment is the root cause of all suffering. There is no need to merely follow scriptures, but experiences both pleasant and unpleasant, bear testimony. Attachment can be to anything in this world - to a person, place, object, habit, event, etc. The learning of all these years will kick in now and I realize the importance of the saying 'yuddha kaale shastrabhyaasa' meaning, 'practising warfare during the war' - impossible to win that way!

Some things in life are transitory and its easy to recognise the pitfalls of such attachments. But why would anyone be convinced that attachment to some 'thing' that will be with you through out your life is bad!! Especially, when its a beautiful thing that brings a lot of joy continuously. It is merely because the mind has to be free always, like a bird in flight guided by the wind and its own whims. The most creative mind filled with life and positive energy is never one existing in bondage. True love and affection cannot flow when there is possessiveness. To mentally let go is a virtue one has to learn even when there is nothing to actually lose, even when something will possibly be with you till the last breath.

There is yet another pitfall from attachment. It leads to a sense of incompleteness. Craving for something or someone only deepens the ignorance that happiness would follow on its acquisition. Hence, there is a sense of helplessness and dependence on something external for joy! One's true nature is perfect and complete in being infinite. Incompleteness however large it might be (say, to include a whole country), is still not infinite/ complete to include everything!

A vast majority of the people in this world never let go as long as the going is good. Only when rudely shaken up after a major loss do they realise their state in shambles. I'm now fully convinced of the importance and relevance of even 'bad' events in life. They shape up the mind, purifying it continuously till it dies a death. If everything in life were to be smooth, which in my opinion never is for any person, then there would be no reason to think about and crave for freedom. There would be no reason to see the light that dispels ignorance.

The mark of a perfected being, one for whom the imperfect mind is totally removed is equanimity. Even the happiest incident (again, classified by some other perspective, or mind) for him brings as much joy as the saddest event. The joy in this case is not the immature and momentary excitement that one feels on getting high on sugar, or other substances, or by being 'in love', but its an all pervading sense of immense ocean like nectar, calm and thoroughly satisfying.

Finally, what's the bottom-line? Give up all attachments irrespective of the object or person in question. Include the body and mind as well & give up attachment to them! Once this is accomplished, everything will be acquired naturally, but funnily enough, nothing will belong to 'you'!