Harmful Attachments

The Commentary on the Sutra of Golden Light says,

“Greed is like an ocean current that flows without ceasing.”

Harmful attachments are often described in Buddhist literature as impediments or hindrances because they block our view of the truth and prevent us from seeing our own Buddha nature. Sometimes, too, they are described as “deceptions” because they mislead us so easily. When they are described as deceptions, they are usually divided into two basic groups—deceptions of outlook and deceptions of thought or personality.

Deceptions of outlook are our philosophies of life. They are wrong views. Wrong views quickly lead to wrong thoughts and wrong actions. They are the ultimate source of many secondary harmful attachments. Wrong views are basically those views which contradict the teachings of the Buddha.

Deceptions of thought or personality are the internalized illusory appearances of the false self. They are nothing more than a vast collection of selected memories, self-serving excuses, self-centered fantasies, base intentions, and often violent defense mechanisms. They are what we draw on for most of our worldly behavior. Of course, the human character also contains intimations of enlightenment, love, kindness, joy, and all of the many promptings that lead us toward Buddhahood. 

The purpose of Buddhist practice is to use this second group of traits to overcome the first group.

The Sutra in Forty-two Sections says,

“When people give in to their desires, they become enchanted with excess and showing off. They become like a stick of incense that burns itself out—though others may admire its fragrance, the incense itself pays for the spell it casts by destroying itself.”

As we examine the roots of our desires, we should consider them in the light of one or more of the contemplations mentioned at the end of chapter two. These basic contemplations were designed by the Buddha for no other purpose than to help us come to grips with the actual contents of our minds. Properly used, they will save us from much trouble and sadness. When we contemplate the inherent uncleanness of our desires, we will be less likely to be entranced by them. When we contemplate their essential emptiness, we will be less likely to be gulled by their vacuous insistence. When we contemplate the impermanence of both our desires and the conditions that gave rise to them, we will be more inclined to look inward for satisfaction, and not outward.

The Treatise on the Middle Way says,

“When we are wholly selfless, harmful attachments do not arise.”

The Sutra of Teachings Bequeathed by the Buddha says,

“People who are afflicted with many desires, always think about themselves and thus they have many troubles and cares. Though they may be wealthy, people who have many desires are poor in spirit. Though they may be poor, people who have few desires are rich in spirit.”

More desire is cured by its own opposite: fewer desires. The sutra says: Lessen desire and be without any wishes and the body and mind will be at ease.

When our desires are balanced and reasonable, we can be content. The Buddha taught that deep wisdom can be found only by following a “middle way” between dualistic extremes. The middle way can always be found by contemplating which side of a dualistic pair is contending for our attention. If we discover that we are becoming attached to money, we can find a healthy balance again by practicing giving, and reflecting on the fact that money is valuable only when it helps people, never when it harms them. If we find ourselves becoming attached to something that makes us angry or resentful, we can find a healthy balance by emphasizing compassion.

When we have lessen desires we will be happier because our lives will be easier to manage and we will have more time to consider that which is most important. Honest introspection always leads to the truth. If our introspection leads us to discover many harmful attachments within us, then we must take steps to understand their origins, as we look for ways to balance their deleterious influences. If it leads us to discover inklings of the enlightened Buddha mind within us, then we must encourage these inklings and cause them to grow and become more frequent. There is no better way to counteract the imbalances of samsara than to bathe them in the enlightened wisdom of the Buddha that already lies within us.

From The Great Realizations, written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun.

Image from Pixabay.

More Featured Articles

The Buddha often explained emptiness and impermanence by getting people to think about how phenomena arise, change, and decline. Read more
It seemed that I had to do every­thing for Buddhism. For Buddhism, I have to only set the tone and not be­come the master, hand over my physi­cal body to the temple and give my life to the Dharma protectors, heav­enly beings and nagas, and making the aspiration to head Read more
Lessen desire and be without any wishes and the body and mind will be at ease.When our desires are balanced and reasonable, we can be content. The Buddha taught that deep wisdom can be found only by following a “middle way” between dualistic extremes. The middle way can always be Read more
If we want to understand what the Dharma teaches us about building affinity and living in harmony with others, we must first understand the four great all-embracing virtues. The Buddha teaches that for us to realize our true capacity of connecting with and serving our fellow citizens, we have to Read more
Why should people create Buddha images? Did the Buddha really want everyone to make images of him and worship his body?In truth, the purpose of creating the Buddha images is not to create symbols for worship. Buddha images are reminders that “the mind is the Buddha,” and that everyone has Read more
Prajna allows us to truly know how life comes and goes, and it is only with prajna that we can have the strength to face the realities of life. To survive in this world we need both wisdom and power to alleviate our hardships and overcome adverse situations.Patience gives us Read more
In the early days of Buddhism, how did monastics observe the Way and live their lives? As the daily lives of these monastics were not one of material things, emotional ties, or sensory pleasures, they led a lives of few material things and cool emotional ties. The world within their Read more
At the many places I engaged in practice and study—at places such as Qixia in Nanjing, Jinshan and Jiaoshan in Zhenjiang, and Tianning in Changzhou, where I was brought up experiencing spring breezes, summer rains, autumn frosts, and winter snows—I studied silently and grew up quietly. I was always thinking as to how Read more
To "commit" is to give assurance to others and to make a conscientious effort to deliver a promise. To instill credibility and trustworthiness, we must honor our words. Confucius once said, "One without credibility is like a large vehicle without a brake pedal, or a small carriage without axles. How Read more
While the Four Noble Truths explain the phenomena of the universe, the Buddha expounded on them mainly as a guide for life. It is inadequate, however, to merely learn the Four Noble Truths. We must resolve, cultivate and practice accordingly. We must end the causes of suffering, practice the path, Read more
The Sumati Sutra discusses fulfilling both worldly and supramundane needs. Sumati’s first three questions are regarding obtaining an elegant appearance, obtaining wealth, and keeping a harmonious family life—all of these are concerned with success in this life. Being satisfied in this way ensures that a bodhisattva will not be hindered, Read more
Human beings are social animals; we cannot live apart from community. As Buddhists, we are told to seek the Dharma among the people, for the Dharma does not exist in some other world or far away place; the Dharma is here among us, embodied in each and every being. When Read more