Ridding the mind of attachments is like removing oil from an old rag.
Desirous Attachment forms when observing a worldly object, feeling it to be attractive, exaggerating its positive qualities, and developing strong feelings toward possession of that worldly object.
A person afflicted with Desirous Attachment feels like they’ve become absorbed into the worldly object itself.
Attachments are sticky. They cling with ferocity.
You must clean an oily rag many, many times before it’s clean.
How Many Washings Does It Take?
How many lifetimes to you have?
Only one?
If you believe that, you will never overcome your attachments, and not because you don’t have the time.
If you believe that you only have this one lifetime to live, then you won’t bother trying.
Reincarnation is Useful Bullshit.
Attachment to Power
The clearest and most obvious sign that I am not enlightened is the fact that I am attached to my new-found power.
If by some disaster the annuity which empowers my Qi were lost — I think that would suck.
It would suck comprehensively, in every way, swallowing my Qi in the process. (It wouldn’t be that bad, but I certainly don’t want to lose it.)
I like feeling empowered. I do not wish to go back to feeling un-empowered.
I have a preference.
My preference would be to keep getting the firehose of cash sprayed on me for life, like I do now.
That preference. That is my attachment.
How strong is my preference? How much do I want to suffer?
They come in equal measures.
Enlightened I am not.
I’ll be back
So, unfortunately, I may need to return through an infinite number of lives to finally get preferences out of my system.
I am not enlightened.
I certainly haven’t abandoned my attachments, but I at least manage to contain the forces back so that I feel that enough-is-enough, which I consider a major emotional victory.
Without that hungry ghost feeling of unquenchable desire, I sustain the status quo.
I enjoy my life.
I appreciate joy, beauty, peace of mind.
My preference would be for that to continue.
That’s my attachment.
See: Hungry Ghosts and the Magic Wish-Fulfilling Tree
David Satossky, My Holy Spiritual Guide, Our talks prepared me. You gave clarity when I had none. Thank You!
~~wink~~
Anatta
About Anatta. How to Quote Anatta. Contact: selflessanatta@gmail.com
Anatta only responds to requests from the Heart.
