Difference between revisions of "How do we develop desirous attachment"
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| − | Very simply put, attachment exaggerates the apparent qualities of an object until we feel we have to have it. Here is another definition from Understanding the Mind: | + | Very simply put, [[attachment]] exaggerates the apparent qualities of an [[object]] until we [[feel]] we have to have it. Here is another definition from Understanding the Mind: |
| − | “First we perceive or remember a contaminated object and feel it to be attractive, then we focus our attention on its good qualities and exaggerate them. With an exaggerated sense of the attractiveness of the object we then hold it to be desirable and develop desire for it. Finally our desire attaches us to the object so that it feels as if we have become glued to it or absorbed into it. Only when all these stages are completed has desirous attachment occurred.” | + | “First we perceive or remember a contaminated [[object]] and [[feel]] it to be attractive, then we focus our [[attention]] on its good qualities and exaggerate them. With an [[exaggerated sense]] of the attractiveness of the [[object]] we then hold it to be desirable and develop [[desire]] for it. Finally our [[desire]] attaches us to the [[object]] so that it [[feels]] as if we have become glued to it or absorbed into it. Only when all these stages are completed has desirous [[attachment]] occurred.” |
| − | This is quite unlike love, which does not distort its object but recognizes it for what it is, for example as kind or lovable. Our neutral minds also don’t distort the attractiveness of their object — you go to the sock drawer to decide what socks to wear today, but you don’t spend hours thinking about it, unless you’re a sad case. With attachment, there has to be an exaggeration of seeming desirable features going on in the mind. | + | This is quite unlike [[love]], which does not distort its [[object]] but [[recognizes]] it for what it is, for example as kind or lovable. Our [[neutral]] [[minds]] also don’t distort the attractiveness of their [[object]] — you go to the sock drawer to decide what socks to wear today, but you don’t spend hours [[thinking]] about it, unless you’re a [[sad]] case. With [[attachment]], there has to be an {{Wiki|exaggeration}} of seeming desirable {{Wiki|features}} going on in the mind. |
| − | We can exaggerate at the speed of light! Exaggeration is like a top notch advertising agency in the mind. We just meet someone, “Oh, he’s got nice | + | We can exaggerate at the speed of [[light]]! {{Wiki|Exaggeration}} is like a top notch advertising agency in the [[mind]]. We just meet someone, “Oh, he’s got nice [[eyes]]… I bet he’d make a great husband. I wonder if he’ll marry me?” The whole advertising industry feeds into our [[attachment]], they know us – think how glued [[people]] were to the commercials in last week’s Super [[Bowl]]. The producers didn’t spend a million dollars on them just to provide us with entertainment. They know they’ll work to make us buy stuff because we have [[attachment]] that is all too ready to go along with a gross {{Wiki|exaggeration}} of the apparent qualities of a product. “Oooh, if I buy this [[dream]] car …” |
</poem> | </poem> | ||
{{R}} | {{R}} | ||
[http://kadampalife.org/2012/02/14/love-attachment-and-desire-according-to-buddhism/ kadampalife.org] | [http://kadampalife.org/2012/02/14/love-attachment-and-desire-according-to-buddhism/ kadampalife.org] | ||
[[Category:Attachment]] | [[Category:Attachment]] | ||
Revision as of 10:59, 7 September 2013
Very simply put, attachment exaggerates the apparent qualities of an object until we feel we have to have it. Here is another definition from Understanding the Mind:
“First we perceive or remember a contaminated object and feel it to be attractive, then we focus our attention on its good qualities and exaggerate them. With an exaggerated sense of the attractiveness of the object we then hold it to be desirable and develop desire for it. Finally our desire attaches us to the object so that it feels as if we have become glued to it or absorbed into it. Only when all these stages are completed has desirous attachment occurred.”
This is quite unlike love, which does not distort its object but recognizes it for what it is, for example as kind or lovable. Our neutral minds also don’t distort the attractiveness of their object — you go to the sock drawer to decide what socks to wear today, but you don’t spend hours thinking about it, unless you’re a sad case. With attachment, there has to be an exaggeration of seeming desirable features going on in the mind.
We can exaggerate at the speed of light! Exaggeration is like a top notch advertising agency in the mind. We just meet someone, “Oh, he’s got nice eyes… I bet he’d make a great husband. I wonder if he’ll marry me?” The whole advertising industry feeds into our attachment, they know us – think how glued people were to the commercials in last week’s Super Bowl. The producers didn’t spend a million dollars on them just to provide us with entertainment. They know they’ll work to make us buy stuff because we have attachment that is all too ready to go along with a gross exaggeration of the apparent qualities of a product. “Oooh, if I buy this dream car …”
