With neither attachment nor detachment

"Upadhi dukkhassa mulanti: The root of suffering is attachment" - The Buddha.

In the South of India, people used to catch monkeys in a very special way. In fact, they let monkeys catch themselves. What they do is to cut a small hole in a coconut, just large enough for a monkey to put its hand in. Next, they fix the coconut to a tree, and fill it with a sweet, which the monkeys are fond of. The monkey smells the sweet, squeezes its hand into the coconut, grabs the sweet, and finds that it cannot pull the fist out - the closed fist, with the sweet it is holding on to, is larger than the hole through which it inserted it.

It is the same method by which females squeeze on bangles. They cannot remove a bangle with a closed fist. Now the trick is that the last thing the monkey will think of is to let go of the sweet; and it holds itself prisoner due to its desire for the sweet. Nothing could be easier for a human being who comes and catches it. In life, attachment is the great fabricator of illusions: it is possible to realise reality, only by a person who is detached.

Human life affords an opportunity to learn and grow: to gain wisdom. A human being, who does not make use of this opportunity might as well have been born as a caterpillar. At least, something beautiful as a butterfly could emerge out of it.

The Buddha compared desires to being in debt.

If you owe money to the bank for your house, every month you have to pay. In the end, you will own the house. With sensual desires however, you cannot pay off the debt; they arise again, and again. Hunger, thirst, lust for sex, warmth, coolness, they all come back: again, and again. Trying to fulfil our desires is like trying to empty the sea with a bucket; a never-ending task that ultimately is completely useless. Hence, it is desire that fuels attachment.

Bond

Attachment is not just a connection between two people: it is a bond, which involves a desire for a person or thing; a feeling that binds one to a person, thing, cause, ideal, or the like; devotion; a regard such as a profound attachment to the cause of peace. For there to be attachment, you need two things - a person and the thing to which the person is attached.

In other words, "attachment" requires self-reference, and it requires seeing the object of attachment as separate from oneself. Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another person or thing, across time and space. Attachment does not have to be reciprocal.

One person may have an attachment that is not shared or reciprocated: be it towards humans, animals, or even lifeless material things that obviously cannot reciprocate.

That is the reason why people who are attached to material things see poverty itself as wealth: The reason why many people in our society are miserable, sick, and highly stressed. They have an unhealthy attachment to things they have no control over. They realise not that when a thing becomes indispensable, it is time to give it up. Why would they hold on to something that would never be theirs? Nothing is theirs. They take nothing when they finally depart this world. Yet, in spite of it, that is what most people do - even if their secret self knows the anguish of their attachments.

However, detachment is not the opposite of attachment. Detachment means to let go, the state of being objective or aloof; whereas non-attachment means to simply let be. Neither detachment nor non-attachment, require extreme asceticism or shunning human contact.

Non-attachment comes from the wisdom that nothing is truly separate from the self; that everything in this universe is interconnected. If faith is nourishment and virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him. If he has conquered greed, nothing can limit his freedom. From the dear comes grief. From the dear comes fear. If you are free from the dear, you will have no grief, let alone fear. "Thus shall you think of this fleeting world: A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream; a flash of lightening in a summer cloud, a flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream" said the Buddha. Detachment, also expressed as non-attachment in Buddhism, is a state in which a person overcomes his or her attachment to desire for things, people, or concepts of the world and thus attains a heightened perspective. Attachment, on the other hand, is the inability to practice or embrace detachment, and viewed as the main obstacle to a serene and fulfilled life.

How does one lead a non-attached or detached life? Manifest plainness; embrace simplicity; reduce selfishness; have few desires; and experience happiness. Unrealistic expectations often lead to disappointment, while simple unbiased attention and detachment to outcome often lead to pleasant surprises. The Bhagavad-Gita, or simply and popularly known as The Gita, is a part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The Gita aims at changing the mind of an individual from restlessness, distress, pains, fears, complexes, and sorrow to a state of self-confidence. In short, it aims at changing an individual mentally or psychologically. In Verse 47, Chapter 2, it says that: To action alone hast thou a right and never at all to its fruits; let not the fruits of action be thy motive; neither let there be in thee any attachment to inaction.

Thus, allocated work done without expectations, motives, or thinking about its outcomes, tends to purify one's mind and gradually makes an individual fit to see the value of reason and the benefits of renouncing the work itself.

Influence

Similarly, a thought is harmless unless we believe it. It is not our thoughts, but our attachment to our thoughts, that causes suffering. Attaching to a thought means believing that it is true, without inquiring. A belief is a thought that we have been attaching to, often for years. The Gita also informs us that whenever a system in equilibrium (dharmic equilibrium) is disturbed due to the influence of an individual, family, society, or a nation; the system will adjust itself in such a way that the effect of the disturbance will be nullified. This is the basic principle by which the universe functions.

'Detached Involvement' is neither negative attitude nor indifference. In fact, it has today found many advocates in the modern business world where the emphasis has shifted to ethical business practices that adhere to intrinsic human values. It also reduces stress at the workplace.

Nishkam Karma, or self-less or desireless action is an action performed without any expectation of fruits or results.

It is the central tenet of Karma Yoga path to Liberation, which has now found place not just in business management, but also in management studies, and in promoting better business ethics as well. Finally, remember that there is only one religion, the religion of love. There is only one language, the language of the heart. There is only one caste, the caste of humanity. There is only one life, this life. Lead it wisely. Remain all the time steadfast in the heart; and place your burdens at the feet of the universe. What is to be done, will be done at the proper time.

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