Attachment is like blood pressure; you only notice it when you are cooked

A boat may stay in water, but water should not stay in boat. A spiritual aspirant may live in the world, but the world should not live within him.

Shrii Paramahamsa Ramakrishna

What do we humans want?

If there is something that highly characterizes human beings is the search for shelter. Furthermore, they don’t get easily satisfied with any kind of shelter, they want permanent shelter, not a transient one. Unfortunately, while seeking permanent shelter many get lost and end up in a never-ending grime, a vicious circle. For the word “shelter” we refer to that “thing” that continuously gives a feeling of satisfaction, security and happiness. A true shelter innit? Untrue shelters are dangerous, transient, insecure. Sweet at the beginning and always bitter at the end.

Human beings are constantly endeavored in the search for everlasting happiness; the nature of the human itself is embedded in that endeavor. Let’s make an analogy so we can get to the point. Suppose that there is a glass, but the glass has a special characteristic, it has no bottom, it is undeniable infinite. How in the world are you going to manage yourself to fill that glass? There is not enough water in the world that could fill infinitely that glass. Well, kinda same happens with human beings, there is nothing in this world that could ever satisfy their infinite thirst for happiness and shelter.

Nature of reality

Can the mind of humans ever be empty? Even when we are in silence, silence is still an object of ideation. Nothing is also something. The human mind is like the math function of f(x). As the function always needs a value attached to x to work, the mind needs an object of ideation in order to exist. For those who don’t know, the function f(x), works like a machine that you insert a value to x, and the function does something to that x. In the same way, we can choose what we do insert in our minds.

We are always looking for that thing that does not change; we are naturally attracted to secureness and stability. Evolutive psychology says that it is embedded in our intrinsic survival instinct, we are always seeking relationships and environments that are safe and predictable. When our surroundings are secure, we can relax and stop being constantly alert.

Where there was water once, now there are only deserts. Where there were mountains once, now there are long plains. Majestic empires raised their buildings and power to the skies, now nor even dust remain from them. Places that were extremely cold now are extremely hot. Colossal creatures roar as immortal in ancient times, now they are only inert bones in museums.

Key point: Attachment is like blood pressure; you only notice it when you are COOKED

"Loss is nothing else but change, and change is nature's delight." (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book IV, Section 36)

Attachment to the things of this world is an invisible enemy. It is the quietest intruder out there. Why? Because of the following reasons. It is highly difficult to detect it when things are going well, everything is joy and pleasure, but once your object of ideation changes, then comes suffering, pain and destruction. Unfortunately, that scenario is bound to happen, no matter what, nothing lasts forever, nor good times, nor bad ones. Let’s suppose your wife or friend is the most extraordinary human being in the world, you are going to lose her or him anyways, be it by separation in life due to different views, taking different paths, etc., or be it by the end of life itself, so there is no escape. The same happens with wealth, you will be gone, and your possessions will stay here, you don’t carry with you nor even one cent. Unfortunately, generally, people only remember these truths when the attachment is so high that it becomes unbearable and they want to get rid of it. But now it will take some time for them to solve it. Blood pressure is an invisible thing, that you are not even aware of it until the situation gets dangerous and out of control.

Solution

  There are two kinds of things in this quinquelemental universe: In one hand we have dhruva, that thing that never undergo changes, the thing that remains in absolute stability, the one who never moves from its place, of a permanent nature. In the other side we have adhruva, exactly the contrary, that thing, which is continuously changing its forms, states, always moving, never fixed, of a transient nature.

Attachment to adhruva (impermanent) is a suicidal choice that only leads to pain, misery and suffering. While attachment to dhruva (permanent) leads to peace, happiness, secureness and stability.

In the same way that some birds have the skills of getting into the water and getting out safe and sound, we should utilize our ideation to convert everything that is adhruva into Dhruva. This is the essence of madhuvidya, or the sweet knowledge of being aware that this universe does not allow the existence of many entities, there is only one Entity whose has manifested Himself through many forms and colors. Using madhuvidya prepares yourself to get into the water without getting drenched by it.

Scripture says: “The correct meaning of Brahmacarya is “to remain attached to Brahma”. “Brahmańi vicarańam iti Brahmacaryam”. Whenever people do some work or think of doing any work extroversially, they look upon the object, with which they come in contact, as a crude finite entity. Because of their constant aspiration for material achievement their mind is so engrossed in material objects that their very consciousness becomes crude. The meaning of practising Brahmacarya Sádhaná is to treat the object with which one comes in contact as different expressions of Brahma and not as crude forms." (A Guide to Human Conduct, Ánanda Púrńimá 1957, Jamalpur)