Attachment to self and to one’s possessions is a great vice. We are always attached to our physical form and beauty. This attachment to self leads to obsession with our complexion, color, shape, size of nose, body etc. It makes us feel we are the best. Such thoughts are good as it increases our self confidence. But they are also painful as we feel superior to all others. We become egoistic and treat others with disrespect and disdain.
Attachment to self and self image also causes pain when we are not satisfied with the shape of our nose or lips or parts of body and work to change them. This has caused the tremendous growth of the cosmetic industry and cosmetic surgery where advertisements increase our attachment to self image and steer it towards increased sale of products.
Attachment can be towards our possessions and things and we feel what we have is the best and the choice of others is unworthy. When there is undue attachment towards our possessions, it leads to many problems. We get violently angry when some damage occurs to our things and blindly hit out at the person who has caused the damage to our things. Sometimes we even inflict damage to the superior objects which belong to others so that what we have is the best.
Attachment can also be towards other people wherein we blindly love and see not the faults of others or their shortcomings. This intense attachment remains for a short time and then when differences set in and pain sears us, reality is revealed and it turns into disillusionment. Attachment of this sort is seen in all sorts of relationships and leads only to disappointments in life.
Attachment to self, family, relationships and property makes us blind to reality. We fail to see things as they are and live in a world of fantasy where things are beautiful, fantastic and we are superior to all. We fail to see ourselves as the world sees us. Sooner or later, someone kicks us to see the reality and our dream world shatters and we pay a high price.
Attachment in any form leads only to pain. We must love and appreciate who and what we are, who and what others are and also the things we possess. We should also know that there are superior standards and we must work constantly to improve ourselves and also learn to be content with the possessions we have. We must love people for what they are and not for what we want them to be. When we are attached to people, we fail to see their shortcomings. We place them on a pedestal and they fall off it. This causes hurt and misery for all. Let us look at the typical views and ensuing results of attachment – the story of an owl and eagle:
An owl once helped an eagle and the eagle promised the owl that he would never harm the owl’s chicks. The mother owl was doubtful. She wondered if the eagle knew how her chicks looked like. For all she knew, the eagle did not know them and could mistake them for some other bird’s chicks and eat them. The eagle asked her to describe her chicks so that he would recognise them and not make a mistake.
The owl’s chest puffed up with pride when she described her chicks. She loved them very much and was extremely attached to them. She said: Oh it is not possible to mistake them for any other bird’s chicks. They are so soft, fluffy and by far the most beautiful chicks in the entire forest. As the eagle was flying around one day, he saw a nest filled with screeching chicks. He looked at them carefully. They had their red mouth gaping open and were quite ugly. He was sure they were not the owl’s chicks as she said they were the most beautiful in the entire forest. Without a second thought he swooped upon them and ate them.
When the mother owl returned, she found her nest empty and a few bloodied feathers. She screamed and wept: How could the eagle forget his promise? I had told him my chicks were the most beautiful and yet he ate them!
Attachment blinds us to reality and causes great pain. We are unable to see things as they are.
