Attachment is an emotional connection to someone or something. It is the sense of feeling that some items or property or people belong to us and that we have a right over it or them. The ego is the cause of attachment. We are definite that something is ours and we fight for it tooth and nail. Attachment can be to people, property, wealth, power, sex, ideas, faith, beliefs, religion etc. Attachment brings a peculiar sense of ownership to the item and becomes a cause of bondage. The more attachments we have to persons and the world, the more we get entwined in the meshes of the world and the more difficult it becomes to transform self and reach the Light. Those who seek to break through worldly bondage and attain enlightenment must give up all forms of attachment. This truth is illustrated in the story of the nun and her son given below:
A young woman had an arranged marriage as was the custom of those days and was reasonably happy with her husband. But after some time the yearning for life of a monk was too strong and she sought permission from her husband and his family to fulfil her wish. She became a nun and a disciple of Devadatta, the brother of Buddha. At that time she was not aware that she was pregnant by her husband. After some weeks, her condition became obvious to all. She was asked to explain her condition and disrobe and leave the monastery.
The young woman refused to do so as she had not broken any rules of monkhood. Instead, she left Devadatta and went to Buddha and became his disciple. Buddha was aware that she had not broken any rule. But in order to protect her good name and the disciple of the monastery, Buddha asked for a public hearing in her case in the presence of the King. The expecting mother was checked and questioned thoroughly by one of Buddha’s female devotees. This woman established that the young woman had indeed become pregnant while she was a wife and not later on when she became a nun. The monk appointed by Buddha to supervise the case made a public declaration of the nun’s innocence. All returned to their homes satisfied with the way the case was handled.
At the right time, the nun gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The King of the land adopted the boy as his own son. At the age of seven, the child came to know that his mother was a nun. The child left the palace and joined a monastery as a beginner. When he became twenty years old, he became a monk. He went to the forest and practised the teachings of Buddha very diligently and attained enlightenment. He continued to live alone for another twelve years. His mother came to know of him and went to meet him. She was very excited and could not control her tears of joy.
The monk looked at his mother with indifference. He said: You are acting like a normal, worldly mother and not like a nun. Have you not learnt self control and detachment? He then walked away from her. He knew that if he had greeted her with love, she would remain emotionally attached to him and her spiritual progresses would be slowed down. The mother was shocked and shaken by the harsh behaviour of her son. She did not understand why he behaved in that manner. She was unaware of the real reason behind her son’s behaviour. In the haze of her terrible pain, detachment came over her and she let go of all her emotional attachment. She practised the teachings of Buddha diligently and attained enlightenment. She then understood the real reason why her son behaved with her in that peculiar manner.
We have to let go of all attachments and focus on God. This is very difficult for us. So let the focus of our love be God and let us do our duty as worship and offer all fruits unto Him. Let us do SitaRam Mantra japa and meditation and follow the teachings of the Guru. By doing so, grace will descend on us and we reach the spiritual maturity when all attachments fall away from us as naturally as a ripe fruit falls of the tree.
