detachment/renunciation

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White Lotus
Posts: 1333
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 12:56 pm

detachment/renunciation

Post by White Lotus »

Pai Chang speaks of detachment, letting go even of understanding and knowledge, letting go of Buddha, prayers, worship, good works and bad works. Milarepa said that he had gone beyond the need for virtuous and defiled actions. actually virtue leads to defilement. love leads to hatred. when mind is seen, and it is seen that one is mind, then there is no further need of detachment. however detachment does make life easier.

there is ample evidence in Advaita Hinduism of detachment, even among those who see consciousness and know that they are consciousness and nothing else. this makes life easier. a superb example is in the ''Astavakra samhita'' (a wonderful little book).

the Christian mystic, Meister Eckhart wrote a book ''On Detachment''. he believed that true love is detachment and that it is the highest and supreme virtue and is key if one wishes to make life easier for oneself.

i see no other way of realising mind without detachment and renunciation. extinction/THAT I am, is not possible without renunciation.

hope this is helpful, best wishes, Tom.
in any matters of importance. dont rely on me. i may not know what i am talking about. take what i say as mere speculation. i am not ordained. nor do i have a formal training. i do believe though that if i am wrong on any point. there are those on this site who i hope will quickly point out my mistakes.
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Aemilius
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Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:44 am

Re: detachment/renunciation

Post by Aemilius »

Are you detached from the five skandhas?
Who or what is it, that is detached?
Is it something outside of the skandhas?
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
White Lotus
Posts: 1333
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 12:56 pm

Re: detachment/renunciation

Post by White Lotus »

Are you detached from the five skandhas?

there is now no I to be detached, nor to practice detachment. now this has become obvious. infact there never was an I, but it was necessary to go through a process to arrive at this understanding. a process of practical application and renunciation.

Who or what is it, that is detached?

detachment is detached. who is it? not me, not this, not that, not consciousness, not awareness. no one not even no one.
originally there is the appearance of attachment and detachment, this is not seeing emptiness. then there is no emptiness.

Is it something outside of the skandhas?

there is no inside nor outside, how could it be outside or beyond skandhas. it is not even 'it'.

hope this is helpful, best wishes, Tom.

Ps, sorry to have taken time getting back to your questions and hope my answer isn't too ridiculous to the ears. after all, I am a donkey!
in any matters of importance. dont rely on me. i may not know what i am talking about. take what i say as mere speculation. i am not ordained. nor do i have a formal training. i do believe though that if i am wrong on any point. there are those on this site who i hope will quickly point out my mistakes.
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