Episode 156 = Practicing Non-attachment with Family

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We must work on our minds to overcome the habits of attachment--which always bring suffering--whether one is a monk or a family man. The context of a monastery versus a home with young children will make the practice different in some ways, but in other ways achieving levels of nonattachment remains the same! </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Loving our family is not in contradiction to the practice of non-attachment. Attachment is self-focused: we are attached to what we think will make us happy. Love, the opposite of attachment, is focused on what will make our friend or loved one happy. In fact, improving our practice of non-attachment is what will make our love more unconditional and stable. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We might practice non-attachment with a family member by examining what we are very attached to in our relationship with them. The things we are most attached to can be identified by looking at what causes the most discord. How sad this is. We may discover that our attachment to them being different than the way causes the most suffering. Or we are very attached to our children or partner being what we consider successful. We can then practice mindfulness with the intention to let go of attachment to that particular thing and to accept them just the way they are. That person might not know you’re practicing non-attachment, but they will like it! This non-attachment will make our relationship with them much happier-- and we’ll be more at peace too.</span></p> <p><br /> <br /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Story of an Ex-Bhikkhu</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (344) of this book, with reference to a bhikkhu who was a pupil of the Venerable Mahakassapa.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a pupil of the Venerable Mahakassapa, this bhikkhu had achieved the four mental absorptions (jhanas). B