Definition: Exaggerated not wanting to be separated from someone or something. (Exact opposite of Aversion)
There was a time long ago when I decided that the method that best fit my spirituality was Buddhist teachings. It seemed however to be overtaken with terminology that was used to approximate concepts in my western style thinking. It left me wondering if one could truly get the ideas or only approximate them. After a long time I retreated to a Christian church where I spent years learning all I could about my old/new beliefs. Finally I had to give up on them. And I can't say I find the Buddhist ones a suitable replacement. This idea of giving up attachment for instance. It seems impossible to say where one draws the line with it. Give up all attachment and you'd be an inert lump. Hold on too much and you suffer greatly. Apparently even trying too hard to release attachment is in fact a form of attachment. It is enough to give you a headache. I have found lists of emotions/feelings that have been deemed attachment, such as desire, lust, craving, clinging or even hatred and ignorance. Again where is the line drawn? Desire arises from biological drives. If one denies or thwarts these, how does that benefit? Another definition suggests that clinging to delusion is attachment. The desire for impermanent things to be permanent. Clearly to the Buddhist and to scientific minded persons, all we see in the world is in a state of flux. Our own bodies exchange 98 percent of its atoms each year. This little tidal pool of protoplasm is renewed constantly. Unfortunately it is renewed into a structure that ages from errors in translation of the blueprint. Bacteria mutate, animals evolve, mountains rise, continents move, stars burn out, and galaxies collide. Nothing spectacular about the small changes within people. Our short life span permits an illusion of permanence. Our idealization of people and our own personal beliefs are facilitated this way. Buddhists believe this leads to suffering. By that they must mean irrational suffering. Since we possess pain receptors, no doubt to good purpose, one would expect suffering in our predatory world. The suffering from delusion resembles the suffering that would result from a lie from a good friend. In this case the liar is our best friend, ourselves. It put light on many foolish ideas we have. Trying to fix things. Having goals for loved ones and believing that they could only be happy by meeting these goals. Failing to challenge the truth of ideas which we use to shape our lives. Depending on other people to bring your happiness. Living other than in the present. Worry. Anger. Arrogance. Depression. And so the task remains to release this paraphernalia all the while living in a materialistic society of middle class America. Maybe that is what is so nice about biking or hiking. It takes one closer to being a monk.