Non-Attachment vs. Suppression

[sayak83]

Presented with this verse from the Gita today, I reflected a bit on the difference from being truly non-attached, and suppressing emotions surrounding a situation.


I've read that this is a common mistake many make, not always knowing the difference between the two, what it feels like, or how to get there.

What do you think the differences are? How do you assure you're practicing non-attachment, and not suppression, especially while in the midst of an action?

Verse number please?

 

[sayak83]

Hm. I understand what you're saying, but wonder what that looks like in practice.

If a person hates doing the dishes, and it fills them with revulsion, how do they get from a point of accepting their revulsion to no longer having the dishes bring up revulsion?

The first question is "why is this hate for doing the dishes arising?". For
a) It is not a significantly physically painful task.
b) The end goal of having clean dishes in which to eat in is pleasant, beneficial and healthy.
Now the answer to that question can vary from person to person. Let's say the answer for me is that I dislike handling dirty things. That is what causes revulsion.
Then the next stage of reflection is
a) What makes leftover food dirty?
b) Why do I think dirt repulsive?
c) If I find dirt repulsive, and cleaning dirty things repulsive, why do I not find cleaning myself while bathing repulsive?

From there one can see that while a repulsion from dirt for some situations is healthy (to avoid infected or rotten food for example), cleaning dirt is from things we use (our skin, our plates, our floors, or roads) to stay healthy is good and responsible. Then to retrain our instincts to have the same joy in cleaning dishes or our floors as cleaning ourselves in a bath. For what we use is an extension of ourselves only.

There. Done.

 

[JustGeorge]

These are qualities of the Jiva. Your character in vyavaharika projected through Maya as a result of avidya. Appearances in you.

Your character in your dream has knees, laughter, a sense of smell, feelings, and sometimes an itchy neck. Whose are those?

Dreams honestly seems more....fluid. I don't know as if the dream me indeed does have those things.

Of course not. That would be silly. Everyone knows one wears good white boots to libraries, and that plaid Speedos are more appropriate fashion for reading.

What boots do you wear with plaid speedos?

What is your relationship with your character in your dream? What is gold's relationship with the ornament? What is clay's relationship with the pot?

I can't say I know!

Verse number please?

Wish I'd have jotted it down... I've since closed the page.

The first question is "why is this hate for doing the dishes arising?". For
a) It is not a significantly physically painful task.
b) The end goal of having clean dishes in which to eat in is pleasant, beneficial and healthy.
Now the answer to that question can vary from person to person. Let's say the answer for me is that I dislike handling dirty things. That is what causes revulsion.
Then the next stage of reflection is
a) What makes leftover food dirty?
b) Why do I think dirt repulsive?
c) If I find dirt repulsive, and cleaning dirty things repulsive, why do I not find cleaning myself while bathing repulsive?

From there one can see that while a repulsion from dirt for some situations is healthy (to avoid infected or rotten food for example), cleaning dirt is from things we use (our skin, our plates, our floors, or roads) to stay healthy is good and responsible. Then to retrain our instincts to have the same joy in cleaning dishes or our floors as cleaning ourselves in a bath. For what we use is an extension of ourselves only.

There. Done.

That makes sense.

 

[SalixIncendium]

What boots do you wear with plaid speedos?

White boots with plaid speedos, and paisley cowboy boots with Paisley ones.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I can't say I know!

Consider each one's relationship to one another.

The clay is intrinsic to the pot; the gold is intrinsic to the ornament. You can smash the pot but the clay is unaffected. You can melt the ornament, but the gold is unaffected. The forms of pot and ornament are forms and functions of clay and gold...temporary appearances, just as your dream character is to your waking self, just as the jiva is to Atman.

 

[Aupmanyav]

.. just as the jiva is to Atman.

Does an individual 'jiva' exist?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Does an individual 'jiva' exist?

Inasmuch as my dream character from my dream last night exists from my perspective in waking consciousness.

The jiva exists from the perspective of vyavaharika. From Paramartika, it is an appearance.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Of course, you know. You are one of the enlightened.