Book Wisdom: Love versus attachment
A page in the diary "Accept, Adapt and Appreciate: How?"
Written by nw4m Nov 19 2007 08:34 AM
This is taken from a book I've borrowed recently, 'Why Is The Buddha Smiling?' by Mark Magill.
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We all wish for love, to feel love and to express it. Even the most hardened heart is closed only because it lacks love.
But attachment often masquerades as love. It is only when it is put to the test that we see its true colours. We need to learn to discern delusion from the truth.
Ask yourself to honestly answer the following questions:
1) Does your love for others rely on some kind of implicit bargain?
2) Do you love them because they love you?
3) If you do something for them, do you expect something in return?
4) If someone you profess to love were to grow old or infirm, would your feelings change?
5) What if their happiness depended on their moving to the other end of the earth and never seeing you again? Would you welcome their move because it would make them happy?
Or does your love exists only if your lover meets certain conditions?
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My thoughts
Wished the author had elaborated more on the above points. For example, how to judge whether it's an 'implicit bargain'?
Well, will continue to do more research on love and attachment.