To consider drug addiction, cannibalism, and meditating on a scale of "better and worse" attachments is to fail to use the foundations of Buddhism for the purposes of attaining a purity of awakeness. In terms of dukkha, NO attachment is "better" than another.
Attachment is a state of unawake, unaware service of desires (tanha, or thirst). "Desires are numberless. I vow to put an end to them." However, to evaluate cannibalism or drug addiction or meditation within the terms of right thought, right understanding and right action seems like right effort to me. (Note: in the eightfold path there is no division called "right judgement".) I find it crucial to be very mindful of the terms we employ to make evaluations, discernments or even such judgments as "better" and "worse". If we are not so mindful, we just use the dharma as dogma to justify our own illusions of betterness. As far as comparing amplitudes of attachment, in terms of their usefulness in following the eight-fold path (or middle way) and getting off the bus of illusion and suffering: - Addiction is a paralyzing amplitude of attachment, utterly disallowing presentness and self-awareness (addiction to anything, including sitting, puts one in a state of serving desire, which kills the potential for mindful presence). - Healthy attachments are a foundation of a functional society (eschewing attachment entirely is the domain of the socially maladjusted who have no concerns for right understanding, action or mindfulness). - One's relationship to their attachments is not a static location. It is a dynamic process. Being attached to non-attachment is a spartan vomitorium. Think outside the duality of "attached" or "non-attached". The interesting moments are the moments in motion. The awakeness, the being present is not found by parking in "non-attachment", it is found in all those moments when attachment is noticed, when desires are recognized, when the nature of self is presently revealed and acknowledged during the course of being human. Regards, Kahty -- A long time ago I went on a journey Right to the corner Of the eastern ocean. The road there Was long and winding, And stormy waves Barred my path. What made me Go this way? T'ao Chi'ien (372-427 AD) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
