Just Let Go - Alan Watts

True Meaning2 minutes read

Detachment involves complete participation while still being detached, not non-participation. To experience pleasure fully, one must let go of the need to possess it entirely by giving up excessive desire and finding a middle way between clinging and renunciation.

Insights

  • Experiencing pleasure fully requires detachment from the need to possess it entirely, as excessive attachment drains the essence out of transient things like relationships or material possessions.
  • The key to overcoming suffering, as per Buddha's teachings, lies in relinquishing excessive desire and finding a balance between clinging and complete renunciation, emphasizing the importance of not desiring to give up more than one can handle.

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Recent questions

  • How do Buddhists define detachment?

    Detachment means complete participation while being detached.

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Summary

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"Detachment for Pleasure: Embrace, Not Possess"

  • Detachment, as discussed by Buddhists, Daoists, and Hindus, does not mean non-participation but rather a complete participation while still being detached. Being overly anxious about physical pleasure and grasping it too tightly leads to disappointment and emptiness, hindering the full experience of pleasure.
  • To truly enjoy pleasure, one must let go of the need to possess it entirely. Clinging too tightly to transient things, whether it be a bunny rabbit, children, or spouses, drains the life out of them. Only by being willing to be abandoned and embracing spiritual poverty can one experience pleasure in its fullness.
  • The core teaching of Buddha revolves around the four noble truths, with the first truth addressing suffering (dukkha) caused by clinging or desire (trishna). The solution lies in giving up excessive desire, finding the middle way between clinging and complete renunciation, and not desiring to give up more than one is capable of.
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