To all,

I had lost a nice blue sweater,realised that I was attached to it.Found it today.However it made me realise how i was attached to that sweater.I was so ashamed of myself.I thought
I had detached myself of about all of this earth.

The 3 obstacles to happiness and enlightenment are;

ATTACHMENT, CRAVING, FETTERS.

These 3 are cunning ,baffling, and powerful.

These are the 3 that create the sufferings,mentionned by the

Holy one

So Beware,

_/\_
a simple buddhist named
loong

To all,

When one enters the world of Buddhism,he enters a world that is very different from other spiritual worlds.The above mentionned 3 obstacles to happiness ,applies to all.Not just the buddhists
but to all humans of this planet.If one ,not a Buddhists attaches himself and looses that other source of attachment ,i.e. Boyfriend/girlfriend, he/she will suffer.Same applies to the craving of earthly things.If one not a buddhist,
craves let say for an i pad , acar, a newer house,he/she will suffer in the cravings.Same applies to fetters that keep you from liberty,freedom happiness.

So Beware, and be happy.
a simple buddhist named
loong

I crave to use less electrical watts a month - i find the process of researching, making adjustments, and seeing the results very soothing.

In this sense is craving a bad thing?

To Jilly,

Is this desire making you unhappy? If no go on with your project.
However if it does!

With loving kindness
loong

Jilly, I would add that the point is not to stop all projects or goals or to never get anything we want or enjoy, it's to learn not to identify with getting them. Meaning, we come to a point where the source of our happiness is within ourselves, based on our ever-present connection to the dharma (or Source, or whatever you want to call it). Then whether we get what we 'want' or not, we are happy. If we get it, then great! But if we don't, we may feel disappointment, that is natural, but on another level, we let go. The disappointment does not take root on a deeper level.

So all the practices in Buddhism, including meditation and mindfulness, are really about trying to help us 'unhook' our happiness from things that are transient. It doesn't mean we still don't go after those things, but a shift occurs in our relationship to them.

If you are not supposed to attach yourself to other people, then what exactly is the Buddhist view on romantic relationships with a spouse or significant other? And what about views regarding attachments to family members and friends?

Hi Debbie, although monastics do not have romantic relationships or marry, lay Buddhists do. And in fact, our relationships become an important part of our path, because it is where we are most likely to be called upon to practice compassion, mindfulness, and self-awareness. It is where we most often work with our 'hooks', or mental and emotional patterns that prevent us from seeing our natural, innate enlightenment. So they are an important part of many lay Buddhists' path.

It is not about not having attachments, it is about our relationship to those attachments. Similar to what I was saying to Jilly above on our goals or desire for things in this world - it's not about not having those, it's about not having our identity, and sense of self, completely wrapped up in them. Then they can become a conduit for compassion and love. All too often however, our personal relationships are not this - they are routine or limiting at best, or destructive at worst. They aren't easy to manage, and this is why a monastic choice may be right for some - a streamlined path in many ways. But for others, working with ourselves in relationship is the best path.

Above all, Buddhism is about self-awareness. It is about looking into our own thoughts, emotions, and perceptions, and questioning them, to get to the heart of reality. It's not a belief system or philosophy - it's a way of living and seeking the truth.

Thanks, Lisa. It seems that self awareness and seeking the truth is spiritual growth no matter what your practices or beliefs are. Great explanation.

In my opinion yes. I would say every path shares this at it's core, and that it is what every teacher from every tradition is trying to get us to do in some form - go inward, see clearly, distinguish what of our thoughts/emotions/patterns come from pure awareness and which do not. Of course not everyone agrees - for many religion is more about ethical guidelines and proscriptions for living, and I respect that too, although it's not of as much interest to me. And I can't help noticing that it results in a lot of disagreements (and wars) about what is the 'true path' and what is not (and this happens in Buddhism too.)

To all.
LisaEditor of buddhism wrote what follows:Then whether we get what we 'want' or not, we are happy. If we get it, then great! But if we don't, we may feel disappointment, that is natural, but on another level, we let go. The disappointment does not take root on a deeper level.

The words that I find different from other types of spirituality,
are Wether we get it or not,WE ARE HAPPY.Our happiness does not depend on material things but rather to not attach to the final
result.

loong