The Dear

From, The Dhammapada, Teachings of the Buddha, new translation by Gil Fronsdal.

Excerpt from Chapter 16, "The Dear",

Practicing what one shouldn't

Not practicing what one should,

Having abandoned the goal,

Clinging to what is dear,

One comes to envy those who practice.

Don't get entangled

With what you long for or dislike.

Not seeing what you long for is suffering:

So also is seeing what you dislike.

Therefore, do not turn anything

Into something longed for,

For then it's dreadful to lose.

Without longing or dislike,

No bonds exist.

Longing gives rise to grief;

Longing gives rise to fear.

For someone released from longing

There is no grief;

And from where would come fear?

Please know that this does not mean to not have warm and caring relationships.  It is our clinging and attachment to them that causes suffering.

Similar is the teaching of Patanjali who writes of the twin pillars of yoga, abhyasa (practice) and vairagya (detachment).  See blog from Tuesday, January 18th, 2011.

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/