Renunciation of attachments seems intimidating ... - Dhamma by Ajahn Jayasāro
Renunciation of attachments seems intimidating because it feels as if we are being asked to give up things which give us a lot of pleasure - or, at least, more pleasure than pain. If we still perceive things in this way there can be no renunciation in the Buddhist sense. True renunciation can only occur through clear seeing. By Looking again and again at our mind we see that, in fact, the pleasure that we receive from our attachments is much less than we thought, the suffering much more. When we see this truth with a peaceful mind we throw off the attachment without regret. Ajahn Chā said it was like a fisherman who grabs a poisonous snake from a net thinking it is an eel. The moment he realises what he is holding he throws it as far away as he can.
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