Teachings on Attachment from Bhagavad Gita Chapter Two. These teachings are always relevant and universal.
Thy right is to work only, but never to its fruits; let not
the fruit-of-action be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction. (Bhagavad
Gita Chapter 2 Verse 47)
Perform action, O Dhananjaya, abandoning attachment, being
steadfast in Yoga, and balanced in success and failure. Evenness of mind is
called Yoga. (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 48)
He whose mind is not shaken by adversity, and who in
prosperity does not hanker after pleasures, who is free from attachment, fear
and anger, is called a Sage-of-Steady-Wisdom.
(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 56)
He who is everywhere without attachment, on meeting with
anything good or bad, who neither rejoices nor hates, his Wisdom is fixed. (Bhagavad
Gita Chapter 2 Verse 57)
When a man thinks of objects, "attachment" for
them arises; from attachment "desire" is born; from desire arises
"anger" . . . From anger comes "delusion" ; from delusion
"loss of memory" ; from loss of memory the "destruction of
discrimination" ; from destruction of discrimination, he "perishes.
" (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 62 and 63)
Bhagavad Gita Source - Bhagavad Gita Published by Chinmaya Mission
When the mind is free from both attachment and aversion and
is absorbed in devotion, one receives the grace of God. Aversion is nothing but
negative attachment. Just as in attachment the object of attachment repeatedly
comes to one’s mind, similarly in aversion the object of hatred keeps popping
up in mind. One who controls the mind and is free from attachment and aversion,
even while using the objects of the senses, attains the Grace of God.
Gita clarifies to us that the senses are responsible for our
desires, attachment and the instability of our mind. Only by controlling our
senses can we truly be free of the extremities of pain and pleasure, good or
bad and so on.
Attachment and fear are the sources of all misery of men.
Man is generally attached to his loved ones and is unable to expand his actions
so as to include all living beings in it.
That action which is regulated and which is performed
without attachment without love or hatred, and without desire for fruitive
results is said to be in the mode of goodness. (Gita VIII verse 15)
