Quotes About Detachment

Life is like a river. You can struggle to change its course but ultimately it will go its own way. Bathe in it, drink it, be refreshed by it, share it with everyone, but never fight it, never be swept away by its flow, and never get attached to it. Observe it. Learn from it.

Brahmana represents a state when humans have totally overpowered the animal brain; in other words, outgrown fear. We do not look at the other as predator or prey, mate or rival. We do not seek to judge the other in order to position ourselves. Our identity is not dependent on the other. It is independent, devoid of the need for props. We either withdraw as Shiva does, or engage as Vishnu does, in order to enable the insecure other, who is entrapped in a crumpled mind.

Arjuna, immerse your mind in me and I will uplift you from the ocean of recurring death. If you cannot do that, then practise yoga and work on your mind. If you cannot do that, then do your work as if it is my work. If you cannot do that, then make yourself my instrument and do as I say. If you cannot do that, then simply do your job and leave the results to me.—Bhagavad

My two valuable lessons are: avoid romanticism and abhor possessiveness.

To love someone enough to let them go, you had to let them go forever or you did not love them that much.

there. She'd learned not to grow attached to anyone, too fond of anyone, so there could be no surprises and no hurt.

La futilité des préoccupations mondaines leur apparaissait dans toute son évidence.

It is foolish to hold tightly to material possessions. We do not own them, but they can own us.

she was in this life, but not of it.

If you want to travel the Way of Buddhas and Zen masters, then expect nothing, seek nothing, and grasp nothing.

Whatever happens around you, don't take it personally... Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves.

There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally.

God sometimes removes a person from your life for your protection. Don't run after them.

Our journey is about being more deeply involved in life, and yet less attached to it.

When you learn not to want things so badly, life comes to you.

If you want this life to stop breaking your heart, stop giving your heart to this life.

Do you want to know the secret of life? If you want to have everything, don't want anything. Everything will run after you.

To attain Buddhahood ... we must scatter this life's aims and objects to the wind.

Trying to "fix" the people in your life that cause you pain is like massaging your shoes because your feet ache.

Let what comes come, let what goes go.

You spend the first part of your life collecting things ... and the second half getting rid of them.

Whatever life takes away from you, let it go.

Christian life is not realized in developing the personality or in shaping human community and somehow changing the world but in turning away from the world and becoming free of it.

Be blissful and enjoy your life; do not let yourself become obsessed with anything. Determine to use the rest of your life to benefit others as much as possible.