Well actually, it's not really a precept to do that. You can't give up attachment and desire just like that. And also many wishes and desires are good. A bodhisattva has a great wish for others to be happy and to be free from suffering for instance. for all beings. You don't give up desires for that sort of thing. Instead it is like a first hint of something that eventually becomes vast and totally boundless. And giving things away - if done out of generosity then that's great. But if done out of a wish to try and get rid of your attachments - then it rarely works. You end up without the things you used to have, a bunch of regret about no longer having them - and with more attachment than ever to them as well, chances are. May end up in a far worse situation as regards attachment. Many westerners do this when they first encounter Buddhism, try to give up attachments by giving up things or situations or people that they care for. But that's totally back to front and not the path at all.
So, instead it is a slow gentle path for most. Where you first come to recognize your situation. And as a groundwork you may need to work on morality say, things like lying or harmful speech and so on apply to anyone almost. But - letting go of the clinging and attachment the Buddha was talking about in the second of the Four Noble Truths - that's something you can't really do by just trying to get rid of it. Indeed - it's rather the other way around. The idea that - if you can but see what you are doing (unless you are enlightened already of course) - then that's all you need to do, because then you will just drop all that stuff just immediately. Image - the clinging to these various illusions - it's like you find you've been holding a hot coal tightly in your hand. And - you don't need to do anything forceful - as soon as you realize what you've been doing, you'll let it go instantly. (And in the process, they say, realize that with all your clinging - that there was nothing there in the first place to cling onto in the way you thought there was, it was just a complete confusion, the whole thing from the beginning).
And - what we think of as attachment in the normal sense such as caring about particular people or places - that's often got a lot of love and compassion involved in it if we can but see it. And - if you can drop the clinging the Buddha was talking about, you become more open to the sufferings and situations of others - and more able and also willing to act. Spontaneously. Responding to their situations. And your love for people you care about is stronger, vaster, more connected to the way they are themseles, no longer limited in the way it was before, not less, and you can have the same love and compassion for all beings. That's how it is described on the bodhisattva path.
So, absolutely, yes, following this path of the Buddha dropping clinging to illusory concepts - well - that's something that will come gradually, but the starting point for most is ordinary morality, compassion, being truthful, mindfulness and so on. But not blocking or stopping impulses because we have many good impulses such as compassion and love. It's not saying to retreat into a little shell and pretend the world isn't there and hope it goes away. But to open out to situations more and more. And sometimes that may lead to quite forthright, and sometimes even forceful action. Like for instance the actions of a mother saving her child from running over a road. And - then in a situation like that - well in a way you don't even care if you do get angry. That's the last of your concerns in that moment, you only care about the child. Then afterwards when the immediate danger is over you can then look into dealing with the issues of anger. So - sometimes in very extreme situations you just have to act, and know that your action is bound to be unskillful, but you are acting basically out of compassion. If that's your main motivation then it gives some protection also. And - are many styles of practice in Buddhism. But - one style is of the Bodhisattva who just doesn't care at all what happens to him or her, only interest is in those who you want to help. There's another style of a bodhisattva who is helping themselves and others together. And the other main style is of a bodhisattva in a situation where you feel that it is necessary to work on yourself first before you can help others. And - it's not really something that you choose. It's more that just depending on circumstances, you may be in one or the other of those three situations - if you are motivated by compassion and helping others.
See also Robert Walker's answer to Do enlightened people get hungry?
So, instead it is a slow gentle path for most. Where you first come to recognize your situation. And as a groundwork you may need to work on morality say, things like lying or harmful speech and so on apply to anyone almost. But - letting go of the clinging and attachment the Buddha was talking about in the second of the Four Noble Truths - that's something you can't really do by just trying to get rid of it. Indeed - it's rather the other way around. The idea that - if you can but see what you are doing (unless you are enlightened already of course) - then that's all you need to do, because then you will just drop all that stuff just immediately. Image - the clinging to these various illusions - it's like you find you've been holding a hot coal tightly in your hand. And - you don't need to do anything forceful - as soon as you realize what you've been doing, you'll let it go instantly. (And in the process, they say, realize that with all your clinging - that there was nothing there in the first place to cling onto in the way you thought there was, it was just a complete confusion, the whole thing from the beginning).
And - what we think of as attachment in the normal sense such as caring about particular people or places - that's often got a lot of love and compassion involved in it if we can but see it. And - if you can drop the clinging the Buddha was talking about, you become more open to the sufferings and situations of others - and more able and also willing to act. Spontaneously. Responding to their situations. And your love for people you care about is stronger, vaster, more connected to the way they are themseles, no longer limited in the way it was before, not less, and you can have the same love and compassion for all beings. That's how it is described on the bodhisattva path.
So, absolutely, yes, following this path of the Buddha dropping clinging to illusory concepts - well - that's something that will come gradually, but the starting point for most is ordinary morality, compassion, being truthful, mindfulness and so on. But not blocking or stopping impulses because we have many good impulses such as compassion and love. It's not saying to retreat into a little shell and pretend the world isn't there and hope it goes away. But to open out to situations more and more. And sometimes that may lead to quite forthright, and sometimes even forceful action. Like for instance the actions of a mother saving her child from running over a road. And - then in a situation like that - well in a way you don't even care if you do get angry. That's the last of your concerns in that moment, you only care about the child. Then afterwards when the immediate danger is over you can then look into dealing with the issues of anger. So - sometimes in very extreme situations you just have to act, and know that your action is bound to be unskillful, but you are acting basically out of compassion. If that's your main motivation then it gives some protection also. And - are many styles of practice in Buddhism. But - one style is of the Bodhisattva who just doesn't care at all what happens to him or her, only interest is in those who you want to help. There's another style of a bodhisattva who is helping themselves and others together. And the other main style is of a bodhisattva in a situation where you feel that it is necessary to work on yourself first before you can help others. And - it's not really something that you choose. It's more that just depending on circumstances, you may be in one or the other of those three situations - if you are motivated by compassion and helping others.
See also Robert Walker's answer to Do enlightened people get hungry?
About the Author
Robert Walker
Writer of articles on Mars and Space issues - Software Developer of Tune Smithy, Bounce Metronome etc.Studied at Wolfson College, Oxford
Lives in Isle of Mull
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