GRASPING AND CLINGING

[sonamdhargey]

I found a good read about Grasping and Clinging.

How can we get away from and become completely independent of things, all of which are transient, unsatisfactory and devoid of selfhood? The answer is that we have to find out what is the cause of our desiring those things and clinging to them. Knowing that cause, we shall be in a position to eliminate clinging completely. Buddhists recognize four different kinds of clinging or attachment. 1) Sensual attachment (Kamupanana) is clinging to attractive and desirable sense objects. It is the attachment that we naturally develop for things we like and find satisfaction in: colors and shapes, sounds, odours, tastes, tactile objects, or mental images, objects past, present, or future that arise in the mind, and either correspond to material objects in the world outside or within the body, or are just imaginings. We instinctively find pleasure, enchantment, delight in these six kinds of sense objects. They induce delight and enchantment in the mind perceiving them.

Read more here:http://www.buddhanet.net/budasa7.htm

[Q]

Grasping and clinging, also known as Upadana in sanskrit is one of the primary causes of suffering. So I believe, it means 'Grasping/clinging is the fuel for our suffering'.

When we talk about grasping, we should be aware of what are the 4 types of clinging which is driven by our craving nature:
1) Kamupadana - Sensual pleasure grasping
2) Ditthupadana - Wrong view clinging
3) Silabbatupadana - rites and ritual clinging
4) Attavadupada - self - doctrine clinging.

Obviously, we always fall on the 1st category, which is grasping of the sensual desires.... desires to 'pleasure' our 5 senses which is by nature unquenchable! Take for example, I am hungry, so I take the food and am satisfied... but then I get hungry again later and it goes on and on without any end. Our desire to satisfy our craving is the very fuel that make our desire for that particular craving stronger! Get it?

So what happens when our craving is not satisfied? We become nasty, ugly, we do all sort of things that may or may not be good just because we want that satisfaction of fulfilling our craving... and in worst case scenario, we go crazy.

Therefore, as Dharma practitioners, we should ask ourselves... should I continue to feed this craving and live life like an animal... or should I overcome this craving and end the cycle of desire? I'd choose the latter. So if we observe closely, this is indeed a form of attachment and we can counter it by applying the very universal antidote of LETTING GO. The world will not end just because you can't have that Chocolate cake...

[apprenticehealer]

I fully agree with Q that "Grasping/clinging is the fuel to all sufferings'.

The grasping/clinging is to satisfy one's needs. wants, desires and attachments. When a person has great dependency on someone or something that makes this person feel 'happy and fulfilled', that person will grasp and cling, not ever letting go . Fear arises from this attachment , the fear of loosing the person and object is so great that it is already causing suffering all the time - constantly ! What a miserable way to live and to be.

How can one grasp/ cling / hold on to something that is transient and impermanent ? When we ourselves are only here for a brief period of time - and to spend all this time in fear and in suffering.

[Tenzin K]

Under normal circumstances, we will have a certain degree of likes and dislikes. It is a matter of conducting our lives with a bit of wisdom. There will be occasions which make us happy; and others which make us unhappy. It is part and parcel of life. The most important lesson is to understand the first Noble Truth of "Unsatisfactoriness" or "Imperfection". We may have certain attachment to various things at various times. When conditions are favorable to us, we derive happiness from these attachments. And surely, when conditions are unfavorable, we experience unhappiness. Our opposing feelings reflecting both conditions are due to our association with worldly affairs. So long as we live in this world, we cannot escape from this scenario.

As for our children, it is our worldly and moral responsibility to care and protect them.  In so doing, the inevitable worry and anxiety come as a package.  It is perfectly natural that we are "attached" to our children.  We cannot relegate this parental responsibility.  When our children are small then we must take care of them.  The big question is when to gradually let go of them as they eventually grow up.  This is the tricky part.

The art of living is to "wise-up" our outlook on life. Do not be "TOO ATTACHED" to our children. Be ready to "LET GO" of them when the time comes.  When we can SEE this bigger picture of life, then we are willing to ACCEPT the inevitable. We can then "LET GO" of that which we cannot hold forever. Then we no longer have any problem due to "attachment" or "grasping and clinging".

The problem in life is not so much of attachment. The real problem is our inability to let-go of the attachment when conditions dictate that we should. It is just like the "angry young man". But when we come to terms with reality, it is just like growing old and becoming more mellow; life becomes more peaceful.

We must have the wisdom to live a skillful life with moderation, to enjoy and be peaceful and be happy. 

[Dondrup Shugden]

Grasping ad Clinging are forms of emotional attachment that we all suffer from.  Some to higher level and some more so.

There are many reasons for all the Grasping and Clinging and like the truth of suffering find the root cause and then exorcise the root cause.  Sound interesting enough but it is that easier.  This article gives clear guides to how we can help ourselves from grasping and clinging.

How do you conclude?

[yontenjamyang]

In the 12 dependent links, grasping and clinging (links 8,9) causes becoming (link 10) which in turn cause birth, aging and death (Links 11 and 12). But grasping and clinging are caused by consciousness, name and form, 6 senses, contact and feelings (links 3,4,5,6,7). The immediate cause is feelings of negative, positive and neutral. Consciousness is cause by karmic formations (link 2) and it is cause by Ignorance (link 1). At death if we are still ignorant, the cycle of uncontrolled rebirth continues.

So, the root cause is ignorance but grasping and clinging is what keep us in samsara. To rid one of these cause, one practices to rid one of grasping and clinging by accumulating the merits and wisdom to see the ultimate truth that leads to Liberation (non existence of the self) and Omniscience (non existence of others/phenomena).

Non existence do not refer to total non existence by the mode of existence is based on dependent arising ie in the form of cause and effect and that things and in flux and constantly changing based on cause and conditions and what we see as existing is ever changing. That is no use to be attached to these events.