Attachment TO Buddhism?

[Brian]

Question:

This is a general question... In studying Buddhism, we learn that
attachment is undesirable. We learn we need to recognise and remove
attachments that we identify we have. Is there a point where we can
become too attached to the teachings of Buddhism? i.e. the Four Noble
Truths, the Five Precepts, etc? In the end, does the path to
Enlightenment simply boil down to the Buddha's last words:
"Conditioned things are perishable; with vigilance strive to
succeed." (from http://www.visiblemantra.org/buddha-last-words.html)
i.e. simply trying one's best at anything, the pursuit of excellence
in any field, so that one loses oneself, and becomes one with the
subject matter (say, like a great concert pianist, lost in the moment
of playing)is what leads to Enlightment / salvation.

Answer:

Remember Buddha's life before he attained Enlightenment. He was a
wealthy, pampered prince, and then became an extreme ascetic, nearly
starving to death. He definitely knew a thing or two about taking
things to the extreme. One of his main teachings was that of the
middle way, or moderation in all things. Too much of anything, even
meditation and study, can be harmful.

That's not to say anyone can reach Enlightenment without a great deal
of effort and dedication. It's not unusual to read about monks that
went off into the wilderness for years of solitary meditation, nearly
dying in the process. These stories are not told with “too much
effort” being the point. Buddha himself abandoned his kingdom and
family, and this also is not told with “too much sacrifice” being the
point. There's a long way between what most of us do to practice
Buddhism and the “extreme.”

That being said, there comes a point where dedication to anything can
become an obsession. This is not good. It can damage your
relationships, job, family, and so forth. Whether or not this is
acceptable is entirely up to you. Most of us don't go that far, but
some do. They are the monks who dedicate their lives to reaching
Enlightenment. That's an admirable goal, and I applaud (and envy)
those monks. Yet for most of us, we must remember the middle path and
avoid the “extremes.”

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