Acharya Prashant: Please, understand the nature of attachment. When two things get attached, do they disappear into each other ever? Attachment means continuity of separation. Attachment means that the two in spite of appearing proximate would still be separate. They would appear to be near but still they would continue to hold their separate identities – that is called attachment. That is why attachment and love are nowhere similar. Attachment is violence, attachment is separation, attachment is a grand conspiracy in maintaining a distance. Why do I call it a conspiracy? Because usually when there is a distance, you at least know that the two of you are distant to each other. In attachment, externally you make it appear as if the two of you are so near to each other; whereas, the fact of the matter is that you are still as separate as you ever were. Outwardly, you have come near.
Think of two blocks of metals that are getting attached to each other. Is the core of one block touching the core of the other block? Only their surfaces are in contact with each other. So, the relationship is skin-deep, and that is what attachment is — a skin-deep phenomenon. Skin touches skin and you call it attachment. The heart never meets the heart. When the heart meets the heart, then there cannot remain two separate hearts. So, there is no question of attachment then. Remember that attachment is not something of a half love. Attachment is really anti-love.
You cannot even call attachment as some kind of an undeveloped or underdeveloped form of love. Attachment is actually antithetical to love. Where there is attachment, there can be no love. In fact, if there is distance and separation, then there is a greater probability of love because if you are really separate and you know that, then maybe you can find a way to come closer. But when you are attached, then you feel as if you are already close. If you feel you are already close, why will you try to come any closer?
