“The practitioner who possesses nothing born of craving—the source that binds a person to continued existence—
leaves behind both this world and the world beyond,
just as a snake sheds its old skin.”

Sutta Nipāta, Part I, “The Chapter of the Snake,”

“The Snake,” Verse 16
Translated into Japanese by Hajime Nakamura,
The Words of the Buddha: Sutta Nipāta (Buddha no Kotoba: Sutta Nipāta), Iwanami Bunko

When I read these words, I began to think about attachment.

The kuroganemochi (Japanese holly) depicted in the background carries the meaning of “attachment” in the language of flowers.

Attachment does not always appear in the same form.

It may take the form of a desire to possess something, or a fear of losing it. It can also hide within love and expectation, jealousy, anger, sadness, or even our insistence that things—or we ourselves—must be a certain way.

Attachment itself is not always something negative. The desire for something deeply, or the wish not to lose what we cherish, can sometimes become a powerful force that moves us forward and gives us the strength to live.

But when we cling too tightly because we cannot bear to let go, we may find ourselves bound by the very thing we are holding onto, becoming less free and causing ourselves pain.

No matter how precious something has been to us, there will eventually come a time when we must let it go.

That is why, when a small seed of attachment begins to grow within me, I want to remain aware of its presence and remember that one day, the time may come to release it.

Like a snake shedding its old skin.

When something that once protected us eventually becomes a skin that confines us, I hope we can shed it lightly and gracefully, and step forward once again as someone new.