Attachment Quote by Anthony de Mello
“If you look carefully you will see that there is one thing and only one thing that causes unhappiness. The name of that thing is attachment. What is an attachment? An emotional state of clinging caused by the belief that without some particular thing or some person you cannot be happy.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality, Anthony de Mello, 1990
Unhappiness stems from clinging to the belief that happiness depends on external objects or people.
In simple terms: Attachment causes suffering.
Key Takeaway
Release reliance on external things.
Themes
attachment
unhappiness
mindfulness
Mood
reflective
calm
Type
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- material possessions
- career ambitions
- health concerns
Key Concepts
impermanence
non‑attachment
ego
desire
Questions to Reflect On
- What does your happiness depend on?
- How can you practice non‑attachment daily?
A Different Perspective
Attachment may be deeply ingrained and hard to recognize without introspection.
