Nonattachment (philosophy)

Nonattachment, non-attachment, or detachment is a state in which a person overcomes their emotional attachment to or desire for things, people, or worldly concerns and thus attains a heightened perspective.

It is also a key concept in Christian spirituality (often referred to by the Greek term apatheia), where it signifies a detachment from worldly objects and concerns.

Detachment as release from desire and consequently from suffering is an important principle, or even ideal, in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Stoicism, Taoism, and Baháʼí Faith.

According to Jain saint Shrimad Rajchandra, for those who are lifeless ritualists, mere bodily restraint does not help in attaining self-realization — detachment and such other attributes[clarification needed] are necessary.

In Western Christianity, Ignatian spirituality encourages detachment, sometimes referred to as indifference, in order to maximize a person's availability to God and to their neighbors.

This concept is cited extensively within Puranic and Vedic literature, for example: One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus is untouched by muddy water.

Whereas Aristotle had claimed that virtue was to be found in the golden mean between an excess and a deficiency of emotion (metriopatheia), the Stoics thought that living virtuously provided freedom from the passions, resulting in apatheia.

The Stoic who performs correct (virtuous) judgments and actions as part of the world order experiences contentment (eudaimonia) and good feelings (eupatheia).