Q: What is attachment?

A: It is a bond that binds beings to existence and drives them from rebirth to rebirth.

Q: What is the cause of attachment?

A: It is greed. In other words, attachment is the result of greed.

Q: Then, if one discards own greed, will her/his attachment be discarded too?

A: No.

Q: Why not?

A: There is the cause of greed. Unless one roots out the cause of greed, she/he can’t completely get rid of attachment.

Q: Then what is the cause of greed?

A: It is ignorance. Therefore, greed is the direct cause of attachment. On the other hand, ignorance is the fundamental root of attachment.

Q: If I want to discard attachment, which one do I have to get rid of first?

A: It depends on you.

Q: Could you explain a little bit more?

A: Think of a tree with branches of greed and root of ignorance. If the tree is huge, you can’t root it out at once. On the other hand, if the tree is small, you can root it out easily. Therefore, to root out your attachment depends on the degree of your greed and ignorance.

Q: Do you mean that if I have too much greed and ignorance, I have to cut off the branches of greed prior to eradicating the root of ignorance?

A: Yes. This is why we practice the‘perfection of giving’prior to practicing the ‘perfection of wisdom’ in the practice of ‘six perfections’.

Q: I am curious about the relationship between greed and ignorance. Do you think they go along together?

A: Yes. The more ignorant you are the greedier you get.

Q: To tell the truth, I don't feel the relationship between greed and ignorance to go hand in hand in actual reality.