Via Three Teachings on Expectation from the Tricycle

 

Browse our online courses » July 31, 2025 Take the Ache Out of Attachment   “Lower your expectations and you won’t be disappointed.” This may be tried and true advice, but it’s not very satisfying until you ask why it works. Hopes or goals aren’t the problem; attachment to them is. And attachment is inherent in expectations. The Buddha was clear on this: The source of suffering, he said in the four noble truths, is attachment, or craving and aversion. Recognizing the impermanence of all phenomena, we understand that attachment will inevitably lead to disappointment. But simply carving out space—time or distance—from our attachments can loosen their hold. As Korean Zen Buddhist teacher Haemin Sunim says, “When we take a broader view, the present slump can be seen as the trough of a wave, which sinks down to gather the energy it needs in order to rise again. It’s thanks to these low points that, when we’re again riding the crest of the wave, we’re able to be humble rather than arrogant, and to have the wisdom not to get carried away.” This week’s Three Teachings offers guidance on maintaining hope and determination without suffering from unhelpful attachments. Forward today's teachings to a friend » Lessons from Life’s Low Point By Haemin Sunim Haemin Sunim praises the power of perspective, and also reminds us that unmet expectations can be an opportunity to cultivate compassion.  Read more » Taking the Ache Out of Attachment By Ven. Thubten Chodron Ven. Thubten Chodron offers a practice for helping us work with craving, reminding us that “it is not realistic to expect external objects to be a lasting source of happiness.” Read more » We Can’t Always Get What We Want (and That’s Alright) By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard Zen teacher and writer Vanessa Zuisei Goddard digs into the different types of craving, and points out that the truth of impermanence doesn’t just compel us to avoid expectation, but that it also allows us to enjoy what we have—for now.  Read more »