A. Becoming unattached IS the path. Outside of attachment there is no world and therefore no suffering. In a metaphysical sense we are attached moment by moment, even when we are at our most peaceful. But we can hardly do anything about that. What we can address are our obvious attachments that manifest through the emotions. We focus on containing and working with them. This then becomes the transforming process that characterises the Mahayana.

You could say there are two perspectives on containment practice: restraint before the event takes place, and restraint when the event is in play. The first is to restrain or even deny something we are strongly attached to, (or maybe see it as something that may hinder the practice). The second is to live life and, if you so wish, knowingly (if not willingly) take on something that you are attached to, then see it as your training ground. To use your example. if you feel you can live without a relationship, because you know it will certainly bring dukkha in one form or another and make your practice much more difficult to do, then restrain yourself from entering into it. If you feel you don’t want to/can’t live without a relationship, then that is okay as well. You are taking on a form of practice that for you will be difficult to fulfil, but do it anyway. It could be your vehicle to awakening. Or maybe it will be your vehicle to even greater dukkha. Either way, emotional restraint IS the practice.