often difficult to understand for the uninitiated Western person who is used to rational and logocentric concepts. Detachment implies a removal of attention and concern from what is seen as the illusionary nature of reality. In more practical and applied terms, detachment can be understood as the ability to go beyond self-concern and thoughts of self-only; in other words it is a spiritual attitude that transcends the personal ego and allows the individual to see the reality of the situation unencumbered by the constraints of personal ambition, greed etc’ At it most pure and intense it is known as “Letting go of body and mind” in Zen Buddhism as exemplified in the works of Zen master Dogen.
In some sense, “Body and mind dropped off” refers to the letting go of our ancient, twisted karmic attachment to this limited body and mind. We are conditioned to try to acquire objects to embellish, enhance, or improve this body and mind. So just dropping off body and mind is to abandon that effort of acquisitiveness, and is a statement of the ultimate for Dogen. (Leighton)