Renunciation
Pure renunciation
If we practice the Buddha Dharma diligently, but do not have the eagerness to free ourselves from samsara, then our practices will simply be formal practice, something we can speak about but have not realised, and our practice remains on a superficial level. This is deceiving ourselves. This kind of practitioner is unable to abandon their attachment to this mundane world. They do not really want to leave the suffering of the six realms of samsara. Accordingly, whatever they practice will become mundane merit. This is the so called “straddling two boats at the same time”. One foot is in the selfish and self-benefitting mundane world, the other foot is on the path of liberation. This form of merit will not become the root of liberation from samsara. These practitioners may even drop to the three lower realms if they display strong attachment or hatred at the time of death. When they are not eager to be liberated from samsara, it may happen that they do not find the path to liberation in the future.
Practicing the Buddha Dharma to escape from the suffering of samsara without true and stable renunciation, our practice will be like building a house with ice cubes. Although on the surface, we appear to be very diligent, we may only know a lot of theory and feel good about our meditation. However, when we encounter obstacles in the course of practice, we may lose faith and slander the Buddha Dharma and our teacher. Raising true and stable renunciation is the precondition of practicing supramundane Dharma, and is the first step in practicing the Vajrayana Great Perfection.
No one will give rise to renunciation and give up the enjoyment of the mundane world without a cause. This arises through contemplating the various reasons for abandoning samsara. Profound and stable renunciation does not arise without effort. It requires cultivation using skilful means over a long period of time through contemplation and practice. Renunciation will then become an inner quality. Continuous, repeated cultivation of renunciation is the practice.
Typically through contemplating the Twelve Links of Interdependent Origination one may cultivate the determination to be free from samsara. In our lineage, we mainly contemplate the four outer preliminaries in order to generate renunciation: the preciousness of human life, impermanence, the infallibility of cause and effect, and the suffering of samsara. This is otherwise known as abandoning the four attachments or the four thoughts that turn the mind.
Lineage Guru Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche said, “Practicing the four renunciations is very important, in order to become a sincere and good practitioner. Only then, with this foundation, will one follow the right path when starting the main practice .” Khenpo Ang Qiong Rinpoche told his lineage students:
If you do not realise true renunciation, even if you appear to be very diligent, you will only obtain temporary benefit in the mundane world. This is not the ultimate truth. Therefore, you should contemplate the concept of the preciousness of human life through the three methods: the causes, metaphors, and numbers. Contemplate the uncertainty of the time and the cause of death, the uncertainty of life. Based on these two preliminary practices you can abandon your attachment to this life. After that, contemplate the sufferings of samsara and the infallibility of cause and effect. Cultivate renunciation of your future lives. All in all, if you do not realise true renunciation towards samsara, no matter what great Dharma you encounter, because your mind is in conflict with this practice, your practice will not be successful. It is essential to cultivate true renunciation.
What is pure renunciation
Beginners on the path of the Buddha Dharma may give rise to some degree of renunciation due to various external circumstances. Today we have strong renunciation, but tomorrow it has disappeared. When suffering we think of renunciation, but it is forgotten when the suffering is gone. This unstable renunciation is superficial. In fact, it is only the disguise of afflictions and suffering, and is not true renunciation. All beings in the animal realms also have suffering upon suffering. Practitioners of other religions or paths also have the suffering of change. However, impermanence or the suffering of everything composite is the renunciation taught in the Buddha Dharma. Just like prisoners who are eager to escape from prison, we want to free ourselves from the bindings of the five aggregates, remove or liberate ourselves from all afflictions. This is renunciation according to Buddhism.
When encountering afflictions and suffering, many people want to quickly change the external circumstances to avoid the pain. However, escaping the external circumstances is only a temporary solution to the problem. In order to thoroughly conquer our inner afflictions and suffering we must train our own mind.
From the Mahayana point of view, true renunciation of samsara is not avoiding external circumstances. It means not abandoning one’s job, family and social circle to do solitary retreats. It also means not leaving the suffering of samsara and going to seek an eternal happy nirvana. From the point of view of ultimate wisdom, there is no nirvana outside samsara. Giving up attachment is liberation. If we can abandon our attachment to the belief of all phenomena as truly existing, we will not have strong afflictions like the five poisons of greed, hatred, ignorance, pride, and jealousy. If we do not cause karma, we do not plant a karmic seed. Without a karmic seed, there will be no fruit and samsara will gradually cease.
One example is the habit of greed. We may crave for a piece of chocolate, a cup, meat, attachment to Dharma, to the Buddha, to family, friends, a girl or boyfriend…… Independent of the nature of the object, as long as there is the motivation of greed, karma is created, and the result will be shown at the appropriate opportunity. Our attachment has locked us in samsara. Trying to escape from external circumstances is useless. If we do not remove the motivation of attachment, even in our dreams, we will want to eat chocolate, meat, and so on. When the right conditions appear, the thoughts of greed will rise. The seeds of greed will follow us wherever we go. This attachment to greed is the root cause of suffering in samsara. Nevertheless, when we transform our mind according to the Guru’s pith instructions, we do not need to throw away the cup. There is no need to always go on solitary retreat in a cave. When there is no attachment, the external circumstance will the object, as long as there is the motivation of greed, karma is created, and the result will be shown at the appropriate opportunity. Our attachment has locked us in samsara. Trying to escape from external circumstances is useless. If we do not remove the motivation of attachment, even in our dreams, we will want to eat chocolate, meat, and so on. When the right conditions appear, the thoughts of greed will rise. The seeds of greed will follow us wherever we go. This attachment to greed is the root cause of suffering in samsara. Nevertheless, when we transform our mind according to the Guru’s pith instructions, we do not need to throw away the cup. There is no need to always go on solitary retreat in a cave. When there is no attachment, the external circumstance will on TV, we will not be disturbed because we know it is not real, and therefore we are not attached to it. In abandoning the attachment to greed, you will not feel disturbed and wherever you may go, you will be free and liberated.
Similarly, when we abandon attachment to hatred, pride and jealousy, we will no longer be disturbed by these negative emotions and we are liberated. When you give up attachment to everything, you are completely liberated from the suffering of samsara. This is true renunciation. However, before the thoughts of attachment are transformed, it is necessary to utilise the external circumstances in order to assist in mind training.
Homework
Soon we will be introducing the four points that turn the mind to renunciation from samsara, some practical contemplations will also be included. Please allocate five minutes of your meditation time every day to contemplating the respective topics as instructed.
These contemplations will be included when we introduce:
1) the preciousness of human life
2) impermanence and death
3) the infallibility of cause and effect and
4) the defects of Samsara.