RENUNCIATION

The topic of renunciation has never been a popular subject, which inevitably leads into painful conflict with ‘worldly’ desires.  

Renunciation traditionally practiced by way of going away from home to homeless life in search of truth.  Lord Buddha too began his search for truth by going away from home to homelessness.  But at the time of enlightenment, Lord Buddha found that one should actually renounce attachment, including longing for enlightenment, by letting go off the bonds that that binds us to Samsara, which does not necessarily requires going away from home to homeless life.  

Lord Buddha realized that it is the emotional bond that holds everyone clinging and binds to the wheel of Samsara.  Having found the truth Lord Buddha redefined the idea of renunciation and advocated the practice of generosity as the first step of renunciation.  It is something that everyone can do. Anything that can be owned can be given.  

Renunciation and generosity are the two sides of the same coin and hence Lord Buddha said the goal of renunciation is to develop a spirit of generosity.  In the act of generosity, the receiver may enjoy some fruit from the act of giving; it is the giver who is the main beneficiary practicing an act of generosity by giving away what he owns for the good of others. 

Lord Buddha initiated the practice of going on retreat.  It is an appropriate way of practicing renunciation and it is possible for everyone.  Everyone can practice renunciation by way of going on retreat living behind the mundane world temporarily.  The practice is now a time honored Buddhist practice.

On retreat one experiences not only the struggle with one’s attachments, the emotional bond we live with, but also the joy and delight of freedom from them.  We are most successful in practicing Samatha and Vipassana Bhavana -meditation while we are on retreat. 

The retreat indeed provides the confidence that renouncing the worldly life is not difficulty.  One can also replicate the conditions of the retreat in everyday life.

In the middle of joyful experience of retreat Mara may come and say, “This is all very well – you enjoying yourself like this – but what about other people!  Why don’t you do something useful to relieve the suffering of the world instead of sitting here enjoying yourself – selfishly.”

Mara has a point – one could have devoted life to doing something useful.  But what is useful; practicing contentment with renunciation so that one could face death with ease and a sense of fulfillment or making contribution and finding solution to others worldly problems or spiritual progress.  Of course all of these have to be combined and balanced.  

Lord Buddha makes it clear that renunciation is not to be associated with feelings of loss and grief, or with the gloom of harsh asceticism, nor with bleak damnation of the rest of humanity.  Retreat is to be associated with spiritual progress for good of self and others that leads to experiencing eternal joy and bliss.