When it comes to renunciation, I believe it may be understood on two levels: conceptual renunciation and genuine, stable renunciation.What we call conceptual renunciation refers to a relatively superficial level of understanding. We may know the definition and significance of renunciation (naiṣkramya), and we may even be familiar with its various explanations and distinguishing characteristics, but all of this remains at the level of knowledge. It has not yet truly taken root in our own mental continuum. Genuine renunciation, however, is something altogether different.
So what exactly is the difference between these two mental states? Let us now explore this distinction together.
Let us begin with conceptual renunciation, which characterizes many of our fellow practitioners today. For example, someone may ask, “How should one cultivate renunciation?” According to the graduated path, before the Five Preliminary Practices there are the Four Common Preliminaries, requiring the contemplation of the faults of saṃsāra, the infallibility of karmic cause-and-effect, the preciousness of human rebirth, and impermanence and death.
Yet many people get stuck at this very stage. They can readily talk about these concepts, but once they finish explaining them, they have no idea how to continue practicing. The texts tell them to contemplate, so they contemplate. But after a short while, they feel there is nothing more to think about, and they end up just sitting there blankly. The fundamental reason for this situation is a lack of true understanding of renunciation.
So what, then, is genuine renunciation? Renunciation means that a powerful aspiration arises within the heart—a sincere wish to be free from the three realms of existence (traidhātuka). If this is the case, then we must first clearly understand: What exactly do the “three realms” refer to? What is the true nature of saṃsāra? And why should we wish to abandon it? All of these questions require deep and thorough understanding.
—Excerpted and compiled from Conceptual Renunciation and Genuine Renunciation
This article is a preliminary translation draft and has not yet been reviewed or proofread by the speaker.
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