Renunciation

 

Renunciation is not getting rid of the things of this world, but accepting that they pass away.

Robert Baker Aitken

I'm back! Lovely weekend away, full of adventure. We trail rode horses, zip lined, repelled down cliffs and played golf.  D. and I slept in a two man tent that truly was not meant for someone who is 6 foot 1 lol and though my mind loved being beneath the stars in the fresh wooded air, my body did not like the hard bumpy ground.  That would take some getting used to.  It reminded me of Ram Dass describing how he made the trek through Northern India to meet his Guru for the first time...a fairly well to do westerner toughing it out, lying on the ground for nights and nights.  His body reacted miserably to the trials and tribulations he put it through on that journey  but eventually he got used to it. Of course, I did not endure as much suffering...it was all very pleasant except for the ground and the back is still growling a bit but I did want to tough it out a bit in honour of him. 

Dealing

Anyway, I came home to the same circumstances I left. I was  re-energized but a little less rested than I hoped to be.  Oh well...we will deal. 

So in the process of dealing...I am contemplating what to say "yes" to and what to say "no" to.  Of course, the very first thing to do is accept what is as it is right now; to notice what is unfolding in front of me, allow it ( without resistance), look deeply into what is happening "out there" and what is happening "in here" as a result of it...what am I thinking, feeling, saying and how am I acting.  Is it wholesome or unwholesome, skillful or unskillful and then I need to nurture myself with some loving compassion as I nurture the others involved with the same level of compassion. Hmm! Not so easy as it looks. 

Back to "Yes" or "No"

I just happened upon two podcasts today...and both address this idea of renunciation in their own ways,one from a buddhist perspective and one from a Yogi perspective.  The core truth is the same in both teachings but the "concept" possibly differs. Speakers in both podcasts speak of the Buddha's amazing insight that the core of all suffering is our craving, our desires, our clinging and grasping and our preferences which creates the habit mind. The habit mind binds us. The way out of suffering is a letting go of these habit tendencies, this attachment to things being a certain way "out there". They both also speak of the counter part to desire which is aversion, stressing it is the opposite side of the  same coin that leads to suffering. 

Renunciation from A Buddhist Perspective

Goldstein says that renunciation which is a big thing in Buddhism...involves renouncing the "unwholesome"  habit tendencies towards sensual desires, ill will and cruelty so we can cultivate the seeds of happiness, joy , kindness and compassion etc . He goes on to describe how the Buddha, who instructed that we must be very aware of what we are thinking because the more we think on one thing the more it will become an inclination of the mind, also advised putting our thoughts into two lists: those that are wholesome and those that are not wholesome or skillful in getting us closer to freedom from suffering. Wholesome thoughts are those that cultivate peace, joy, happiness, compassion and kindness for self and others.  Unwholesome thoughts are those that lead to affliction -more suffering- for self and others.  

It is usually much easier to recognize and deal with the unwholesome thoughts of aversion, anger, hate, etc because we see how they cause suffering in self and others and are usually more motivated do change them,  The unwholesomeness of desire, however, may not be so easy to recognize therefore we may not have the motivation to renounce that which we desire.  We often get that which we want bringing about pleasant results so it seems gratifying and worth pursuing. We often fail in recognizing the suffering desire  causes until we lose that which we were clinging to. There is no permanence in that which we desire from the physical world so it cannot fulfill us for long. It will eventually cause suffering. We will feel the pain of that impermanence, and will then grasp for something else, then something else, and something else.  We will find ourselves on a cyclical  path of struggling to get what we erroneously believe will fulfill us from "out there" ...one thing after the other... until wanting itself becomes what we desire. 

All desire is addictive!  It is a vicious mental game we play and we won't see how it is one we cannot win until we examine our minds. So Goldstein makes  a strong argument about the need to renounce not only the obvious unwholesome thoughts, feelings, actions and words  but the less obvious desire. 

Renunciation from a Yogi's Perspective

Michael A. Singer, however,  often tells us not to renounce anything! "If you try to renounce...you are not through with the physical world."

He stresses in the beginning of his podcast that renunciation and craving are the very same thing. They both mean that we are not done with "things" .  As long as we are not done with things, we will want more or less of what Life offers.  This is preference and desire and this is the cause of suffering. If we are renouncing things then that means we want less of something life offers and  are therefore not done with "things". So I found this contrast to be confusing until I realized the difference in the understanding of   'renunciation' both are using. Singer seems to be  talking about renouncing "things", all that which unfolds in front of us, and Goldstein is talking about renouncing the unwholesomeness and unskillful tendencies of mind. 

When it comes to saying "No" to one thing and "yes" to another, Singer tells us the Yogi says yes to all of it.  They put away judgements of "good or bad, right or wrong, should be or shouldn't be" for "it just is and it has nothing to do with me".   We, as the experiencer, are here to simply  experience and enjoy the dance of creation unfolding in front of us and through us. He tells us to say "yes" to all of it. That doesn't mean we decide what is desirable and go after it ...we just don't determine anything as desirable or anything as undesirable. We don't prefer one thing over the other.  If a relationship unfolds in front of you...wonderful...say "yes"...don't grasp it, don't renounce it.  If Life doesn't offer you a relationship...wonderful...say "yes"...don't crave one or seek one. If material abundance and wealth unfolds in front of you...wonderful...say "yes" ...don't grasp, cling or renounce it. If poverty unfolds in front of you...say "yes"...don't push it away, don't crave or seek wealth.   

In a sense he is saying the same thing Goldstein is saying: See the unwholes tendencies in both aversion and  desire. Stay equanimous. Accept and allow what is

Confusion

I think the confusion, for me, comes with the word "renunciation". It seems to be applied differently. There also seems to be distinction between what the Buddha asks of his bhikkhus and what he asked of  householders. We are all to renounce the attachment we have to the physical world, not necessarily the physical world.  We are, afterall, physical beings.  We are to do as Christ taught, "Be in this world but not of it." Bhikkhus ( Monks and Nuns) outwardly express their detachment to the physical world by giving up their hair, their fashion, their material wealth and relationships with "special" others. Devoted yogis do the same. This is what we come to see as renouncing but is it?  Could this renouncing  be more of a symbolic display, than a practical necessity to take us to freedom? Seems that way, eh? I don't know though. 

Is Loosening Our Attachment Renouncing?

What we all really renouncing, if anything, is our attachment to desire, our attachment to the world needing to be a certain way.  Once we see how desire leads to suffering, how addictive it all is, we won't want to lose ourselves in that bondage anymore.  We will want to be through with things. Not that we won't experience things or have things in our midst, we just won't seek them, cling to them or push them away through resistance. No expectation, no preference, no aversion...just wonderful acceptance and awe of the process of Life.

All About Letting Go

Both speakers agree on one important truth.  Our path to freedom is not about gaining anything...it is about letting go .  We need to let go of this "me", this ego, this habitual personal  mind  with its preferences and aversions, its addictive tendencies, its cravings, its resistance and reactivity.  We do not need to worry about saying "No" to things of this physical world, as much as we need to be willing to say "yes" to all that life is beneath the drama and the masks we wear. 

Hmm!  I am not sure if that says all I meant to say but that is what came out of me on this topic of renunciation. I do not understand it completely. 

All is well.

Joseph Goldstein/ Be Here Now Network ( August, 2023) The Wisdom of "No" with Joseph Goldstein. - Insight Hour Podcast, Episode 178 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BacE8zOrcGk

Michael A. Singer/ Temple of the Universe (August 31) Being Done-The Path to Freedom. https://tou.org/talks/