What Renunciation Means in Buddhism? Renunciation is not about running away from our responsibilities to take care of our families,
to respect our elders, or to share love and kindness with the less fortunate. Instead, renunciation is a positive attitude that takes our spiritual commitments seriously from the depths of our heart. The practice of renunciation is not separate from the activities of our daily life, but is an attitude we can bring to them. Rather than being controlled by the contrasting feelings of liking and disliking, a person who renounces the world removes a wall that separates themselves from others. A person who practices renunciation has equal love and respect for their own families and those who might oppose them. Renunciation is a total commitment to the goal of liberation so that even in life-threatening situations, one will not undertake an act of non-virtue in the search for short-term gain. Therefore, renunciation is not about going around naked, fasting, or sleeping on the floor. Instead, renunciation is exemplified by the many monks and nuns, and laymen and laywomen practitioners who do not let their negative emotions rule their lives.
As we go about our daily life, we come across different ideas, like the idea that we are 'social animals.' Initially we might think that these words do not carry a deep meaning, but if we look within, we will come to realize that we are indeed deeply interconnected with others. Our lives become less meaningful without others. Without others we are like a planet absent of a star. We often do not appreciate the importance of contact with others. I think because we are not often alone for extended periods of time, we do not understand why socialising is important. I once heard about a prisoner who was kept in solitary confinement, and he reported that this time spent alone had been the most painful time of his life. So, I personally feel that it is correct to think of ourselves as like animals who rely on the company of others for a happy and meaningful life.
What is true love? Genuine love is free from any contracts or conditions, and is a source of satisfaction and happiness. In addition, love lessens suffering for both oneself and whomever one loves. If love seems to bring pain, then it is not genuine love, but simply attachment. Therefore, one should share genuine, unconditional love and bring joy and happiness to others.
There are so many activities that fill up our lives, and we are often too busy to even notice how we spend our precious time and resources. For instance, many individuals pour time, energy, and money into their hair because they want to look beautiful. However, when we look deep within, it is attachment to self that is working overtime. Therefore, the Buddha encouraged devotees to shave their head so that they would be able to save themselves the trouble.
The word impermanence has been a buzz word for many Buddhist teachers for centuries, and there are good reasons to understand and practice mindfulness of impermanence in our daily lives. As we can see for ourselves, nothing remains forever. For instance, our friendships with others keep changing all the time. When we embrace impermanence, we are able to see our lives from many different perspectives. Therefore, in my opinion, we may be able to face any difficult situations more positively and without anxiety if we understand the message of change.
Today wherever we look, we see great progress being made in terms of technology and many other fields. For instance, the internet has made it much easier to communicate with each other. However, in my opinion, this same technology is keeping us occupied at the expense of genuine human contact, which may lead to depression and loneliness. There is no comparison between technology and the warmth of human connection since technology will never experience the feeling of true love and kindness. Thus, technology can be useful in our daily lives, but it cannot replace human connection.
Sometimes we tend to feel that when we spill out what is hidden inside of us, it will make things better. However, in my opinion, we really have to understand the consequences of saying things that might only make the situation worse. Thus, sometimes it is much more beneficial and worthwhile to simply keep things to ourselves.
Success depends on so many factors, most importantly on following right and wise advice from someone with experience and knowledge. Thus, success comes not only from individuals' hard work, but also from proper guidance from learned and sincere people.