Many Chinese Mahayana lay Buddhists lack the spirit of renunciation. Why is that? In general, it is because they fail to fully recognize the suffering inherent in samsara, as well as the sublime bliss of liberation.
To be more specific, there are two primary reasons:
Firstly, there is a lack of sufficient learning and contemplation of Buddhist teachings, and thus one has not developed a deep and heartfelt conviction that the Buddhist worldview is profoundly true and free from error.
Secondly, limited life experience and a lack of hardship result in a weak inner motivation for renunciation. Take young people, for instance: their blood circulates rapidly, their hearts beat with vigor, and their bodies, rich with muscle and hormones, radiate vitality; they are full of desire, curiosity, and longing for the world before them. In such a state, the spirit of renunciation can hardly take root, making it impossible to settle into practice. Conversely, some people have endured too much hardship that is utterly overwhelming. For instance, someone who is afflicted with cancer may no longer have the mental or physical energy for practice. Others, burdened by the suffering of old age, may find it hard for them to engage in study, contemplation, and meditation, or even to focus their mind on thinking renunciation, which is also a very challenging situation.
So, what is renunciation? From the perspective of one’s mindset, it involves two aspects: first, a strong aspiration to break free from samsara; second, a strong desire to attain liberation. Simply put, it is the resolve: “I want to practice! I want to attain liberation!” It means regarding practice and liberation as the absolute priorities of one’s life, while allowing all other matters to remain secondary.This is what it means to arouse the spirit of renunciation.
However, many modern people approach Buddhism with this mindset: “I will practise when I am old or retired,” or “I will find some spare time for practice after I have finished dating, earned money, or fulfilled my worldly ambitions.” This is not renunciation. Such an attitude merely treats the Dharma as a consumer product for one’s own comfort. People with such a mindset can never attain real accomplishment in practise, nor can they truly benefit from any pitch instructions, because they lack even the very basic spirit of renunciation.
This article is a preliminary translation draft and has not yet been reviewed or proofread by the speaker.
