Repeated Listening and Deep Reflection
We rely on these methods to practice, and we must repeatedly listen to the teachings. The khenpos are constantly emphasize renunciation (naiṣkramya), and sometimes we feel impatient: “Could you say something new? Give us some pith instructions (upadeśa), something more advanced!” However, such resistance to hearing these teachings is a mistake. These subjects must be revisited repeatedly As the saying goes, “When a rumor is repeated by three people, it becomes a tiger; when many mouths melt gold, even gold dissolves.”
The maturation of our mental continuum (citta-saṃtāna) also happens through this kind of gradual accumulation. We must continuously stimulate our thinking so that this focal point of reflection remains active and vivid. Only in this way can a genuine state of renunciation gradually take shape.
The mindset of renunciation is not merely a concept. Conceptual renunciation is very deceptive—it can mislead us. Many people say that in the practice of emptiness (śūnyatā), it is easy to mistake conceptual understanding for genuine realization. The same is true of renunciation. If we only have the idea of renunciation, yet it has not become the most powerful force permeating our mental continuum, then it is not yet real renunciation. Only when renunciation becomes the strongest driving force within us can it be called genuine renunciation.
What, then, should we do? First, we must listen repeatedly. Then we must engage in reflection. How should we reflect? We must integrate these principles into our own body, mind, and life circumstances. We cannot simply memorize the concepts in a book and then complain, “I can’t continue practicing. What more is there to contemplate? The faults of saṃsāra only amount to this much…”
Many practitioners engaged in the Four Preliminary Practices (catuḥ-pūrvakriyā) say, “I have already thought through those concepts in one go. What’s next? There’s nothing left to think about.” That is not correct. What the text provides you is only an outline: the preciousness of human rebirth, impermanence of death, the faults of saṃsāra, and the infallibility of karma (karman). You must repeatedly reflect on these in connection with your daily life and career experiences. These principles must permeate your life.
One day, when you truly feel that everything in your life is of the nature of the faults of saṃsāra, renunciation will certainly arise. But we are unwilling. We feel that our lives are already quite good, and that the Dharma is merely something extra to make a good life even better. It is not entirely wrong to think this way—but your heart cannot remain in that state. Deep within, you must clearly recognize that all these things will inevitably decay and fall apart.
We often say, “Thirty or fifty years from now, none of this will have anything to do with us.” But have you truly reflected on this sentence? Probably not. You may know the words, but you have not contemplated them deeply. When you reflect on it repeatedly, you will gradually begin to let go of the things to which you are now so attached and entangled.
If something is destined to be lost, why do we still struggle over it? Yet you simply cannot let it go. Why? Because your attachment runs too deep. Of course you cannot let go! It is your attachment that commands and controls you—your are not the one controlling it.
If you cannot even accomplish this, yet still claim that you want to attain meditative absorption (samādhi), experience meditative joy (dhyāna-sukha), and realize emptiness (śūnyatā)—that is absolutely impossible. The moment you sit down, thoughts immediately arise: “The neighbor Wang borrowed money from me two years ago. Not only has he not repaid me, he hasn’t even paid the interest!” Just like that, your samādhi is ruined.
And what about bodhicitta ? Without genuine renunciation (naiṣkramya), bodhicitta will appear artificial. Some people even use bodhicitta to conceal or reinforce their attachment. They think, “Look how compassionate I am—I have bodhicitta.” In this way, bodhicitta becomes a weapon to reinforce the self. All the Dharma then turns into a tool of saṃsāra, a kind of decoration. The root of all these problems is the absence of genuine renunciation. Once true renunciation arises, the situation reverses: attachment to the phenomena of saṃsāra will clearly diminish. If you truly practice, you will certainly experience this kind of inner transformation.
—Excerpted and adapted from Conceptual Renunciation and Genuine Renunciation
This article is a preliminary translation draft and has not yet been reviewed or proofread by the speaker.
