Think of the person you were before you started your Dhamma practice and if you have seen you have increased in the Paramis. You needn't actually put a qualitative amount on it, 20% or these types of things, but we can certainly see improvement in our ability to be patient, in our ability to be generous. So, I think it is more, "I have improved a little," "I have improved more than a little," or "I have improved a lot." In this way you can see which Paramis are actually developing more quickly than others.
Sometimes people then think that they have to forget about the Paramis they are good in and focus on the ones they are not, but using the strength of their good Paramis and continuing to increase them can help the others get raised up as well. The more you develop in Compassion, the better your Morality will become. If you find that your Morality is decreasing then you have to look very closely at your Compassion and Lovingkindness, and your Wisdom. Wisdom helps us to know that the other Paramis may have decreased. So you can use ways to see how your Paramis are improving, but it is not a matter that they are increasing in a mathematical way.
Renunciation - what should and can be renounced? The greatest things that we would like to renounce is greed, hatred and ignorance. Any type of activity and speech that increases greed, hatred and ignorance we can look at and try to renounce. When we look at our Morality, things that encourage us not to be truthful can be renounced. Things that encourage us to be greedy would be beneficial to lessen.
Renunciation depends a great deal on Compassion. As I reflect back on the first question that we had, if we are willing to open to Dukkha and the cycle of birth and death, renunciation comes more easily. We don't want to increase the suffering that is already there in the world. So the more one opens with Wisdom and Compassion, Renunciation is easier.
I am very careful about telling people specific things they should renounce, because often that just brings up a lot of fear and the feeling that they can't do the practice. However, if I encourage them to develop more compassion, then whatever renunciation they are capable of at that time follows after that. Renunciation is a difficult Parami for many Westerners. Fortunately, there is a tendency in Westerners to wish to develop their compassion level. So, the more they develop their compassion and wisdom level, renunciation will come naturally from that.
Sometimes if people force strong renunciation through the power of their effort and will power, they usually burn out at the end. But, if we go steady, one step at a time, trying to have a balanced practice, not trying to achieve too much, too soon; rather transforming our intention into a compassionate intention, then renunciation comes about. Sometimes if we renounce too much, without wisdom behind it, it can be a bit crazy.