Renunciation basically is letting go. One level of Renunciation is giving up through effort, by making rules for ourselves, so that we encourage ourselves not to need so much. By seeing that a lot of the things that we want cause difficulties. So this is one level of Renunciation through effort. However, a better way of Renunciation is to give up through compassion, encouraging the Parami of Compassion to work in harmony with the Parami of Renunciation. We give up because we start to see through insight and wisdom that some of the things we think we need cause a lot of Dukkha for ourselves. Through this way of Renunciation, we give up extra desire because we see it unbalances the mind, causing us to see happiness lying in material things, which causes us to have Dukkha. This type of Renunciation is higher than Renunciation through effort because it is based on Compassionate Understanding. We see that depending on external things, causes us suffering. So we learn Contentment with less, and this allows the Renunciation Parami to develop to a higher level.
One level is Renunciation of material things, extra things that we don't particularity need or have to work so hard to obtain. There is also Renunciation on an emotional level, such as the Renunciation of neediness and the qualities that make us seek our self-worth and happiness from others. That is another level of Renunciation. This higher level of Renunciation comes from the development of the Unselfish Emotions. We can let go of craving for these things by understanding that happiness and security lies within us. Understanding that the opening of the heart and developing unselfish emotions actually give much more satisfaction. On the highest level Renunciation is letting go of greed, hatred and ignorance. This is a process by which we have to gain insight into the Three Characteristics of Existence so that we can let go of greed, hatred and ignorance.
Renunciation is something that challenges a lot of us, because sometimes we put the ultimate idea of Renunciation onto ourselves. We have that ideal of ultimate Renunciation as going off, becoming ordained and living in a cave. This is one level, of course, but we don't have to put this ideal onto ourselves, because learning contentment in any lifestyle that we have, is of benefit to us. We see what we already have rather than what we think we need and we learn to have contentment with less. So Renunciation doesn't have to be the ultimate ideal, but learning how to see desire and craving as a source of suffering and Dukkha. By wanting less, being content with less, we learn more contentment. This is aided by the reflection on How Fortunate We Are, by understanding what we already have, we let go of a lot of craving and fear about not obtaining what we think will bring us happiness.
There is also Renunciation of ignorance, which is renunciation of ignorant ideas, views and opinions. Many people hang on to their views and opinions as being true and this blocks them from seeing the reality of what actually is. So if we have a sense of openness, it helps in the Renunciation of these opinions so that we don't get into too much conflict with others, wanting our opinions to be the best and therefore forgetting about Compassion.
If we focus too much on Renunciation, without the balance of Compassion and Lovingkindness, it can become rather a hard heart. We give up through rules and denying ourselves. This can be a struggle if we renounce in this way. It is useful sometimes in the beginning with the effort to prevent, but unless we have a practice of developing Compassionate Understanding, normally people can't keep to it. And they can end up feeling a lot of self-hatred due to the fact that they can't keep to the ideals that they make for themselves. So there are different levels of Renunciation and we would like to be able to let go skillfully. This is a challenge to all of us in the different levels of our life, but if we have a practice of seeing craving and the Dukkha in it, it encourages us to let go, learn contentment, and this aids greatly in developing Renunciation.