Over the past few days, largely I’m sure due to my preoccupation with the idea of Hell and the duggati realms, I have been taken a much closer look at where my mind inclines and the types of things it likes to feed itself. I see that I am often tempted to linger over pretty faces, to indulge in angry thoughts and to summarily judge in the most negative fashion anyone who happens to have the misfortune to enter into my imagination. And, what will be the result of such inclinations?
Surely, even if one doesn’t give credence to the idea of the nirayas, the results of such thinking and acting can’t be peace and contentment. Call it maturation or simply wearying of indulging in the same things but I have begun to see renunciation in a much more positive light. Rather than purposely fanning the flames I can practice Right Effort by working to abandon whatever is inflaming my desire. By doing so I have seen, at least a handful of times, that peace comes more quickly to the mind and my practice is strengthened in turn. May we all know the peace of Unbinding!
Related articles
- Benedict’s renunciation and the wolves within the church (lifesitenews.com)
- Pema Chodron – Renunciation as saying “yes!” to life (imusthavethisthing.wordpress.com)
- Renounce and Enjoy (theyearofprayer.wordpress.com)
- About purpose and inspiration… (mannuyoga.com)
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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