Eight Steps to Freedom | Page 7

true renunciate is one who sacrifices his action in the moment to a higher principle. He or she renounces seeking the fruit of action in favor of dedication to the purity of action itself.
Therefore, a businessman with seven children could well be a true renunciate if his actions are driven by a love of the beautiful and the good, without regard for reward. Refusing material or sensual things is not renunciation, merely austerity. A man may practice austerity and still be a slave to desire. There is a simple test that indicates whether one is renouncing something in the spiritual sense, or merely denying themselves.
Real renunciation is based upon a thorough understanding of spiritual principles that allows one to refuse a course of action with equanimity because one realizes intuitively the destructive nature of that action for himself or others. Therefore, there is a naturalness present in such actions that precludes both pride and feelings of having lost anything through renunciation. Among the teachings of Tibet's great sage, Milarepa, there is a list of the Ten Equal Things which mark the path of the true renunciate.
1. For the person sincerely devoted to religious life, it is the same whether they engage in worldly activities or not. 2. For the person who has realized full Enlightenment, it is the same whether they meditate or not. 3. For the person free from attachment to worldly possessions, it is the same whether they practice asceticism or not. 4. For an enlightened man it is the same whether he dwells in solitude or wanders where he will. 5. For the person who has attained mastery of his mind, it is the same whether he partakes of the pleasures of the world or not. 6. For a person of full compassion it is the same whether they dwell in isolated meditation or work for others in society. 7. For a person with real faith in his teacher, it is the same whether he is with him or not. 8. For a person who really understands the spiritual teaching it is the same whether his fortune is good or bad. 9. For a person who has truly renounced worldly views for spiritual truth, it is the same whether he follows worldly convention or not. 10. For a person who has attained Perfect Highest Wisdom, it is the same whether he is able to manifest miraculous powers or not.
As we can see from these teachings, which came not from a "Channeled Lama" or self proclaimed new age Zen master, but from a saint who's spiritual austerity would have killed most men, there is more to renunciation than austerity. Right intentions should bring with them a spirit of freedom and joy. This is the test of their reality.
Good will is the best medicine to cure the disease of anger and hatred. The medicine of good will is found in the Buddhist term "metta", which has its root in the word for friend. This concept has much in common with the Confucian term "Jen" or human heartedness. Both terms describe a relationship to others that is predicated upon a feeling of genuine sympathy and warmth for an individual, not based on our relationship to him, but through an understanding of the human condition. We cannot rely on spontaneous warmth and love to arise whenever we deal with another human being, as these emotions are too infrequent. This is due to the overlay of conflicting conditioning in the ego.
We have to retrain our mind to do away with aggressive and fearful thinking by meditating on loving kindness. This has to start with a loving acceptance of the reality of ourselves. This does not mean an indulgence in self pity or narcissism. What is required is an analysis of our own person from the point of reference of a third person, viewing the two realities of our conscious and unconscious. The best way to approach this is to look at ourselves with a parental mind; what is called in Japanese "Roshin". A good parent has a sense of compassion for his or her child that does not preclude stern discipline. A person needs to wish themselves spiritual happiness in a genuine spirit of acceptance. Once we begin to feel a love for ourselves based on an understanding of our own nature, much of the anger and hostility that we direct toward others disappears.
This practice then becomes directed outward toward others, starting with someone emotionally close, and eventually expanding to include total strangers. This endeavor is not any different from any other practice. The more you do it, the better you become at doing it. If one practices being neurotic, they become very neurotic and if they practice kindness, they become very kind. Every kind of attitude carries with it its own