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Nekkhamma

February 16, 2024

Nekkhamma (𑀦𑁂𑀓𑁆𑀔𑀫𑁆𑀫; Sanskrit: नैष्क्राम्य, romanized: naiṣkrāmya) is a Pāli word generally translated as "renunciation" or "the pleasure of renunciation" while also conveying more specifically "giving up the world and leading a holy life" or "freedom from lust, craving and desires."[1] In Buddhism's Noble Eightfold Path, nekkhamma is the first practice associated with "Right Intention." In the Theravada list of ten perfections, nekkhamma is the third practice of "perfection." It involves non-attachment (detachment).

In the Pali literature edit

Renunciation as right intention edit

In the Pali Canon, in a discourse in which the Buddha describes antecedents precipitating his Awakening, the Buddha divided his thoughts between those that impair discernment, cause affliction and deter one from Nirvana on the one hand, and those that have the opposite effect.[2] In the former category, he included thoughts permeated with sensuality, ill-will and harmfulness; in the latter, thoughts permeated with renunciation, non-ill will and harmlessness:

"Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking & pondering, that becomes the inclination of his awareness. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with renunciation, abandoning thinking imbued with sensuality, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with renunciation. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with non-ill will, abandoning thinking imbued with ill will, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with non-ill will. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with harmlessness, abandoning thinking imbued with harmfulness, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with harmlessness."[3]

These latter three types of thought content — renunciation, non-ill will and harmlessness — comprise the traditional triadic definition of the Noble Eightfold Path's notion of "Right Intention" (Pali: sammā-saṅkappa; Skt.: samyak-saṃkalpa).[4] For each of the former types of thought content — sensuality, ill will and harmfulness — the Buddha stated:

"Whenever thinking imbued with sensuality [or ill will or harmfulness] had arisen, I simply abandoned it, destroyed it, dispelled it, wiped it out of existence."[5]

Renunciation vs. sensuality edit

Elsewhere in the Canon,[6] the Buddha more finely juxtaposes the pursuit of thoughts regarding sensuality (kāma) and those regarding renunciation (nekkhamma):[7]

"There is the case where the mind of a monk, when attending to sensual pleasures, doesn't leap up at sensual pleasures, doesn't grow confident, steadfast, or released in sensual pleasures. But when attending to renunciation, his mind leaps up at renunciation, grows confident, steadfast, & released in renunciation. When his mind is rightly-gone, rightly developed, has rightly risen above, gained release, and become disjoined from sensual pleasures, then whatever fermentations, torments, & fevers there are that arise in dependence on sensuality, he is released from them. He does not experience that feeling. This is expounded as the escape from sensual pleasures."[8]

Renunciation as a bodhisatta practice edit

As indicated above, in a Pali discourse, the Buddha identified renunciation as part of his path to Awakening. In the Buddhavamsa, Jataka tales and exegetical literature, renunciation is codified as the third of ten practices of "perfection" (pāramī).[9]

Contemporary elaborations edit

Renunciation's benefit edit

Bodhi (1999) elaborates on the various and ultimate benefits of Buddhist renunciation:

"Contemplating the dukkha inherent in desire is one way to incline the mind to renunciation. Another way is to contemplate directly the benefits flowing from renunciation. To move from desire to renunciation is not, as might be imagined, to move from happiness to grief, from abundance to destitution. It is to pass from gross, entangling pleasures to an exalted happiness and peace, from a condition of servitude to one of self-mastery. Desire ultimately breeds fear and sorrow, but renunciation gives fearlessness and joy. It promotes the accomplishment of all three stages of the threefold training: it purifies conduct, aids concentration, and nourishes the seed of wisdom. The entire course of practice from start to finish can in fact be seen as an evolving process of renunciation culminating in Nibbana [Pali; Skt: Nirvana] as the ultimate stage of relinquishment, 'the relinquishing of all foundations of existence' (sabb'upadhipatinissagga)."[10]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 377, entry for "Nekkhamma" Archived 2012-07-07 at archive.today (retrieved 2008-04-12). Rhys Davids & Stede speculate that the Sanskrit term with which nekkhamma is associated is either:
    • naiṣkramya — "inactivity, abstinence or exemption from acts and their consequences" (Monier Williams, 1964, p. 570, entry for "Naish")
    • naiṣkāmya — "suppression of desire, profound contemplation" (ibid.).
  2. ^ Dvedhavitakka Sutta (MN 19) (Thanissaro, 1997).
  3. ^ Thanissaro (1997). Those familiar with the Dhammapada will recognize this passage bears a resemblance to the opening passages of that text.
  4. ^ Thanissaro (1996).
  5. ^ Thanissaro (1997).
  6. ^ For instance, in the Nissaraniya Sutta (AN 5.200) (Thanissaro, 2000).
  7. ^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 377, entry for "Nekkhamma" (retrieved 2 Jul 2007) Archived 7 July 2012 at archive.today, suggests that the connection between sensuality and renunciation is underscored by alliterative word play (between kāma and nekkhamma) in the Canon.
  8. ^ Thanissaro (2000).
  9. ^ Buddhavamsa, chapter 2. For an on-line regarding the Buddhavamsa and parami, see Bodhi (2005). In terms of other examples in the Pali literature, Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 454, entry for "Pāramī," Archived 2012-06-29 at archive.today (retrieved 2 Jul 2007) cites Jataka i.73 and Dhammapada-Atthakatha i.84. Bodhi (2005) also mentions Acariya Dhammapala's treatise in the Cariyapitaka-Atthakatha and the Brahmajala Sutta subcommentary (tika).
  10. ^ Bodhi (1999), ch. 3.

Sources edit

  • Bodhi, Bhikkhu (ed.) (1978, 2005). A Treatise on the Paramis: From the Commentary to the Cariyapitaka by Acariya Dhammapala (The Wheel, No. 409/411). Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society. Retrieved 30 Jun 2007 from "Access to Insight" at http://accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel409.html.
  • Bodhi, Bhikkhu (1984, 1999). The Noble Eightfold Path: The Way to the End of Suffering (The Wheel, No. 308/311). Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society. Retrieved from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html.
  • Monier-Williams, Monier (1899, 1964). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-864308-X. Retrieved 2008-04-12 from "Cologne University" at http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/MWScan/index.php?sfx=pdf.
  • Rhys Davids, T.W. & William Stede (eds.) (1921-5). The Pali Text Society’s Pali–English Dictionary. Chipstead: Pali Text Society. A general on-line search engine for the PED is available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.
  • Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1996). Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path (SN 45.8). Retrieved 2 Jul 2007 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html.
  • Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997). Dvedhavitakka Sutta: Two Sorts of Thinking (MN 19). Retrieved 2 Jul 2007 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html.
  • Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (2000). Nissaraniya Sutta: Leading to Escape (AN 5.200). Retrieved 2 Jul 2007 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.200.than.html.

External links edit

February 16, 2024
nekkhamma, 𑀦, 𑀓, 𑀔𑀫, 𑀫, sanskrit, romanized, naiṣkrāmya, pāli, word, generally, translated, renunciation, pleasure, renunciation, while, also, conveying, more, specifically, giving, world, leading, holy, life, freedom, from, lust, craving, desires, buddhism, n. Nekkhamma 𑀦 𑀓 𑀔𑀫 𑀫 Sanskrit न ष क र म य romanized naiṣkramya is a Pali word generally translated as renunciation or the pleasure of renunciation while also conveying more specifically giving up the world and leading a holy life or freedom from lust craving and desires 1 In Buddhism s Noble Eightfold Path nekkhamma is the first practice associated with Right Intention In the Theravada list of ten perfections nekkhamma is the third practice of perfection It involves non attachment detachment Contents 1 In the Pali literature 1 1 Renunciation as right intention 1 2 Renunciation vs sensuality 1 3 Renunciation as a bodhisatta practice 2 Contemporary elaborations 2 1 Renunciation s benefit 3 See also 4 Notes 5 Sources 6 External linksIn the Pali literature editRenunciation as right intention edit In the Pali Canon in a discourse in which the Buddha describes antecedents precipitating his Awakening the Buddha divided his thoughts between those that impair discernment cause affliction and deter one from Nirvana on the one hand and those that have the opposite effect 2 In the former category he included thoughts permeated with sensuality ill will and harmfulness in the latter thoughts permeated with renunciation non ill will and harmlessness Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking amp pondering that becomes the inclination of his awareness If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with renunciation abandoning thinking imbued with sensuality his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with renunciation If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with non ill will abandoning thinking imbued with ill will his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with non ill will If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with harmlessness abandoning thinking imbued with harmfulness his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with harmlessness 3 These latter three types of thought content renunciation non ill will and harmlessness comprise the traditional triadic definition of the Noble Eightfold Path s notion of Right Intention Pali samma saṅkappa Skt samyak saṃkalpa 4 For each of the former types of thought content sensuality ill will and harmfulness the Buddha stated Whenever thinking imbued with sensuality or ill will or harmfulness had arisen I simply abandoned it destroyed it dispelled it wiped it out of existence 5 Renunciation vs sensuality edit Elsewhere in the Canon 6 the Buddha more finely juxtaposes the pursuit of thoughts regarding sensuality kama and those regarding renunciation nekkhamma 7 There is the case where the mind of a monk when attending to sensual pleasures doesn t leap up at sensual pleasures doesn t grow confident steadfast or released in sensual pleasures But when attending to renunciation his mind leaps up at renunciation grows confident steadfast amp released in renunciation When his mind is rightly gone rightly developed has rightly risen above gained release and become disjoined from sensual pleasures then whatever fermentations torments amp fevers there are that arise in dependence on sensuality he is released from them He does not experience that feeling This is expounded as the escape from sensual pleasures 8 Renunciation as a bodhisatta practice edit As indicated above in a Pali discourse the Buddha identified renunciation as part of his path to Awakening In the Buddhavamsa Jataka tales and exegetical literature renunciation is codified as the third of ten practices of perfection parami 9 Contemporary elaborations editRenunciation s benefit edit Bodhi 1999 elaborates on the various and ultimate benefits of Buddhist renunciation Contemplating the dukkha inherent in desire is one way to incline the mind to renunciation Another way is to contemplate directly the benefits flowing from renunciation To move from desire to renunciation is not as might be imagined to move from happiness to grief from abundance to destitution It is to pass from gross entangling pleasures to an exalted happiness and peace from a condition of servitude to one of self mastery Desire ultimately breeds fear and sorrow but renunciation gives fearlessness and joy It promotes the accomplishment of all three stages of the threefold training it purifies conduct aids concentration and nourishes the seed of wisdom The entire course of practice from start to finish can in fact be seen as an evolving process of renunciation culminating in Nibbana Pali Skt Nirvana as the ultimate stage of relinquishment the relinquishing of all foundations of existence sabb upadhipatinissagga 10 See also editFour Noble Truths Noble Eightfold Path Bodhipakkhiya dhamma Qualities conducive to Enlightenment Upadana attachment clinging Parami Buddhist Perfections Panna wisdom Sacca truth Adhiṭṭhana resolute determination Dana generosity Passaddhi tranquillity Upekkha equanimity Khanti patience Metta loving kindness Virya diligence Notes edit Rhys Davids amp Stede 1921 25 p 377 entry for Nekkhamma Archived 2012 07 07 at archive today retrieved 2008 04 12 Rhys Davids amp Stede speculate that the Sanskrit term with which nekkhamma is associated is either naiṣ kramya inactivity abstinence or exemption from acts and their consequences Monier Williams 1964 p 570 entry for Naish naiṣ kamya suppression of desire profound contemplation ibid Dvedhavitakka Sutta MN 19 Thanissaro 1997 Thanissaro 1997 Those familiar with the Dhammapada will recognize this passage bears a resemblance to the opening passages of that text Thanissaro 1996 Thanissaro 1997 For instance in the Nissaraniya Sutta AN 5 200 Thanissaro 2000 Rhys Davids amp Stede 1921 25 p 377 entry for Nekkhamma retrieved 2 Jul 2007 Archived 7 July 2012 at archive today suggests that the connection between sensuality and renunciation is underscored by alliterative word play between kama and nekkhamma in the Canon Thanissaro 2000 Buddhavamsa chapter 2 For an on line regarding the Buddhavamsa and parami see Bodhi 2005 In terms of other examples in the Pali literature Rhys Davids amp Stede 1921 25 p 454 entry for Parami Archived 2012 06 29 at archive today retrieved 2 Jul 2007 cites Jataka i 73 and Dhammapada Atthakatha i 84 Bodhi 2005 also mentions Acariya Dhammapala s treatise in the Cariyapitaka Atthakatha and the Brahmajala Sutta subcommentary tika Bodhi 1999 ch 3 Sources editBodhi Bhikkhu ed 1978 2005 A Treatise on the Paramis From the Commentary to the Cariyapitaka by Acariya Dhammapala The Wheel No 409 411 Kandy Buddhist Publication Society Retrieved 30 Jun 2007 from Access to Insight at http accesstoinsight org lib authors bodhi wheel409 html Bodhi Bhikkhu 1984 1999 The Noble Eightfold Path The Way to the End of Suffering The Wheel No 308 311 Kandy Buddhist Publication Society Retrieved from Access to Insight at http www accesstoinsight org lib authors bodhi waytoend html Monier Williams Monier 1899 1964 A Sanskrit English Dictionary London Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 864308 X Retrieved 2008 04 12 from Cologne University at http www sanskrit lexicon uni koeln de scans MWScan index php sfx pdf Rhys Davids T W amp William Stede eds 1921 5 The Pali Text Society s Pali English Dictionary Chipstead Pali Text Society A general on line search engine for the PED is available at http dsal uchicago edu dictionaries pali Thanissaro Bhikkhu trans 1996 Magga vibhanga Sutta An Analysis of the Path SN 45 8 Retrieved 2 Jul 2007 from Access to Insight at http www accesstoinsight org tipitaka sn sn45 sn45 008 than html Thanissaro Bhikkhu trans 1997 Dvedhavitakka Sutta Two Sorts of Thinking MN 19 Retrieved 2 Jul 2007 from Access to Insight at http www accesstoinsight org tipitaka mn mn 019 than html Thanissaro Bhikkhu trans 2000 Nissaraniya Sutta Leading to Escape AN 5 200 Retrieved 2 Jul 2007 from Access to Insight at http www accesstoinsight org tipitaka an an05 an05 200 than html External links editTrading Candy for Gold Renunciation as a Skill by Thanissaro Bhikkhu Renunciation by T Prince Less is More by Ajahn Amaro 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nekkhamma amp oldid 1146160126, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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