What’s Most Difficult to Relinquish?

The first things we feel we don’t require so much are the sensual objects: fine clothes, entertainment, and sexual activity. When I first entered the monastery, it was easy to relinquish entertainment and relationships. I’d had enough of all that anyway, at least for the time being!

But in the monastery one also has to give up one’s own time to following a routine, which is a testing thing.

Giving up one’s space and sharing it with other people, renouncing the need to be special, private and left alone—these are also challenging practices.

But the thing that many people miss out on is giving up their views and opinions. This is the last hand-hold, which can be held extremely tightly! If you have lived with monks and nuns for a while, then you realize that the strength of character that allows them to give up sensuality makes for holding strong opinions about things!

This reflection by Ajahn Sucitto, is from the book, Kalyana, (pdf) pp. 14-15.