Seven Times of Renunciation: When Karma Leads Us Back

The story of a farmer who renounced the world seven times offers profound lessons on karma, love, and the path of meditative concentration. There was once a farmer who wandered into a monastery while searching for his lost cow. Hungry, he saw the monks receiving their meal and asked for some food. After eating, he noticed how gentle and peaceful they were, so he immediately requested to become a monk. However, after only half a month of practice, he missed his wife, his children, and his fields, so he returned to lay life. Once home, his wife scolded him, and he missed the temple again, leading him back to monastic life. This cycle continued until he had renounced the world and returned to it a total of seven times.

The Farmer’s Seventh Renunciation

This farmer was named Sitthatha. On his final departure, he left home at noon with his mind fixed on one thought: "The world is impermanence (anicca), and everything in life is temporary." He walked to the monastery, and as soon as he reached the gate, he attained the fruit of Stream-Entry. The monks no longer doubted him and allowed him to ordain for the seventh time. Just ten days later, he achieved Arhatship, becoming a dignified and steadfast elder.

The Karma of Agreement

The Buddha taught that in a past life, Sitthatha had been a practitioner. When a fellow practitioner wished to return to lay life, Sitthatha agreed, saying, "Yes, go ahead." Because of this single agreement, he suffered the karmic consequence of returning to lay life six more times over many lifetimes. Cause and effect (karmic law) are incredibly subtle. When we see someone resolve to renounce the world, if we support them and create conditions for them, we gain blessings from merit for our own future renunciation. Conversely, if we agree with their return to lay life, we plant seeds that keep us trapped in the samsara (cycle of rebirth) of indecision.

Love and Longing Are Karma and Conditions

When the farmer was at the temple, he missed home; when he was at home, he missed the temple. Why? Because this longing is a condition (dependent origination) and karma. In our heart/mind, missing someone stems from loving them. But does love arise naturally? It is a debt from the past, a lure for us to repay karma. Many people fall deeply in love, yet live together in suffering. This affection is like a worm caught on a hook. It looks sweet, but one bite brings a lifetime of pain.

Do Not Trust Your Thoughts

We often believe that our thoughts, desires, and feelings belong solely to us. However, the Buddha taught that our mind/heart consists of awareness, desire, and karma. Every thought that arises may be guided by karma from previous lives. Some wish to become doctors due to favorable conditions, while others want to be singers but are pulled down by negative karma, facing bitter failure. Therefore, trust your thoughts less. Practitioners of meditation begin by letting go of everything, not believing in any specific thought, allowing the mind to become pure. Only then does wisdom reveal itself.

Meditative Concentration Is the Door to Wisdom

To possess wisdom, the mind must be pure. To purify the mind, one must practice meditation. Sitting in meditation is never easy, but it is the only path. Master Chan Quang once noted that Buddhism weakened during periods when people did not know how to meditate, focusing only on chanting sutras. To develop spiritual power, we must practice meditation. Those who do not know how to sit in meditation cannot truly call themselves disciples of the Buddha. In the future, meditation will become a standard for humanity. So, starting today, begin to meditate, even if only for a few minutes each day.

Dear practitioners, the story of the farmer who renounced the world seven times is not meant to make us laugh. It is a mirror for our own minds. Today, when you visit a temple or listen to a dharma talk, ask yourself: Am I truly practicing, or am I just seeking temporary joy? Return to meditative concentration, practice letting go, find peace in your mind, and clearly see the path to liberation. Every moment of diligent practice is a step closer to the Buddha.