One quality that’s on later lists of perfections (paramīs) is nekkhamma, usually translated as renunciation. In the context of the Buddha’s teachings, it mainly has to do with renouncing something that’s appealing for something that has longer term benefits. It’s a letting go, the opposite movement of the heart from grasping or clinging.
From the Pali-English Dictionary: to go out, to go forth; in fig. meaning: to leave behind lust, evil & the world, to get rid of “kāma” (craving), to show right exertion & strength
From the Merriam Webster 3rd edition: refuse to further follow, obey, or recognize; cast off
Why is this an important practice principle for us today? Because if we are serious about training our minds in pursuit of clarity, we must understand what motivates us.
Thanissaro Bhikkhu wrote a classic article on the subject of renunciation, titled “Trading Candy for Gold: Renunciation As a Skill” (https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/candy.html). From that article:
What sort of sacrifices are intelligent? The Buddhist answer to this question resonates with another … principle: an intelligent sacrifice is any in which you gain a greater happiness by letting go of a lesser one, in the same way you’d give up a bag of candy if offered a pound of gold in exchange. In other words, an intelligent sacrifice is like a profitable trade. …
There’s something in all of us that would rather not give things up. We’d prefer to keep the candy and get the gold. But maturity teaches us that we can’t have everything, that to indulge in one pleasure often involves denying ourselves another, perhaps better, one. Thus we need to establish clear priorities for investing our limited time and energies where they’ll give the most lasting returns.
… A third reason for sacrificing external pleasures is that in pursuing some pleasures — such as our addictions to eye-candy, ear-candy, nose-, tongue-, and body-candy — we foster qualities of greed, anger, and delusion that actively block the qualities needed for inner peace. Even if we had all the time and energy in the world, the pursuit of these pleasures would lead us further and further away from the goal.
This last point seems like the key one. Every time we choose the easy, pleasant option rather than the one that involves some effort, we are strengthening our inclination to take the laziest path. Training the mind and heart is hard, but it does offer a better return on our investment. When we come to the end of our lives, which would be more precious – a contented and loving heart or an accumulation of things we no longer want or need? Bear in mind that our lives could end on any day; we don’t know how long we have.
Practicing renunciation can be as simple as sticking with a daily exercise routine or choosing to practice meditation daily. We can spend time with those who call forth our best intentions rather than those who temporarily feed our egos. What will we choose?
The Buddha's Advice to Laypeople 