understanding the Bodhicaryavatara - chap.7

Chapter Seven - Diligence

The 7th Chapter is on Diligence. Diligence is always an important goal because without effort one cannot go forward towards the Path. It is just like without wind, a boat does not move. Therefore, we have to develop diligence in order to progress in our development more rapidly.

How do we recognise diligence? A practitioner who has diligence is one who has a certain kind of joy towards the Path. That is the recognition of diligence. Once you have the joy, once you are clear and once you know that this is a very good thing towards the Path, diligence will naturally come. We don't have to put so much effort to do it. But once you have the joy, once you have that interest, then you will develop it accordingly. Joy towards the path is the meaning of Diligence.

In other words, diligence does not mean that you have to force yourself to work harden This is not perfect diligence as you will have the tendency to give up very easily. In order to develop this perfect diligence, you have to understand more things - understand the suffering of Samsara, understand the quality of Bodhicitta and understand the qualities of Enlightenment. So once you understand all these factors, then diligence will come effortlessly. You don't have to force yourself to do it. It will come spontaneously. That is the perfect Diligence.

To understand the suffering of Samsara and the qualities of Enlightenment, it does not mean that we must always think of the bad side of samsara. We can also think of the good side of samsara - certain limits of happiness and pleasure that one can also experience in samsara. But we must check what such happiness is. Such happiness Is part of certain good karma but the good karma is not perfect because it does not last long. This kind of happiness in the Samsara is just like licking honey on a razor You try to taste the honey, so you lick the razor and it cuts your tongue. So, you experience the good taste and sufferings as well. The Samsaric or worldly happiness is just like this kind of happiness.

Therefore, in Samsara, happiness is not perfect happiness and suffering is unbearable suffering. Even with such kind of imperfect happiness, we struggle and sacrifice our lives for it. What about Enlightenment, which is perfect happiness, permanent happiness and faultless? With these kinds of qualities, how should we contemplate?

We should not contemplate what worldly happiness offers. We should try to strive for more than the worldly happiness, that is, the Enlightenment State. This is all about Diligence.