Chapter 7 - Diligence

Summary

Explore | BCA Chapter Summaries

Explore Doorway

The understanding and practice of bodhicitta depends on the knowledge of the stories, key concepts, texts, and people associated with it. Explore these various aspects to gain a better understanding of bodhicitta, the desire to seek the ultimate happiness for all sentient beings.

go back

Concise Summary of Essential Points

Although we may have developed some reflective awareness of our mental states and cultivated patience in relation to difficult situations, we still need something that encourages us to make consistent effort on our path. In the first verse of the chapter, Śāntideva reminds us that there is no hope of us really proceeding forward in our Dharma practice without diligence. The diligence required to support us on the path to enlightenment, where we need to sustain our enthusiasm over long periods of time, is indeed great. But what is the quality of this diligence? In the second verse, Śāntideva explains this.

Diligence means joy in virtuous ways. (7.2a)^[1]

Śāntideva defines this diligence or joyous effort as taking delight in virtue. The definition of taking delight in virtue indicates an important aspect of diligence. It is not just working hard and being busy. Busyness in itself, especially when focused on self-centered goals and activities which may have harmful repercussions for others, is not only not considered diligence but indeed the very opposite—it can be a form of laziness. So diligence must be connected with virtue. This is a crucial point in the bodhisattva's path. On seeing the suffering of ourselves and others, there may be some wish to be of benefit, but the strength to continually engage in virtue is an essential factor in implementing that wish. And in turn that must be sustained by a sense of joy and delight that resonates from our innermost being. Without this delight, we may feel a surge of inspiration when we meet the Buddhist path or encounter a heart-touching situation, but there will be no sustenance for the longer road ahead. These powerful statements encourage us to create a life that has attention to living in virtue as its foundation.

Śāntideva then goes on to identify the direct counterpoint to this diligence, which is laziness in all its forms. As it says in The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma (Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna),

The single basis for affliction is laziness. Wherever laziness is present, the Dharma is absent.^[2]

And where does this laziness come from? Śāntideva tells us as follows:

A taste for idle pleasure And a craving for repose and sleep, No qualms about the sorrows of saṃsāra: Laziness indeed is born from these.

Verse 7.3

[ src citation ]The Way of the Bodhisattva (2006)
Page(s) 97
Blankleder, Helena, and Wulstan Fletcher (Padmakara Translation Group), trans. The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhicharyāvatāra. By Śāntideva. Rev. ed. Shambhala Classics. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2006.

[ toggle Tib. ]

[ tib / wyl ]

སྙོམ་ལས་བདེ་བའི་རོ་མྱང་དང་། །

གཉིད་ལ་བརྟེན་པའི་སྲེད་པ་ཡིས། ། འཁོར་བའི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་མི་སྐྱོ་ལས། །

ལེ་ལོ་ཉེ་བར་སྐྱེ་བར་འགྱུར། །

The chapter then goes on to precisely identify several different colors of this laziness, such as pure indolence and attachment to negative activities, but it also describes the laziness of shrinking away from positive tasks when we become discouraged by the lack of belief in our own strengths and abilities.

Śāntideva encourages us to understand how precious this human life is, how quickly this opportunity can be lost, caught as we are in the jaws of death, and he ardently encourages us to awaken from the slumber of indolence and to practice what is virtuous. He further points out that the Buddha has said that even the smallest of insects can attain unsurpassed enlightenment. Therefore, he asks, how could we ever let our diligence to practice the path weaken?

Although Śāntideva speaks directly of the condition of us ordinary beings, enmeshed as we are in a web of laziness and unable to effectively pursue and sustain virtue, he doesn't just leave it there. According to Śāntideva, all is not lost, as he offers various methods to eliminate this tendency to laziness in the form of four counteractive forces and two antidotal strengths. The four counteractive forces are aspiration, steadfastness or self-confidence, joyfulness, and relinquishment. The two antidotal strengths are the strength of earnest practice and the strength of controlling body, speech, and mind.

To illustrate how we can vanquish the laziness that stops us from engaging in virtue, Śāntideva uses the analogy of a king who overcomes his foes through the support of his four armies. The four armies here symbolize the four counteractive forces that are essential to eliminate causal factors conducive to laziness, as they help us sustain and develop our practice of diligence.

Śāntideva explains, through some powerful examples, how we can make sure we won't let our guard down. For example, he talks of a warrior in the midst of battle who will immediately pick up their sword if it slips from their hand, in fear of being run through by the enemy. Likewise, if we feel ourselves in the grip of laziness, we must reach for the supportive strengths to sustain our practice of virtue.

In conclusion, Śāntideva reminds us that if we can suffuse our minds with the quality of diligence that takes delight in virtue, then all the actions of body and speech which follow that mind will be positive and beneficial.

Just as flaxen threads waft to and fro, Impelled by every breath of wind, So all I do will be achieved, Controlled by movements of a joyful heart.

Verse 7.76

[ src citation ]The Way of the Bodhisattva (2006)
Page(s) 108
Blankleder, Helena, and Wulstan Fletcher (Padmakara Translation Group), trans. The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhicharyāvatāra. By Śāntideva. Rev. ed. Shambhala Classics. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2006.

[ toggle Tib. ]

[ tib / wyl ]

ཇི་ལྟར་རླུང་ནི་འགྲོ་བ་དང་། །

འོང་བས་ཤིང་བལ་དབང་བསྒྱུར་བ། ། དེ་བཞིན་སྤྲོ་བས་དབང་བསྒྱུར་ཏེ། །

དེ་ལྟར་ན་ནི་འགྲུབ་པར་འགྱུར། །

Additional resources

Learn About Śāntideva's Texts

Bodhicaryāvatāra
The Way of the Bodhisattva

The Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra is considered to be one of the most influential Buddhist classical writings. Combining highly inspirational exhortations and incisive philosophical arguments in an evocative poetic language, the book, it is safe to claim, has shaped the lives of millions throughout the centuries.

Text

Śikṣāsamuccaya
The Compendium of Training

The Compendium of Training is an anthology of excerpts from the Mahāyāna sūtras that discusses the bodhisattva path and principles in much greater length and detail.

Text

Recommended Texts Related to Chapter 7

Sāgaramatiparipṛcchāsūtra

This sūtra details the story of the bodhisattva Sāgaramati and his questioning of the Buddha. A couple of the Buddha's responses to the bodhisattva are quoted at length in the Ratnagotravibhāga, which explain how bodhisattvas utilize the afflictions to anchor them to saṃsāra in order to benefit sentient beings. However, since the afflictions are merely adventitious, these bodhisattvas are not affected by them and they are, likewise, able to mature sentient beings who can also be cleansed of these adventitious afflictions to reveal the innate purity of the mind.

Text

Upāyakauśalyasūtra

Upāyakauśalyasūtra. (T. Thabs la mkhas pa'i mdo; C. Dasheng fangbian hui; J. Daijō hōben'e; K. Taesǔng pangp'yǒn hoe 大乘方便會). In Sanskrit, "Skillful Means Sūtra," an early Mahāyāna sūtra included in the Ratnakūṭasūtra collection, where it is also known as the Jñānottarabodhisattvaparipṛcchā. (In addition to the recension embedded in the 410 CE Chinese translation of the Ratnakūṭa, as transcribed above, there are also two other Chinese translations, one made in 285 CE, the other c. 980.) The first part of the sūtra extols the virtues of the practice of "skillful means" (upāyakauśalya), generally understood in this context to refer to the dedication of the merit from a virtuous deed, such as offerings made for the welfare and ultimate enlightenment of all beings. The sūtra goes on to explain how apparently nonvirtuous acts, such as sexual misconduct, become virtues when performed by a bodhisattva with skillful means, noting, "Something that sends other sentient beings to hell sends the bodhisattva who is skilled in means to rebirth in the world of Brahmā." Also recounted is the famous story of the Buddha's previous life as a ship captain, when he kills a potential murderer in order to save others' lives. In the second part of the sūtra, the Buddha recounts the events of his life (see Baxiang), from his entry into his mother's womb to his decision to teach the dharma as instances of his skillful means; none of these events are presented as the consequences of his own past nonvirtuous actions or indeed of any fault whatsoever on his part. For example, after his enlightenment, the Buddha has no hesitation to teach the dharma; nonetheless, he compels the god Brahmā to descend from his heaven to implore the Buddha to teach. He forces this act so that beings who worship Brahmā will have faith in the Buddha and so that the myriad forms of the god Brahmā will generate bodhicitta. The sūtra concludes with a discussion of ten cases in the life of the Buddha in which he apparently undergoes suffering (such as a headache, backache, and being pierced by a thorn) that had previously been ascribed to his nonvirtuous deeds in a past life; in each case, these are instead explained as being examples of the Buddha's skillful means. (Source: "Upāyakauśalyasūtra." In The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, 943. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)

Text

Vajradhvajapariṇāmanā

The Vajradhvajapariṇāmanā (VdhP) has been characterized as a summary of the similarly titled sūtra, the chapter or, better, component text of the Buddhāvataṃsakasūtra which is quoted at such length in Śāntideva's Śikṣāsamuccaya.[4] This lengthy sūtra does in fact seem to have been an important source for Śāntideva. Whether the 12 (Sanskrit) or 16 (Tibetan) verses of the VdhP, however, can be accurately characterized as a summary of it is somewhat doubtful, although they clearly reference the sūtra's main character, the bodhisattva Vajradhvaja, and recapitulate a number of its themes, including its leitmotif of the dedication of merit and its invocation of Samantabhadra and his practice. This immediately suggests a connection with the well-known Bhadracaryāpraṇidhāna or (Samanta)bhadracarīpraṇidhāna—the text goes by various names—a connection explicitly acknowledged by Śāntideva, who refers to it as the Bhadracaryāgāthā.[5] Like that longer, more popular verse text, which closes the Gaṇḍavyūha and thus the Buddhāvataṃsaka as a whole, the VdhP, i.e. the short poem, offers much more than its title might suggest, but contains in a condensed form most of the basic elements of the ritual sequence known as the Supreme Worship (anuttarapūjā): praise or paying of homage (vandanā), confession of misdeeds (pāpadeśanā), rejoicing in merit (modanā, anumodanā), requesting or exhortation to teach (adhyeṣanā), entreaty to the Buddhas to remain for the benefit of the world (yācanā), and aspiration to awakening (bodhicittotpāda), as well as dedication of merit (puṇyapariṇāmanā). We can understand it, therefore, as a conveniently short but nevertheless comprehensive expression of a key Mahāyāna Buddhist ritual programme. (Harrison, "The Vajradhvajapariṇāmanā: An Edition and Translation of the Tibetan Version," 158–59)

Text

Sāgaranāgarājaparipṛcchāsūtra

The Derge Kangyur contains three sūtras entitled The Questions of the Naga King Sagara (Skt. Sāgaranāgarājaparipṛcchā; Tib. ཀླུའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་རྒྱ་མཚོས་ཞུས་པ་, Lu gyalpo gyatsö shyüpa, Wyl. Klu'i rgyal po rgya mtshos zhus pa). They can be distinguished by their length, one being quite long (Toh 153), one medium-length (Toh 154), and one very short (Toh 155).

The first text (Toh 153) "begins with a miracle that portends the coming of the Nāga King Sāgara to Vulture Peak Mountain in Rājagṛha. The nāga king engages in a lengthy dialogue with the Buddha on various topics pertaining to the distinction between relative and ultimate reality, all of which emphasize the primacy of insight into emptiness. The Buddha thereafter journeys to King Sāgara’s palace in the ocean and reveals details of the king’s past lives in order to introduce the inexhaustible casket dhāraṇī. In the nāga king’s palace in the ocean, he gives teachings on various topics and acts as peacemaker, addressing the ongoing conflicts between the gods and asuras and between the nāgas and garuḍas. Upon returning to Vulture Peak, the Buddha engages in dialogue with King Ajātaśatru and provides Nāga King Sāgara’s prophecy."

The medium-length text (Toh 154) "presents a discourse given by the Buddha Shakyamuni on the importance of considering the effects caused by actions. At the start of his teaching, the Buddha remarks how the variety of forms that exist, and in fact all phenomena, come about as the result of virtuous and non-virtuous actions. By understanding this law of cause and effect and by taking great care to engage in virtue, one will avoid rebirth in the lower realms and enter the path to perfect awakening. In the rest of his discourse he explains in great detail the advantages of engaging in each of the ten virtues and the problems associated with not engaging in them."

In the shortest text (Toh 155), "the Buddha explains to a nāga king and an assembly of monks that reciting the four aphorisms of the Dharma is equivalent to recitation of all of the 84,000 articles of the Dharma. He urges them to make diligent efforts to engage in understanding the four aphorisms (also called the four seals), which are the defining philosophical tenets of the Buddhist doctrine: (1) all compounded phenomena are impermanent; (2) all contaminated phenomena are suffering; (3) all phenomena are without self; (4) nirvāṇa is peace." (Source: Rigpawiki.org and 84000)

Text

Buddhāvataṃsakamahāvaipūlyasūtra

One of the longest works in the entire Buddhist canon, the Buddhāvataṃsakasūtra is widely considered to be a compilation of independent scriptures, which was expanded upon over the course of time. It was extremely influential in East Asia, where it was preserved in an eighty-scroll recension. The Tibetan translation of this work fills four volumes in the Derge Kangyur. Though only two sections—namely, the Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra and the Daśabhūmikasūtra—have survived in Sanskrit, both of which have also circulated as independent works.

Text

Subāhuparipṛcchāsūtra

In this scripture Śākyamuni Buddha describes how a bodhisattva should ideally train in the six perfections. In the Veṇuvana near Rājagṛha, the Buddha teaches this sūtra in response to a single question put to him by the bodhisattva Subāhu: what are the qualities a bodhisattva should have in order to progress to perfect awakening? The Buddha responds by first listing the six perfections of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight, and then expounding in greater detail on each perfection in turn. (Source: 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha)

Text

Saddharmasmṛtyupasthānasūtra

While on the way to Rājagṛha to collect alms, a group of newly ordained monks are approached by some non-Buddhists, who suggest that their doctrine is identical to that of the Buddha, since everyone agrees that misdeeds of body, speech, and mind are to be given up. The monks do not know how to reply, and when they later return to the brahmin town of Nālati, where the Buddha is residing, Śāradvatīputra therefore encourages them to seek clarification from the Blessed One himself. In response to the monks’ request, the Buddha delivers a comprehensive discourse on the effects of virtuous and unvirtuous actions, explaining these matters from the perspective of an adept practitioner of his teachings, who sees and understands all this through a process of personal discovery. As the teaching progresses, the Buddha presents an epic tour of the realm of desire—from the Hell of Ultimate Torment to the Heaven Free from Strife—all the while introducing the specific human actions and attitudes that cause the experience of such worlds and outlining the ways to remedy and transcend them. In the final section of the sūtra, which is presented as an individual scripture on its own, the focus is on mindfulness of the body and the ripening of karmic actions that is experienced among humans in particular. (Source: 84000)

Text

Recommended Books Related to Chapter 7

Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way Of Life: An Oral Explanation of Chapter 7

This book is a moderately edited transcript of oral explanations given by Kyabje Gehlek Rimpoche on Chapter Seven of Shantideva's Bodhisattvacharyavatara, A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. Rimpoche gave these teachings on Tuesday nights in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from May 2002 to November 2003. . . .

Throughout this transcript, Rimpoche uses the English translation by Stephen Batchelor, published by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. Since Rinpoche frequently makes reference to Tibetan words and phrasing, the Tibetan translation of the Sanskrit original is included in Wylie transliteration in Apprendix II.

Rinpoche did not introduce a traditional extensive outline in giving this teaching. For those interested, an outline of this sort may be found in Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's Meaningful to Behold. The headings, subheadings and footnotes in this present volume have been added by the editor for ease of reference, and to help delineate changes of topic. A brief bibliograpy is included. For a glossary, see the transcript on Chapters One through Three in this series.

The transcription of these teachings from recordings was done by Hartmut Sagolla. (Anne Warren, acknowledgements, i–ii)

Book

Perseverance (Zopa 2024)

Dive deep into perseverance, one of the core practices of the bodhisattvas, with beloved teacher Lama Zopa Rinpoche as a guide.

Perseverance, or virya, is also translated as “energy,” “fortitude,” or “vigor.” One of the six perfections, or paramitas, it is one of the trainings of the bodhisattvas and a deeply necessary quality for the Buddhist path. But it’s far from the kind of head-down, stubborn determination the name could imply; instead, it’s joyful energy that enables us to practice.

Rinpoche’s commentary is structured around the fifth and seventh chapters of the beloved Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life by the eighth-century philosopher-poet Shantideva. Interweaving his teaching with Shantideva’s verses, Rinpoche elucidates this prerequisite for enlightenment, explaining what it is and how to cultivate it: guard your mind, gather virtue, work for others—and find incredible joy in these things. (Source: Wisdom Publications)

Book

Diligence (Dzigar Kongtrul, 2nd 2024)

In this commentary weaves together many teachings that Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche has given over the years on Shantideva’s eighth-century classic The Way of the Bodhisattva. Commenting on the Diligence chapter of the text, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche illuminates how diligence is the inner vigor that sparks enthusiasm despite difficulty, the dynamic armor that protects against laziness, and the inner strength that aims to meet the world with joy and openheartedness. He explores traditional teachings on diligence, like the three kinds of laziness, the two strengths, rebirth, and the nature of emptiness, and shows how diligence combined with joy can lead us to success in every endeavor. (Source: Shambhala Publications)

Book

Explore All Resources Related to Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Topics Page

A complete list of sources related to Bodhicaryāvatāra chapter 7

Topic

Key Terms for Chapter 7

Bodhicitta

The altruistic thought to seek enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. It is said to have two aspects: compassion aimed at sentient beings and their problems and the wisdom of enlightenment as the solution.

term page

Abhidharma

Abhidharma generally refers to the corpus of Buddhist texts which deals with the typological, phenomenological, metaphysical, and epistemological presentation of Buddhist concepts and teachings. The abhidharma teachings present a meta-knowledge of Buddhist sūtras through analytical and systemic schemas and are said to focus on developing wisdom among the three principles of training. The Abhidharma is presented alongside Sūtra and Vinaya as one of the three baskets of the teachings of the Buddha.

term page

↑ Helena Blankleder and Wulstan Fletcher (Padmakara Translation Group), trans., The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhicharyāvatāra, by Śāntideva (Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2006), 97.
↑ Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma, Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna, Toh 287 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024), https://read.84000.co/translation/toh287.html?#UT22084-068-021-355.

Bibliography: Works on Chapter 7 - Diligence

[1] Helena Blankleder and Wulstan Fletcher (Padmakara Translation Group), trans., The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhicharyāvatāra, by Śāntideva (Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2006), 97.

[2] Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma, Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna, Toh 287 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024), https://read.84000.co/translation/toh287.html?#UT22084-068-021-355.

[1]

[2]

Chapter 7 - Diligence

Contents

Concise Summary of Essential Points

Additional resources

Learn About Śāntideva's Texts

Recommended Texts Related to Chapter 7

Recommended Books Related to Chapter 7

Recommended Articles Related to Chapter 7

Recommended Videos Related to Chapter 7

Explore All Resources Related to Chapter 7

Key Terms for Chapter 7

Bodhicitta

Abhidharma

Notes

Bibliography: Works on Chapter 7 - Diligence