Treeleaf Zen

Treeleaf Zen

Whattsa Who’sa Bodhisattva? – The Virtue of Effort

posted by Jundo Cohen | 9:53am Wednesday June 24, 2009


Last time, in our discussion of the Ten Pure Virtues or “Perfections” (Paramitas) of the Bodhisattva path …


we talked about “Patience” …


… and today we will talk about the Perfection of Effort and Diligence (Virya Paramita).

All the perfections go hand-in-hand, each supporting and nurturing the others. Each is part of the Bodhisattva’s vow to “Save All Sentient Beings”. But “Patience” and “Diligent Effort” have a special bond …

Our way might be called “patience in effort”, “stillness in motion” “quiet in action” …

… for, with the latter alone, we are always running headlong through life, trying to find the end of a rainbow which we never reach, rarely at ease, unsatisfied, never arriving at the ultimate goal  …

… while the former alone leads to passivity, inaction, complacency and resignation.


 
Thus, remember that our teachings emphasize, not just stillness … butstillness in, as and amid the motion. Yes, we are like a stone Buddha in the garden, sitting with come what may, not budging if it rains or if the sun comes out. It is all the same


.
… yet the stone Buddha rises, dances and lives life!

This is the reason I repeatedly emphasize that our Way is stillness in action … effort without effort


(remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells;
a sitting time of 20 to 35 minutes is recommended)

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