Wirtuous Diligence

The second diligence is one that gathers all virtues. Virtues here refer to the Dharma practices of the Four Noble Truths, the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment, and the Six Paramitas. Practitioners who engage this type of diligence use the experiences of body, speech, mind, and all the phenomena in the environment as opportunities to practice. Whatever they experience and encounter, their whole being is filled with the aspiration to practice, from instant to instant. This is genuine diligence.

There are also people who practice the Four Noble Truths, the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment, and the Six Paramitas, but sporadically and not so diligently. They tend to separate their practice from their daily lives, and therefore miss many opportunities to practice. It is as if they are poised to get onto the Mahayana vehicle, and then they excuse themselves by saying, "Maybe I'll take the next bus. In this life, it is too hard for me. Maybe in my next life, I'll really begin to practice." The problem is that it is uncertain when the next bus will come, or if it will ever show up again.

A diligent practitioner's eyes are wide open for opportunities to practice anywhere and anytime. If they miss an opportunity to practice they will chase it down and grab it. To use the metaphor, if the bus is pulling away from the stop, they will chase after it, unwilling to give up an opportunity to practice.

Compassionate Diligence