Teaching the Five Perfections
The Perfection of Diligence

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, along with a great saṅgha of 1,250 monks. At that time Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when bodhisattva great beings strive to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, how should they practice the perfection of diligence?”

The Blessed One said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, [F.59.b] “Pūrṇa, bodhisattva great beings who wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood should first enter this vehicle and arouse the mind of awakening. To arouse the mind of awakening they should think, ‘I shall devote this body and mind of mine to the welfare and needs of others. I will fulfill the dreams of all beings, just like a servant who fetches water.’ Such a servant thinks, ‘I shall forfeit my own independence, without sitting around or resting. If I should wish to leave this house to go to the market, I will only do so with the permission of my master and my lady. Even when it is time for meals and drinks, I shall postpone them if I am called for. I will remain under my Lord’s command.’ Pūrṇa, in the same way bodhisattva great beings who wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood should engender the mind of awakening, thinking, ‘I am not the master of my own body. Instead, I will use it to benefit others with their work and needs.’ Pūrṇa, in this way bodhisattva great beings should avoid straying from the perfection of diligence. In this way they should practice the perfection of diligence.

“Pūrṇa, as an analogy, when someone owns a precious horse and takes it riding, the precious horse will protect the rider, thinking, ‘I will do my best to avoid shaking or injuring any part of the rider’s body.’ Forsaking its own independence, the horse will think, ‘I must strive to avoid any missteps that could harm the rider.’ Pūrṇa, in the same way, when bodhisattvas wish to focus on the perfection of diligence they should think, ‘I will not be governed by selfish thoughts. Instead, I will focus on other beings [F.60.a] and people to ensure that no harm befalls them.’ Such are the qualities that bodhisattva great beings possess. Pūrṇa, in that way, bodhisattvas should protect others and assist them, because it is by assisting and protecting others that they uphold the perfection of diligence.

“When bodhisattvas have become nonregressing from the state of omniscience, that is the perfection of diligence of bodhisattva great beings. It is also the perfection of diligence of the bodhisattvas when bodhisattvas apply themselves to prolonged circling in saṃsāra, while pondering, ‘How can I purify this buddha realm?’ It is also the perfection of diligence of the bodhisattvas when bodhisattva great beings‍—whether they are held back in this trichiliocosm by one, two, or three births, or whether they are bodhisattvas who have newly entered this vehicle‍—say, ‘May you awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood first! Then I will awaken later.’ It is also the perfection of diligence of the bodhisattvas when bodhisattvas who see a beggar, without turning away or getting distracted, think, ‘This person is helping me attain omniscience.’ It is also the perfection of diligence of the bodhisattva great beings when bodhisattvas, who wish to help another person, think, ‘To make this person happy, I will be glad to roast in hell for an eon, or even longer.’ [F.60.b]

“Bodhisattvas should think, ‘Even if a normal day were to last for an entire eon and there were as many eons consisting of days that long as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, may I be burned in the great hells for that long, so that those who live in the hells may be free instead!’ If such could be achieved thereby, bodhisattvas would take such an oath. If they do so, that is also the perfection of diligence of the bodhisattvas. However, if they should become discouraged and lose optimism, they would be lazy bodhisattvas. If they should equalize their minds with others’ minds, they would be bodhisattva great beings who practice diligence. Lazy bodhisattvas are those who travel to the end of the world and, upon arrival, think, ‘It took me a long time to arrive here.’ Should they, however, think, ‘I arrived here quickly,’ they would be practicing diligence. That is also the perfection of diligence of the bodhisattva great beings.

“Lazy bodhisattvas are those who, while traveling during the day to pay their respects to a stūpa or to the saṅgha, think, ‘Oh my, this day is so long and passes so slowly!’ On the other hand, bodhisattva great beings who practice diligence will think, ‘This day is passing as quickly as a finger snap.’ Such people are persistently practicing the perfection of diligence. Moreover, not only should they view an entire year’s work as a single day’s work, they should also complete an entire year’s work in a single day. They should even consider more than an eon’s work to be achievable in just a single day, and carry it out. They should regard an eon as merely a day. [F.61.a] If they cannot consider an eon’s work to be doable in a single day and regard it as such, those are lazy bodhisattvas. However, if they are able to adopt that perspective, those bodhisattva great beings are practicing diligence.

“Bodhisattvas who are working for the sake of awakening should not put a limit on the number of eons this may take by saying, ‘Due to my clairvoyance, I can say that I will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood after such and such many eons.’ If they proclaim such a fixed number of eons, those are lazy bodhisattvas. Instead of that, they should rather think, ‘Even if takes me a limitless number of eons to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I will never turn my back on saṃsāra.’ That would make them bodhisattva great beings who are practicing diligence. Such bodhisattva great beings are practicing the perfection of diligence. They are genuinely engaged in the perfection of diligence. They are near to omniscience and are distancing themselves from cyclic existence.

“Suppose someone told a bodhisattva, ‘You have just one day to dig through Mount Meru, the king of mountains.’ If any bodhisattva were then to inquire about the size of the mountain, that would be a lazy bodhisattva. Rather, even if they were only able to make a dent the size of a mustard seed in Mount Meru, the king of mountains, they should think to themselves, ‘My job of digging through Mount Meru, the king of mountains, is as good as done. This single day is passing as quickly as a finger snap.’ If they can adopt such an attitude, those bodhisattva great beings are practicing diligence. Likewise, suppose a day lasted as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. And suppose that one would need limitless eons of such days [F.61.b] to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. If bodhisattva great beings then were to look at the attainment of perfect awakening as if it were basically already attained, they would be practicing diligence.

“If bodhisattvas should become discouraged or worried when the practice of diligence is praised, then those are lazy bodhisattvas and they will not be entering the field of omniscience. When the perfection of diligence is praised, lazy bodhisattvas will think to themselves, ‘When will I ever have such qualities?’ On the other hand, bodhisattvas who are practicing diligence will recognize, ‘I already have these qualities! I just need to perfect my qualities of diligence.’ Lazy bodhisattvas will think, ‘If I oblige someone who is asking for my hands, feet, or head, I will no longer have any hands, feet, or head.’ However, bodhisattvas who practice diligence will tell themselves, ‘If I give away my hands, feet, or head, I shall take rebirth as a god, human, or asura with extraordinary hands, feet, and head,’ and then act accordingly. Lazy bodhisattvas are those who, when asked to give away their eyes, think to themselves, ‘If I give away my eyes, I will no longer have any eyes.’ However, bodhisattva great beings who practice diligence will think, ‘If I give away my eyes, I shall take rebirth as a god, human, or asura with extraordinary eyes, [F.62.a] as well as the peerless eye of wisdom.’ In this way, they will distance themselves from the levels of the hearers and the solitary buddhas and approach the state of omniscience.

“Lazy bodhisattvas are those who, when asked to give away their various body parts, think to themselves, ‘If I give away my body parts, I will no longer have any.’ However, when bodhisattvas who are practicing diligence give away their body parts, they will tell themselves, ‘I shall take rebirth as a god, human, or asura in possession of perfect limbs. Moreover, I shall also receive the qualities of a buddha.’ Thinking like that, they will also act accordingly. Lazy bodhisattvas are those who, when approached by beggars, think, ‘There are so many beggars around me; how could I possibly give them what they ask for? Who could possibly satisfy them all?’ On the other hand, bodhisattva great beings who are practicing diligence will reason and think, ‘There are not too many beggars here. Even if all the beggars in as many worlds as there are grains of sand in the Ganges were to arrive here on the same day, that would still not be too many.’ In this way their insight will increase and they will think, ‘There are not so many here. I would be happy if there were more,’ and thinking in this way, they would act accordingly. Why is this? Because bodhisattvas have to accomplish the boundless qualities of a buddha. If they limit their diligence and generosity, they will not be able to obtain the boundless qualities of a buddha. On the contrary, it is by forming a boundless resolve [F.62.b] that bodhisattvas become able to obtain the boundless qualities of a buddha. As an analogy, if a man intends to cross the great ocean, he must equip himself with a resolve that lasts for thousands of miles. Likewise, if bodhisattvas wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, they must prepare themselves with a resolve that lasts for limitless billions of eons. Lazy bodhisattvas are those who think, ‘Within one countless eon I will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ On the other hand, bodhisattva who are practicing diligence will think, ‘After boundless eons I will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ Such bodhisattvas have formed a great resolve.”

Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, do bodhisattvas undergo hardships?”

The Blessed One asked in return, “Pūrṇa, what do you think? Do bodhisattvas undergo any hardships?”

Venerable Pūrṇa replied, “No, Blessed One, bodhisattvas experience no hardships, because all phenomena are illusory, as you, Blessed One, have said. Thus, all phenomena that involve feelings of pleasure or pain are merely illusory phenomena.”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, in this way, one should understand that bodhisattva great beings do undergo hardships. They are delighted by illusory phenomena and avoid mental and physical laziness. This form of delight is also the bodhisattva great beings’ perfection of diligence.” [F.63.a]

Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, this understanding of how bodhisattva great beings undergo hardships is amazing! Blessed One, you have explained it so well! When someone awakens to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, they teach the Dharma in order to eradicate the ignorance of limitless and countless beings. However, that ignorance does not actually belong to anyone. ‘I’ and ‘mine’ are merely conceptualizations made by beings who cling to a personal self, due to their own ignorance. This ignorance emerges in dependent origination; it is not created by anyone. It arises when its causes come together, and when the causes are no longer present, it will cease once again. And since phenomena naturally come to an end by themselves, no one can terminate them.”

The Blessed One said, “If bodhisattva great beings can reflect in this manner and apply it accordingly without changing their minds, then that is the perfection of diligence of bodhisattvas. As such, these are bodhisattvas who practice diligence. However, lazy bodhisattvas think, ‘If these phenomena are empty, my practice of diligence will lose its power.’ On the other hand, the perfection of diligence of bodhisattva great beings is to think, ‘It is because these phenomena are empty that I am able to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood by means of emptiness. Why is that? Because all beings within the five types of existence are bound by emptiness, which prevents them from passing beyond saṃsāra. However, when I awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I will teach the Dharma to these beings within the five types of existence, so that they can be freed from saṃsāra. [F.63.b] I will teach them extensively.’

“Lazy bodhisattvas will think, ‘If saṃsāra has neither beginning nor end, how could anyone be circling there? This leaves me no joy, so I will pass into nirvāṇa.’ Rather than that, they should think, ‘As long as I take rebirth and circle in saṃsāra, for that long others will also transition and circle in saṃsāra. So I will have to continue taking rebirth and circling in saṃsāra. However, while they will not awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ They may also think, ‘Actions follow after intentions. Even the sun appears through a mere wish.’ Those who think in this way will come to possess the state of omniscience and not even notice or realize the passing of the seasons, years, months, or fortnights. As they purify their minds by means of the perfections of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight, they do not notice or realize the passing of the seasons, years, months, or fortnights. As an analogy, when a merchant obtains a jewel worth many hundreds of thousands of coins, he will forget all about his domestic chores, his finances, as well as any meetings he may have. If there is any chance that he can obtain that jewel worth so many hundreds of thousands of coins, he will even forget to eat. Likewise, [F.64.a] as bodhisattvas purify their minds by means of the perfections, they have no concern for the passing of the seasons, years, months, or fortnights. Instead, they will only think, ‘When will I attain the jewel of omniscience?’ ”

Venerable Pūrṇa said, “Blessed One, if bodhisattvas wish to proclaim all these qualities, they must have a strong armor of diligence.”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, that is correct. Bodhisattva great beings who proclaim all these qualities have a strong armor of diligence. Pūrṇa, within the world of gods, humans, and asuras, I do not see anyone who possesses these qualities of a bodhisattva or anyone in whom such qualities are present, apart from the Thus-Gone One.”

Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra rose up from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms together he bowed toward the Blessed One, and supplicated, “Blessed One, in all of the boundless worlds in the eastern direction, may all bodhisattva great beings who have newly entered this vehicle reach the state of nonregression! And may all non-returning bodhisattva great beings swiftly perfect the state of omniscience! Likewise, in the south, west, north, below, above, and in all the intermediate directions, may all bodhisattva great beings who have newly entered this vehicle reach the state of nonregression! And may all nonreturning bodhisattva great beings swiftly perfect the state of omniscience!”

The Blessed One said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, [F.64.b] “Pūrṇa, it is because you understand the implications that you say, ‘May those bodhisattvas swiftly perfect the state of omniscience.’ ”

Venerable Pūrṇa said, “Honorable Blessed One, if there were no bodhisattvas, no buddhas would appear in the world. And if no buddhas appear, there can be no saṅgha of the Blessed One’s hearers, nor can there be any bodhisattvas. Blessed One, therefore, if there are bodhisattva activities, the buddhas will appear in the world. If buddhas appear, the saṅgha of the Blessed One’s hearers can also appear, as can the bodhisattvas. Blessed One, as an analogy, a tree that has a trunk with sap running through it can grow flowers, and from those flowers fruits can appear. From those fruits other tall trees can grow. Blessed One, likewise, when a buddha is present, there can also be activities of the hearers and the bodhisattvas. From them the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddhas will also appear.”

At this point the Blessed One praised Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra’s comments: “Pūrṇa, excellent, excellent!” He then said to Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, please remember and understand the perfection of diligence, which is for those bodhisattva great beings who wear a great armor of diligence.”

When the Blessed One had spoken, Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, Venerable Ānanda, the entire retinue, and the world, including its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, [F.65.a] rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.