Diligence is the essential quality to inspire joy and openheartedness for Buddhist practice and daily life. As one of the six paramitas or perfections that are fundamental for following the bodhisattva path and helping others, diligence can profoundly impact our lives. In this commentary focused on the Diligence Chapter from Shantideva's eighth-century classic The Way of the Bodhisattva, 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.
Diligence: The Joyful Endeavor of the Buddhist Path, Dzigar Kongtrul, Shambhala Publications, Paperback, 2024, 216 pp, $18.95
Dzigar Kongtrul grew up in a monastic environment and received extensive training in all aspects of Buddhist doctrine. In 1989, he moved to the United States with his family, and in 1990, he began a five-year tenure as a professor of Buddhist philosophy at Naropa University. He also founded Mangala Shri Bhuti, his own teaching organization, during this period. He has established a mountain retreat center, Longchen Jigme Samten Ling, in southern Colorado. When not guiding students in long-term retreats and not in retreat himself, Rinpoche travels widely throughout the world teaching and furthering his own education. He is the author of several books including Training in Tenderness and Peaceful Heart.
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