Event time:
Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - 7:00pm
Location:
Buddhist Shrine - Base of Harkness Tower in Branford College
Event description:
Exploring the Ten Paramitas (Ten Perfections) and Making Them Come Alive in Your Daily Life: Effort
In the fourth session of our year-long series of Dharma Discussions devoted to investigating each of the Ten Perfections, we turn to virya, or effort, also translated as “energy,” “vigor,” or “zeal.”
The popular image of Buddhism, and particularly of meditation, is that it’s all about being relaxed – but actually Buddhists esteem vigorous effort very highly. In fact, as an antidote to the spiritual hindrances of sloth and torpor, vigorous effort is considered essential on the path.
Effort is listed as one of the five “spiritual” or “moral” faculties (along with faith, mindfulness, wisdom, and concentration) and one of the eleven “wholesome factors” contributing to awakening. The Perfection of Effort also refers to enthusiasm and delight in performing virtuous acts, with commitment to success and without discouragement.
”One should diligently apply oneself to the action in which one engages,” wrote the 8th century Indian sage Santideva in A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Examples of such diligent action, of vigorous effort and zeal, abound throughout Buddhism – beginning most famously with the Buddha himself in his determined efforts to awaken beneath the bo tree.
Making virya relevant to our own lives, how can we practice with “Right Effort,” as it’s named in the Noble Eightfold Path? How can we counter our tendencies to spiritual laziness and summon energy to “practice,” as the Zen saying goes, “as if our heads are on fire”? How do we summon energetic commitment to meditate when we’re tired, or crave distractions, or just don’t want to do it? Where can we find inspiring examples of zealous practitioners in Buddhist literature to help motivate us? How can we perform virtuous acts of wisdom, compassion, and loving kindness with enthusiasm, even in the midst of discouraging challenges? How can we invigorate our practices and our lives?
Join us to share in an open conversation around these and other questions related to effort, facilitated by Reverend Kanji, and bring questions of your own. We’ll begin with a brief meditation period (beginner instruction available on request). Everyone is welcome – Buddhists of all traditions and levels of experience, from beginner to advanced, and non-Buddhists, too!
It is not necessary to attend each Dharma Discussion in the series.