Joyous Perseverance

This recap is part 1 of Road to Perfection: Joyous Perseverance.

By Goh Siqi   •   9 minute read

I was binge-watching a series of K-dramas during my typical restless weekdays, and I had to agree with the quality of these dramas as they never fail to enliven me. The deadline I set to complete this article was postponed from Thursday to Friday, no thanks to the addictive nature of such dramas which gave me a roller coaster ride at each climax. I would have delayed my submission one more day had I not reminded myself what I have learned in the Ventalk session about Joyous Perseverance. Thanks to Venerable Jonathan and the two hosts, I managed to complete this article with Joyous Perseverance. 

“

A flawless state of mind that is enthusiastic about accumulating virtue and working for the welfare of living beings, together with the physical, verbal, and mental activity such a state of mind motivates.

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That is the definition of Joyous Perseverance. It refers to this very joyful state of mind that takes delight in virtue. It does not relinquish in the middle or towards the end. Instead, it happens spontaneously all the time. In whatever activities one engages in, it is done with optimism and cheerfulness, and not with obligation.  Joyous perseverance is an imperative attitude needed in the learning of Dharma. Without joyous effort, there would not be any impetus along the spiritual path. Our afflictions would then engulf us and the miserable realms are there waiting for us. 

Today’s session will be split into three parts:

TYPES of joyous perseverance

1. Armor-like

   In the past, those who donned the armor were knights and warriors. Despite the risk and hardships entailed, these mighty ones were constantly sighted on the battlefield. Hence there is no doubt that they are emblematic of courage. Similarly, if extrapolated to our current context, armor-like perseverance is this spontaneous, compassionate thought of enduring hardships for the sake of saving sentient beings from sufferings. People can observe this armor-like perseverance in the world around them. There are medical workers, who, despite the risks, continue to tend to patients. 

2. Gathering virtue and acting for the welfare of all sentient beings

   This type of Joyous Perseverance refers to the act of practising and applying the 6 perfections (Generosity, Ethical Discipline, Patience, Joyous Perseverance, Concentration, Wisdom) to benefit all sentient beings.

CULTIVATION of joyous perseverance

We are often motivated by potential benefits to accomplish things, and we persevere through because the benefits are crucial and we are aware of the faults of relinquishing them. As such, to begin your journey of cultivating joyous perseverance, the very fundamental step is to contemplate the benefits and faults of not cultivating joyous perseverance.  

Benefits of joyous perseverance:

1. Able to accomplish goals that one aspires

2. Shield against afflictions, prosperity, negative emotions

Faults of not cultivating joyous perseverance:

1. Laziness of procrastination

2. Lack of all good qualities (6 perfections)

3. Not working for the welfare of others

DEVELOPING joyous perseverance

• Eliminating unfavourable conditions such as:

  • The laziness of procrastination (The principal obstacle)

  • Attachment to inferior and common activities

As a person that procrastinates a lot, I tell others that my laziness is “an art of procrastination”. Although I personally think that, yes, laziness is an art of procrastination, I have to acknowledge that it comes at the expense of spiritual growth. Why? Because the clock is ticking; time is running out. What we need to ponder deeply is regarding the:

1. Mindfulness of death. Realise the transience of life. As long as we are in cyclic existence, death is inevitable. And what superpowers do we have to accurately predict our time of death? Exactly, we have none. This means that our future is uncertain. This uncertainty is further convoluted with the fact that we are clueless about the negative karma brought upon ourselves in our previous lives. What many fear--death--may just be in a blink of an eye. As such, like the saying “time is of the essence”, we need to treasure our time. Use our precious time to do virtuous activities in order to land us in a happier realm and to meet the Buddha’s teachings in our next life. Take note, a procrastinating mind will never get anything done!

2. Life of leisure and opportunity. In this chapter of Human Life of Leisure and Opportunity, we realise how difficult it is to find an excellent life such as this one. There are many factors that prevent us from learning Buddhism. Since we have the gurus, dharma, and harmonious community, we ought to treasure this excellent learning environment we have now and forbid ourselves from the laziness of procrastination.

3. Overcoming discouragement. Procrastination may stem from self-degradation. One may feel that the path to enlightenment is very daunting, especially due to the many far-reaching precepts and qualities that one is not confident in upholding. You may think “the goal is too high”, “I don’t think I’m able to do this”, “It is so hard to practice”. Like what Lex said, being discouraged brings no benefit, it will only lead to this vicious cycle of relentless hopelessness. One would then be at a standstill. Shakyamuni Buddha started off like us. As such, there is no way one cannot attain enlightenment. Understand well the methods for achieving enlightenment, and with small, incremental steps, work towards it with dogged diligence. Cheer yourself! When we do this, the completion of goals is as if in your hands because you are already on the right path. 

4. Contemplate the disadvantages of cyclic existence. As Nicholas said, laziness arises from cravings. We seek entertainment and avoid tiring activities. Often, we link happiness to the attainment of sensory pleasure. However, seldom do we realise that the happiness we are experiencing is temporary. Cultivate the disenchantment of cyclic existence. Apply this antidote and polish your ignorance. Through understanding, wisdom, and contemplation can you produce a joyous effort and energy to continue this spiritual path.
   

• Gather the force of favourable conditions

  • Developing the power of aspiration

    The power of aspiration is the strong yearning to practice the path. We need aspiration to motivate us along the spiritual path. If we lack aspiration, our afflictions are there to contaminate the mind. Aspiration is developed through serious contemplation about karma. Recognise that the cause of happiness is virtuous actions and the cause of unhappiness is non-virtuous actions. That’s extremely important because Karma is the cornerstone of Buddhism. If you have understood it well, you begin to see clearly how we hold our whole future in our hands. As such, develop the thought “I need to do virtuous deeds''. This would act as your driving force. 

  • Developing the power of steadfastness

    Our minds are always fickle-minded. One day we want this, another day we want that. We want to accomplish something but give up in the process.  If our attitude of giving up is rooted in our psyche, it becomes a long-lasting habit that is difficult to change. Bring whatever you do to a conclusion and finish it without turning back. Do it all the way, if not, don’t do it. Also, one has to assess whether he or she has the resources and capability to complete the task. If the task is just too grandiose to ever imagine, work on it only if one has the capability and resources to accomplish it. Otherwise relinquishing in the process would have rendered the efforts previously invested to be put to waste. Allow ourselves to embody the spirit of steadfastness!

  • Developing the power of joy

    Allow yourself to see the lasting happiness in doing virtuous deeds. Only then will you produce joyful effort and energy to persevere.  

  • Power of relinquishment

    I shall share a quote by a Vietnamese Monk “ Practice in a way that does not tire you out but gives your body, emotions, and consciousness a chance to rest. Our body and mind have the capacity to heal themselves if we allow them to rest.” Along the journey there may be ups and downs that rip away your energy, rendering you both physically and mentally fatigued. Forcing yourself is not a solution. When there is a need to rest, you should rest. Allow yourself to heal physically and mentally. Because that is the only way you can regain your energy and positivity. Do not overexert yourself. Neither should you be overly relaxed. Strike a balance!

• Being intent of joyously persevering

  • Take defensive precautions to avoid wounds to the mind

  • Destroy afflictions by applying remedies

Whenever a negative thought or the feeling of laziness arises in your mindstream, you ought to first acknowledge this ‘enemy’. How? Practice mindfulness. Immediately, you should confront the thought of laziness by contemplating its negative repercussions. Only then will you restrain procrastination (your enemy) before it takes action.