Enthusiastic Perseverance/Joyful Effort
Once again I take my info from The Six Perfections Part one of Bodhicitta.com.
Firstly, what does perseverance mean? I looked it up because I wanted to clarify my definition. Even though English is my native language, I have learned that sometimes a meaning of a certain word is not precisely as I imagined it to be.
According to my online dictionary, perseverance is "steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success." It's also, in theological terms, a "continuance in a state of grace leading finally to a state of glory." This is very interesting to me.
Judith Ragir emphasizes "steadfastness" in some of her lectures. When I first listened to every one of her lectures, I didn't realize it had to do with one of the Six Perfections.
The meaning of enthusiastic perseverance and joyful effort, according to the article The Six Perfections Part 1, is to be "pleased to perform virtuous actions."
Why would I gladly perform any actions regularly? Because, as the teaching states, if we have great perseverance and do not get upset, there is nothing we cannot achieve. And, it will bring us to enlightenment.
The more I read about persistence, the words that jump out at me are "understanding hardships" and "obstacles as opportunities for enlightenment." In either one of Dalai Lama's readings or Judith Ragir's lectures, I learned not to hate hardships but to love them, to look at them as the reasons we're are on the path that we are on.
I can understand this now. I recently became in contact with an old friend. Back in our youth I wanted very much to be his girlfriend. Although we only remained friends, I often wondered what life would have been like if I had been with him instead of my current husband. Would I have been happier? Perhaps because I wouldn't have been bombarded with negativity. That idea could be a fantasy.
What would my spiritual path look like since he's not religious or heavily spiritual? Not sure. Then I thought of all the things I love which I received through my husband. I would have missed out on the music, Bollywood movies, living in a foreign country and most importantly, my two daughters.
I also love the path I'm on spiritually. Therefore, even with all the depression I suffered for so long, I see those terrible days as the means to get me where I am today. Without those challenges/opportunities, I wouldn't have looked for solutions to my depression. No drugs, no psychiatric treatment, just lots of faith and good friends who guided me.
Would I have been on the same path with the other man? I don't know. His personality is completely opposite from my husband. I will never know what I missed out not being with him. But my current opportunities for spiritual growth in my past, present and future are enormous. So in this moment, I'm happy to have this chance for growth. Even though there is still some problems, I see them as growing pains which will pass if I put my effort into my spiritual growth.
A friend of mine recently told me, "In one year from now, things will be different." I don't know if they will be good or bad. But with joyful perseverance and steadfastness, the challenges that are occurring in my life can be overcome.
My serenity is directly proportional to my level of acceptance.
Those who really seek the path to enlightenment dictate terms to their mind. They then proceed with strong determination.--The Buddha
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