The paramita of perseverance

Faults and virtues

Tsendru is usually translated as perseverance.  It is crucial because although we have generosity, virtuous and patient, without perseverance we will be controlled by laziness and we will not succeed.  We would not be very helpful to others.  Perseverance is like the engine of the other paramitas, avec it they become efficient and powerful.

Definition

It is a joyful sensation in the virtue (another denomination of perseverance is joyful effort).  It is the antidote to laziness, of which there are three kinds

1. Inactivity, inertia: postpone the things to do with  a strong tendency to idleness, indulging in the little comforts.  The antidote is the reflection in the impermanence.  We apply the effort now to avoid anxiety when we will have little or no more time.  It is the Indian-style laziness. (look story of Path to Buddhahood, pg. 94). Quoting Shantideva "How quickly we react when a snake suddenly falls into our lap! Let’s counter laziness and torpor with as much vivacity, before it penetrates [to our very core].
   
2. Discouragement: if I would never reach my goal, why should I worry about it?  We must think that all we should do is our best.  That way even the highest goal is possible.
3. Distraction: being busy with useless activities.  We don't have time to do the important things.  It is the western-style laziness.  We must set clearly our priorities.

Classification

Like an armour: it is our declaration of intentions.  Like the warriors wearing an armour to go into combat, with the armour of perseverance, no obstacle may stop us.  We use to react base in our expectations.  If we are attached to things happens as we would like, the smallest difficulty will discourage us. If we anticipated big difficulties nothing may discourage us.  On the contrary, ready for the worst, every positive thing, even the very small ones, with resource us.

Applied perseverance

1. Solve the problems of mental poisons, the negative emotions.  Gampopa use the metaphor of walking with a bowl full of liquid to the brim and followed by man threatening of cutting our head if we lose a single drop. 
2. Accumulation of merit. There are five qualities to develop: stability and constancy; get rid of pride; full of devotion; unshakable to the obstacles; never step back, even if everything crumbles around us.
3. Perseverance to benefit others.  First, we accumulate merit, we practice with our current qualities, without need of being perfect and we encourage others to do the same, without remission and with joy.

Insatiable: we must go to the end, the perfect enlightenment.  Obstacle don't stop us anymore, and success don't make us take a pause.  We go always farther.  We do not compare to others' performance, only to our own.

Perfection

The highest expression is to understand that the true nature of perseverance is emptiness and compassion. Moreover, dedicate the merit of our efforts multiply the effects and will seal them from our future actions. Progression must be gradual, it is useless to run in the beginning.  We must hurry from now, but without trying to do more than it is possible.

Meditation

Impermanence