©2025 The Ringu Tulku Archive
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 21
Stanzas 40-43
Aspiration is the start of the journey. Where does it come from? If it is so comfortable being the way we are, there’s no reason to be different. We must generate the causes for aspiration, find the root, and even if we are not able to accomplish anything more than that right now, we have laid the foundations for developing new tendencies and habits, so that positive attitude will arise naturally. You will feel the difference, and so will others. It can’t be measured, but rest assured things will become easier and this will follow into your next life. The next verses explain how this unfolds, how we can begin to value what we have and want differently, with a more altruistic attitude, recognise where power can be poison, and generate fear in the powerful, to the extent that life becomes ever limited.
We never know from where our karma originates, so all we can do is work with the present situation to the best of our knowledge and ability, with the right motivation and without judgement.
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted every week, usually on Friday. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on 18th October. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words. Vous pouvez également envoyer des questions en français. También puede enviar preguntas en español. Sie können Fragen auch auf Deutsch senden. Puoi anche inviare domande in italiano. Presubmitted questions in other languages are also welcome and they will be translated to English.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 20
Stanzas 37-39
In these next three verses we are challenged to look at what we have done in our lives that we can be genuinely proud of. Most of us, the text says, have merely paid lip service to the fundamental gift of human life we were given, and we would be hard put to name deeds or influences we have directed towards the good of others.
Even making offerings to the Buddhas – those to whom we could offer gratitude for their beneficial influence and dedication to teaching us what they have learned. Their wisdom is unquantifiable but still we have not valued it as such, or offered thanks. Or to others who need help, how have we moved ourselves to make life more bearable or tolerable, for those who suffer famine, war and torture, how have we helped?
The most we can say we achieved was to cause terrible pain to our own mothers, first through our birth and then by being insufferably difficult as children.
It begs the question, why have we been thus, and why spurn the hands that feed us on a material and spiritual level?
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted every week, usually on Friday. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on 18th October. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words. Vous pouvez également envoyer des questions en français. También puede enviar preguntas en español. Sie können Fragen auch auf Deutsch senden. Puoi anche inviare domande in italiano. Presubmitted questions in other languages are also welcome and they will be translated to English.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
This LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche took place on:
The recorded video of the live session is now above. For the audio only version, and all the audio translations, visit the Chapter 7 page.
The next LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche will be:
Sunday, 18th October 2020 – 14:30 pm GMT/UTC
Details and link to follow.
Please join us for these bi-monthly live sessions with Rinpoche and ask your question live or send them in advance using the comments areas or forms on any of the Bodhicharyavatara teaching posts.
If you would like to make an offering for translations, please click the links below:
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 18
Stanzas 33-36
The next verses, 33-36 go through in further detail what is required in order to bring the forces into play: generating fierce aspiration, recognising the urgency of that by really seeing the amount of harm and suffering experienced in our world and how long it will take to eliminate even one negative habit of our own because of its ingrained nature. At the same time, recognising how far we have come on the path of change even with half-hearted effort, imagine what could be achieved if we were to wholeheartedly engage in transformation?
In the end, the transformation, generating Diligence through aspiring to become a Bodhisattva is entirely up to us, we alone can awaken ourselves, Buddha only shows the way.
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted every week, usually on Friday. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on 4th October. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words. Vous pouvez également envoyer des questions en français. También puede enviar preguntas en español. Sie können Fragen auch auf Deutsch senden. Puoi anche inviare domande in italiano. Presubmitted questions in other languages are also welcome and they will be translated to English.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 17
Stanzas 31-32
How do we generate Diligence positively? By generating positivity in the act of dispelling our negative behaviours. The four ways of training hold the key. Here we learn about working with the four forces that help overcome laziness by: generating the motivation to change; being joyful; holding that motivation and joy with stability; and letting go thus renouncing the procrastination that keep us lazy.
All of this requires perseverance, so we aim to feel inspired, not be put off or distracted by things such as social media. Rinpoche connects the dots between the Paramitas of Generosity, and Diligence and Patience. Diligence is a product of Patience, so the Paramitas build one upon another.
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted every week, usually on Friday. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on 4th October. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words. Vous pouvez également envoyer des questions en français. También puede enviar preguntas en español. Sie können Fragen auch auf Deutsch senden. Puoi anche inviare domande in italiano. Presubmitted questions in other languages are also welcome and they will be translated to English.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
This LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche took place on:
The recorded video of the live session is now above. For the audio only version, and all the audio translations, visit the Chapter 7 page.
The next LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche will be:
Sunday, 4th October 2020 – 14:30 pm GMT/UTC
Details and link to follow.
Please join us for these bi-monthly live sessions with Rinpoche and ask your question live or send them in advance using the comments areas or forms on any of the Bodhicharyavatara teaching posts.
If you would like to make an offering for translations, please click the links below:
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 15
Stanzas 27-30
In these verses Rinpoche begins to explain why it is that a Bodhisattva doesn’t experience suffering in the same way as ordinary people do. The verses tell us that wisdom is accumulated through seeing the harm caused by negative actions, abandoning the kleshas and practising Dharma. This brings peace, joy and the capacity to remain in samsara without suffering.
Working to benefit others is a training, and when we stop resisting and turn our minds to that, we will find it comes naturally to us––therefore it is not a hardship.
This in itself brings merit and exhausts negative karma, so why not?
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted every week, usually on Friday. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on September 20. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words. Vous pouvez également envoyer des questions en français. También puede enviar preguntas en español. Sie können Fragen auch auf Deutsch senden. Puoi anche inviare domande in italiano. Presubmitted questions in other languages are also welcome and they will be translated to English.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 14
Stanzas 20-26
In the following verses we are looking at the natural tendency to shy away from a training that seems to be too difficult, even when it is prescribed as helpful. But as Rinpoche points out, according to Shantideva this is misguided, it need not be too alarming if we approach working with difficulty in a gradual way. If we practise giving away a cup of curry to a hungry person this can lead to a more difficult antidote later on, which we will easily take in our stride. We could also look upon the process somewhat like medicine, a doctor provides the surgery and treatment in the short term, bringing much discomfort. However our engagement with that painful process is short-lived compared to the relief gained once we are through the initial intervention.
We have probably, in our countless lifetimes encountered far more unimaginable suffering many times, and because we endured it with no guidance so we have gained nothing in terms of our progress along the path to Buddhahood, we simply land back at square one. So in the longer term, a brief encounter with suffering, using the instruction given by the Buddha, a Supreme Healer, for developing generosity and overcoming laziness with Discipline, will gradually bring great benefit and be very easy to do.
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted every week, usually on Friday. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on September 20. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words. Vous pouvez également envoyer des questions en français. También puede enviar preguntas en español. Sie können Fragen auch auf Deutsch senden. Puoi anche inviare domande in italiano. Questions in other languages are also welcome and they will be translated to English.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
This LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche took place on:
The recorded video of the live session is now above. For the audio only version, and all the audio translations, visit the Chapter 7 page.
The next LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche will be:
Sunday, 20th September 2020 – 14:30 pm GMT/UTC
Details to follow.
Please join us for these bi-monthly live sessions with Rinpoche and ask your question live or send them in advance using the comments areas or forms on any of the Bodhicharyavatara teaching posts.
If you would like to make an offering for translations, please click the links below:
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 12
Stanzas 17-19
In the next three verses Rinpoche brings us home to Shantideva’s determination that we are all capable of reaching an enlightened state if we apply ourselves diligently to practice. The verses say unequivocally that we all carry the seed of awakening, compassion and kindness within us, so even as the insects of the earth can progress to Buddhahood, we who are gifted a human form in this lifetime must use it well, work with our laziness and aspire to develop ourselves positively and train towards that end. Our laziness and self-belittlement is the true enemy that keeps us in the cycle of samsara. A diligent attitude is our friend and ally on the path to Buddhahood.
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted every week, usually on Friday. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on September 6. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words. Vous pouvez également envoyer des questions en français. También puede enviar preguntas en español. Sie können Fragen auch auf Deutsch senden. Puoi anche inviare domande in italiano. Questions in other languages are also welcome and they will be translated to English.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 11
Stanza 16
In this verse, reflecting on the 3rd laziness, Rinpoche describes it as the most insidious, because holding ourselves back from fully living by feeling we are not good enough or clever enough is an affront to our potential for growth and transformation. When we have decided we are not capable of succeeding at anything, we won’t make any effort, then we have no chance of reaching our full potential as human beings.
Some people seem to be born with capacities that require less training in order to achieve success in certain fields, but we all have to start somewhere.
We must draw on our innate capacities and inner power to change ingrained negative habits. Once we apply ourselves diligently we come to realise the importance of this, because even the most intelligent of animals, he says, will sacrifice themselves for the betterment of their offspring. When we overcome our habit of putting ourselves down and recognise the equality of all beings, we may even choose to make personal sacrifices for the welfare of others.
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted once a week, usually on Friday. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on September 6. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words. Vous pouvez également envoyer des questions en français. También puede enviar preguntas en español. Sie können Fragen auch auf Deutsch senden. Puoi anche inviare domande in italiano. Questions in other languages are also welcome and they will be translated to English.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
This LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche took place on:
The recorded video of the live session is now above. For the audio only version, and all the audio translations, visit the Chapter 7 page.
The next LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche will be:
Sunday, 6th September 2020 – 14:30 pm GMT/UTC
Details to follow.
Please join us for these bi-monthly live sessions with Rinpoche and ask your question live or send them in advance using the comments areas or forms on any of the Bodhicharyavatara teaching posts.
If you would like to make an offering for translations, please click the links below:
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 9
Stanzas 14-15
Here we are examining the 2nd type of laziness and revisiting the sufferings of the samsaric state of mind, looking at how our habitually repeating thoughts and behaviours and our predisposition for seeking happiness through distractions and entertainment will never bring an end to suffering.
As long as we are seduced by the comfort and ease of our current situation we lack the will to change. The human body is a vessel, a boat that has the potential to bring us to freedom, with this body we have the opportunity to use our intelligence and use it well, to work towards bringing ourselves and others to the ultimate freedom. If we can recognise the rarity and value of this human life and the privilege we have been given in obtaining human birth, we cannot waste it by mindlessly entertaining ourselves with useless activities.
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted once or twice a week, usually on Tuesday and on Friday, so please visit us often. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on 23rd August. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words. Questions in other languages are also welcome and they will be translated to English.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 8
Stanzas 11-13
In verses 11 – 13 of chapter 7 on Diligence we continue examining laziness and how it manifests in our life. Rinpoche talks about the way we tend to rest into our comfort zones when things are going well, and how this traps us into using up the great merit from the past that brought us this privileged life.
He discusses the probability of our having lived many times before, how we can imagine those past lives and the reasons that our current laziness or lack of diligence can impact negatively on ourselves and others in the future. These verses draw on the previous ones, reinforcing the necessity to remain alert and useful for our selves and others, so that at the time of death –especially when it is unexpected– we don’t feel regret for our negative actions, or inaction. We can live usefully even in small ways and these small acts will accumulate as drops in the ocean of merit.
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted once or twice a week, usually on Tuesday and on Friday, so please visit us often. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be announced soon. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
This LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche took place on:
The recorded video of the live session is now above. For the audio only version, and all the audio translations, visit the Chapter 7 page.
The next LIVE Question and Answer Session with Rinpoche will be:
Sunday, 16th August 2020 – 14:30 pm GMT/UTC
Details to follow.
Please join us for these bi-monthly live sessions with Rinpoche and ask your question live or send them in advance using the comments areas or forms on any of the Bodhicharyavatara teaching posts.
If you would like to make an offering for translations, please click the links below:
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Teachings on Bodhicharyavatara
Chapter 7: Diligence
Session 6
Stanzas 4-10
In these verses, we are instructed to consider death and uncertainty, of change and impermanence, to consider that we never know how much time we have left and how procrastination can lead to the loss of opportunity and feelings of failure and unaccountability when faced with our own death. We are given a great opportunity, and through countering laziness with diligence and the right motivation we can be of benefit to others as well as ourselves in this and future lives.
These next verses take no prisoners – there is no avoiding the Lord of Death, his visit is inevitable, so do we want to face him with fear and regret for things not accomplished or half done? Or have we made the most of every opportunity to practise diligently in life and know at any time we can we meet him eye to eye, to surrender in confidence?
Archive members can also view the teaching on the Chapter 7 along with the other teachings on this chapter. All previous sessions on Chapters 1–7 are available in the Courses section of the Teachings Archive.
New sessions will be posted once or twice a week, usually on Tuesday and on Friday, so please visit us often. Every Friday we will send a mailout with links to all new teachings posted during the week.
Rinpoche has kindly agreed to answer questions regarding these teachings once in every two weeks in a live webinar on Zoom, which will be simultaneously streamed on this website. Next webinar will be on 9th August. You are encouraged to ask your question live in the webinar, but if you are more comfortable with submitting it in writing, you can do so by using the comment area below. Please reflect on your question carefully before you send it, and be concise and only use one short paragraph and less than 80 words.
In any other questions and for technical help, please contact us at Teachings Archive.
These teachings are dedicated for all who are sick and dying of corona virus, and for all who are tirelessly working in order to help them.
©2025 The Ringu Tulku Archive