熱心に修行するとは
To practice diligently
2026-01-31
When one opens and studies the early Buddhist scriptures of Shakyamuni Buddha, it is taught that a practitioner of the Buddhist path should devote themselves earnestly to practice. Concretely, the principle is expressed as follows:
76 For a brahmin who practices meditation with ardent diligence, when these virtues arise and he clearly understands that suffering arises based on causes and conditions, all his doubts disappear.
77 For a brahmin who practices meditation with ardent diligence, when these virtues arise and he clearly understands that phenomena arise based on causes and conditions, all his doubts disappear.
78 For a brahmin who practices meditation with ardent diligence, when these virtues arise and he approaches the cessation of causes and conditions, all his doubts disappear.
79 For a brahmin who practices meditation with ardent diligence, when these virtues arise and he approaches the cessation of the various forms of feeling, all his doubts disappear.
80 For a brahmin who practices meditation with ardent diligence, when these virtues arise and he approaches the cessation of the defilements, all his doubts disappear.
81 For a brahmin who practices meditation with ardent diligence, when these virtues arise, he illuminates the whole world — just as the sun, when it rises, lights up the sky.
82 For a brahmin who practices meditation with ardent diligence, when these virtues arise, he illuminates the whole world — for the Buddha is liberated from all bonds and fetters.
83 For a brahmin who practices meditation with ardent diligence, when these virtues arise, he drives away the armies of Māra — for the Buddha is freed from every bond and fetter. (Words of Inspiration, Udānavarga, Chapter 33: The Brahmin, translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko.)
1062 The Master (the Buddha) replied: “Dhotaka, then be wise in this world, be heedful, and strive earnestly. Hear the voice that comes from this (my) mouth and learn of your own peace.”
1063 “I behold the Brahmin who acts with possession of nothing in the world of gods and humans, O All-seeing One. I bow to you, O Man of the Śākya clan. Free me from all doubts.”
1064 “Dhotaka, I am unable to liberate any doubter in the world. Yet if you come to know the highest truth, by that very means you will cross over this raging torrent of defilements.” (The Words of the Buddha, Sutta-nipāta, Chapter 5: The Chapter on the Way to the Far Shore, 6: The Questions of the Student Dhotaka, translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko)
Now then, it is not far from correct to understand that the practitioner of the Buddhist path being described as ardent or zealous refers not so much to the middle stages of practice, but rather to the point just before the completion of training.
Lines 81–83, 1062, 1064, and others clearly set forth this principle.
In short, what is important is not that one must practice every day with a blood-stained intensity of effort, but that one should pursue the truth with particular earnestness at the final stage of Buddhist training.
In fact, the very last step of Buddhist practice is the most difficult.
For this reason, the overall guidance for Buddhist practice is taught as: “Aspire fervently to know the truth.”
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