Luang Por Liem: The Ways of the Peaceful - Wat Pah Nanachat

or loss of motivation take over. This definitely needs the quality
of patient endurance.
Other qualities mentioned in the “Ways to Success” are also
closely related to the quality of putting forth effort. As we might
know from our studies, the Buddha gave us some similes for the
perfection of viriya in the Jatakas, in the Mahajanaka Jataka 32 .
Relying on effort one eventually succeeds. Just like when learning
to chant the patimokkha – a task that is very beneficial for the
Sangha – one needs diligence. By application of effort one
succeeds in memorizing the patimokkha. This is why the Buddha
stated that putting forth effort is a quality that leads to success.
The conditions of our lives, which we should find methods to
overcome and become free from, don’t refer to anything other
than the two categories of rupa, the physical world, and nama the
mental world. The “Four Foundations of Mindfulness”
(satipatthana), which are also part of the bodhipakkhiyadhammas
– mindfulness of the body, feelings, the mind, and
mind-objects – concern both the physical and mental world.
Mindfulness of the body deals with rupa. Contemplating physical
form we free ourselves from it and experience not being bound up
with delusions and wrong understandings caused by attachment to
it. We apply our practice to the body, the rupa-khandha, and
create a feeling of not being overly concerned with and worried
about it. This is in accordance with the ideals that are appropriate
for samanas, so we keep practicing in this way again and again, so
that feelings of self-importance don’t arise.
32 the Mahajanaka Jataka refers to one of the ten last lives of the Bodhisatta,
in which he perfected viriya-parami (the quality of effort) swimming across the
sea for seven days without knowing when he will reach the shore.
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