How to be Diligent

“Good, good, Anuruddha and friends! But I hope you’re living diligently, keen, and resolute?” “Indeed, sir, we live diligently (keen, and resolute).” “But how do you live this way?”

“In this case, sir, whoever returns first from almsround prepares the seats, and puts out the drinking water and the rubbish bin. If there’s anything left over, whoever returns last eats it if they like. Otherwise they throw it out where there is little that grows, or drop it into water that has no living creatures.

Then they put away the seats, drinking water, and rubbish bin, and sweep the refectory. If someone sees that the pot of water for washing, drinking, or the toilet is empty they set it up. If he can’t do it, he summons another with a wave of the hand, and they set it up by lending each other a hand to lift. But we don’t break into speech for that reason. And every five days we sit together for the whole night and discuss the teachings. That’s how we live diligently, keen, and resolute.”

• MN 128 Uppakilesasutta

A few days ago, Ajahn Brahmali pointed out that this passage pointed the way of practicing diligently in the Eightfold Path: it is basically about being compassionate and considerate for oneself and for others.

This Vesak, my way of being diligent, ardent and resolute was to spend the day with my wife and mother in law (who has dementia), as they retraced my MIL’s old path of visiting the Waterloo Street Guanyin temple.

With dementia, every day like today is a bonus.