The Perfection of Energy - A hero

We read in the “Exposition of Jatukannin’s Questions” (Mahaa-Niddesa,  Khuddaka Nikaya) that Jatukannin had heard that the Buddha was courageous and that he therefore was called a hero, víra. The following passage gives the reasons why he was called a hero. There is an association in meaning between the word víra, hero, and viriya, which is the state of a strong man. All that is said in the passage below refers to viriya cetasika. We read:

“He had perseverance and was therefore called a hero.

He was valiant and was therefore called a hero.

He caused others to persevere and was therefore called a hero.

He had great capacities and was therefore called a hero.

 

He was brave and always progressing,

he was not a coward, not frightened, not fearful,

he did not flee,

he had eliminated fear and cowardice,

he was without any terror,

and thus, the Exalted One was courageous.

The Exalted One was without the akusala dhammas of this world,

he was beyond the suffering of hell,

he was endowed with energy.

 

The Buddha had viriya, the four right efforts,

he was courageous and steadfast of mind,

and therefore he was called courageous.”

Had the Buddha not been courageous, he could not have penetrated the four noble Truths and become the Sammasambuddha. The development of each kind of kusala and of panna by investigating and considering the dhamma that appears now is based on viriya, energy, and perseverance. We all should have courage and perseverance so that instead of energy for akusala, energy for kusala can arise, otherwise kusala cannot be developed. Effort or energy as applied in an unwholesome way, life after life, is useless. If we are able to understand the characteristic of viriya as applied in a wholesome way and if we shall further develop this kind of energy, we shall understand the words of the above quoted commentary about viriya: someone with viriya will be progressing, he is not a coward, he is not frightened, he has no fear and he does not flee.