The Way We Do This Thing We Do- Perfection of Effort - Jogen Salzberg, Sensei

In this informal talk, Jogen Sensei explores the Buddhist “perfection of effort” (virya) as a subtle, deeply personal process of aligning one’s life with what the heart genuinely longs for, rather than forcing oneself through rigid discipline or external standards. He argues that all effort is already “perfect” because effort learns from itself over time, and that true practice is less about becoming someone better than about continually realigning with the awakened nature already present within us. The talk concludes by emphasizing the balance between self-effort and “other power” — support from community, teachers, and life itself — encouraging practitioners to continue steadily, sincerely, and compassionately on the path.