Now, by way of showing how the perfection of diligence surpasses the perfections of generosity, moral discipline and tolerance, the fourth resolve is explained:

Good qualities come in the wake of diligence;
What brings one stores of merit and intelligence.
As this is where their diligence is burning strong,
This ground, the fourth among them, is the Radiant. (4.1)

If one has no enthusiasm for virtuous ways, one will not apply oneself in all manners to generosity and so forth, thus making it impossible for all the good qualities to arise. With a formerly established keenness for accumulating good qualities, what has been gained will increase and what has not been gained becomes achievable. Thus, diligence is the cause of each and every good quality. That it is the cause of the two accumulations was already explained above. Being the ground where diligence blazes forth as it refines all one’s good qualities, this fourth bodhisattva ground is therefore named Radiant (arciṣmatī).

Inquiring further into why it is called ‘Radiant’, the purpose for using this name is now explained:

There now appears for the sugata heirs a light
More bright than copper, born from cultivation of
The thirty-seven factors of enlightenment –

On this ground there appears for the bodhisattvas a glow exceeding the lustre of copper previously explained, and this comes from their practice of the thirty-seven factors of awakening. Thus, since the fire of genuine wisdom blazes brightly, this bodhisattva ground is named Radiant. The thirty-seven factors of awakening are the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct abandonments, the four miraculous legs, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven limbs of awakening and the eightfold noble path.

The four applications of mindfulness are taught at length:

O victor heirs. The bodhisattva dwelling on the bodhisattva ground Radiant is assiduous, attentively and mindfully remaining with the observation of the inner body, abandoning craving and discomfort relating to the world. He is assiduous, attentively and mindfully remaining with the observation of the outer body, abandoning craving and discomfort relating to the world. … remaining with the observation of the inner and outer body … (and so forth, as before). Likewise, he is assiduous, attentively and mindfully remaining with … inner sensations, outer sensations, and inner and outer sensations; (and, as before) … with inner thinking, outer thinking, and inner and outer thinking; … remaining with inner dharmas, outer dharmas, and inner and outer dharmas.¹

Concerning the four correct abandonments it is taught:

He sets himself a goal, strives, is diligent, focuses his mind and directs it properly in order not to give rise to negative non-virtuous dharmas that have not yet arisen. Likewise, he … in order to rid himself of negative non-virtuous dharmas that have arisen. Likewise, he … in order to give rise to virtuous dharmas that have not yet arisen. Likewise, he sets himself a goal, strives … in order to stabilise, keep from diminishing, increase, ensure the future arising and complete perfection of virtuous dharmas that have arisen.²

Concerning the four miraculous legs it is taught:

He cultivates the miraculous leg of the concentration of interest, combined with the impulse of abandonment, through relying on isolation, relying on freedom from attachment, relying on extinction and developing renunciation. Likewise, … the miraculous leg of the concentration of diligence, combined with the impulse of abandonment, … ; … the miraculous leg of intention, combined with the impulse of abandonment, … ; … the miraculous leg of investigation, combined with the impulse of abandonment, … .³

Concerning the five faculties it is taught:

He cultivates the faculty of faith, relying on isolation … the faculty of diligence … the faculty of mindfulness … the faculty of concentration … the faculty of intelligence, relying on isolation, relying on freedom from attachment … (and so forth, as before).⁴

The five powers are exactly the same as those when the disharmonious elements have been overcome.

Concerning the seven limbs of awakening it is taught:

He cultivates the limb of true awakening that is mindfulness, relying on isolation … the limb of true awakening that is investigation of dharmas … the limb of true awakening that is diligence … the limb of true awakening that is joy … the limb of true awakening that is pliancy … the limb of true awakening that is concentration … the limb of true awakening that is equanimity, relying on isolation … (and so forth, as before).⁵

Concerning the eightfold noble path it is taught:

He cultivates correct view, relying on isolation, relying on freedom from attachment, relying on extinction and developing renunciation. He cultivates correct thought … correct speech … correct action … correct livelihood … correct exertion … correct mindfulness … correct concentration, relying on isolation … (and so forth, as before).⁶

Not only do they on this ground gain a cultivation of the factors of awakening:

And any sense of self is now entirely gone. (4.2)

On this ground their view of self is also removed. As stated:

O victor heirs. The bodhisattva dwelling on the bodhisattva ground Radiant is free from all things related to the identity view: he is freed from all sense of stimulation, conceptualisation, analysis, sense of permanence, sense of ownership, sense of wealth and sense of abiding arising through attachment to a self, sentient beings, life, maintenance, a person, an individual, aggregates, elements and sense fields.⁷

This concludes the fourth resolve from the Commentary to Entering the Middle Way.