Virya (Diligence) — The Fourth Paramita

Virya shares a root with the English 'virile' — it is the energy that sustains practice through difficulty. Not frenetic effort but the steady force that keeps the practitioner on the path when enthusiasm fades. Hex 1 (The Creative) is pure yang energy, the dragon rising through stages. The I-Ching's image of the dragon progressing from hidden to flying to overreaching maps the arc of virya: begin quietly, build steadily, know when to stop pushing. The arrogant dragon at the top warns against effort that becomes aggression.

Cross-Tradition Resonances