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Four Right Exertions

January 31, 2023

The Four Right Exertions
    unarisen arisen  
unwholesome
states of mind 		prevent abandon
wholesome
states of mind 		arouse maintain
     

The Four Right Exertions (also known as, Four Proper Exertions, Four Right Efforts, Four Great Efforts, Four Right Endeavors or Four Right Strivings) (Pali: sammappadhāna; Skt.: samyak-pradhāna or samyakprahāṇa) are an integral part of the Buddhist path to Enlightenment (understanding). Built on the insightful recognition of the arising and non-arising of various mental qualities over time and of our ability to mindfully intervene in these ephemeral qualities, the Four Right Exertions encourage the relinquishment of harmful mental qualities and the nurturing of beneficial mental qualities.

The Four Right Exertions are associated with the Noble Eightfold Path's factor of "right effort" (sammā-vāyāma) and the Five Spiritual Faculties' faculty of "energy" (viriya); and, are one of the seven sets of Bodhipakkhiyadhamma, factors related to bodhi.

In the Pali literature

The Four Right Exertions are found in the Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, Abhidhamma Pitaka and Pali commentaries.[1] Additionally, a similar-sounding but different concept, the "four exertions," is referenced in the literature as well. These two concepts are presented below.

Four Right Exertions

The Four Right Exertions (cattārimāni sammappadhānāni) are defined with the following traditional phrase:

"There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for:
"[i] the sake of the non-arising [anuppādāya] of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
"[ii] ... the sake of the abandonment [pahānāya] of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.
"[iii] ... the sake of the arising [uppādāya] of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
"[iv] ... the maintenance [ṭhitiyā], non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen."[2]

This elaboration is attributed to the Buddha in response to the following questions:

This formulation is also part of an extensive exposition by Ven. Sariputta when addressing the question of "What is this Dhamma that has been well-proclaimed by the Lord [Buddha]?" (DN 33).[6] In addition, in a section of the Anguttara Nikaya known as the "Snap of the Fingers Section" (AN 1.16.6, Accharāsaṇghātavaggo), the Buddha is recorded as stating that, if a monk were to enact one of the four right exertions for the snap of the fingers (or, "only for one moment")[7] then "he abides in jhana, has done his duties by the Teacher, and eats the country's alms food without a debt."[8]

A similar two-part elaboration is provided by the Buddha in SN 48.9, again in the context of the Five Spiritual Faculties, when he states:

"And what, bhikkhus, is the faculty of energy? Here, bhikkhus, the noble disciple dwells with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome states and the acquisition of wholesome states; he is strong, firm in exertion, not shirking the responsibility of cultivating wholesome states. This is the faculty of energy."[9]

What constitutes "unskillful" or "unwholesome" (akusala) and "skillful" or "wholesome" (kusala) qualities is taken up in the Abhidhamma Pitaka and the post-canonical Pali commentaries.[10] In general, the unskillful states are the three defilements (kilesa): greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha).[11] Skillful states are the defilements' opposites: non-greed (alobha), non-hatred (adosa) and non-delusion (amoha).[12][13]

Four Exertions

Throughout the Pali Canon, a distinction is made between the fourfold "exertions" (padhāna) and the four "Right Exertions" (sammappadhāna). While similarly named, canonical discourses consistently define these different terms differently, even in the same or adjacent discourses.[14]

The four exertions (cattārimāni padhānāni) are summarized as:

  1. Restraint (saṃvara padhāna) of the senses.
  2. Abandonment (pahāna padhāna) of defilements.
  3. Cultivation (bhāvanā padhāna) of Enlightenment Factors.
  4. Preservation (anurakkhaṇā padhāna) of concentration, for instance, using charnel-ground contemplations.[15]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 411, entry on "padhāna" identifies the following Pali texts: "Vin i.22; S i.105; iii.96 (the four); A ii.15 (id.); iii.12; iv.125; Nd1 14; Ps i.21, 85, 90, 161; SnA 124; PvA 98."
  2. ^ Thanissaro (1996), boldface added, repetitions elided. The Pali for what Thanissaro translates as "evil, unskillful qualities" is pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ and the Pali for "skillful qualities" is kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ.
  3. ^ Bodhi (2000), pp. 1670-71; and, Thanissaro (1996).
  4. ^ Bodhi (2000), pp. 1671-72.
  5. ^ Bodhi (2000), pp. 1709-12.
  6. ^ Walshe (1995), pp. 480, 487, set of four #2.
  7. ^ Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), entry for "Accharā" (p. 9), retrieved 2007-08-25.
  8. ^ AN 1:394-397 (Upalavanna, n.d.). 2011-01-16 at the Wayback Machine For the original Pali, see AN 1.16.6.13-16 at MettaNet-Lanka's http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/1-ekanipata/016-Ekadhammapali-p.html.
  9. ^ Bodhi (2000), p. 1671. Thus here the Buddha speaks of abandoning and acquisition as opposed to the abandoning, non-arising, arising and maintenance of SN 48.10.
  10. ^ Bodhi (2000), p. 1939, n. 245 identifies the following sources: the Abhidhammic Vibh 208-14; and, the post-canonical Vibh.-atthakatha (Sammohavinodani) 289-96, and Vism 679.
  11. ^ At times the Visuddhimagga speaks more broadly about abandoning the ten fetters, defilements, hindrances, clingings, etc. See, for instance, Buddhaghosa & Ñāṇamoli (1999), pp. 707-709, XXII.47-63.
  12. ^ Bodhi (2000), op. cit.
  13. ^ Similar to the unwholesome/wholesome "qualities" or "states" (dhamma), a number of discourses in the Sutta Pitaka identify unwholesome/wholesome acts and their roots. For instance, in the Sammaditthi Sutta (MN 9) (Ñanamoli & Bodhi, 1991), Sariputta identifies unwholesomeness as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, malicious speech, abusive speech, gossip, covetness, ill will and wrong view. (Wholesomeness is abstaining from these unwholesome acts.) The roots of the unwholesome are greed, hate and delusion. (Roots of the wholesome are non-greed, non-hate and non-delusion.)
  14. ^ Discourses that include separate definitions for both these terms either within the same or adjacent discourses include:
    • in DN 33, when listing "[sets of] four things which were perfectly proclaimed by the Lord," Ven. Sariputta elaborates upon the "Four Right Exertions" (or "four great efforts") as the second set of four and upon the "Four Exertions" as the tenth set (Walshe, 1995, pp. 487, 490).
    • in AN ii. 15, the "Four Right Exertions" are defined; while AN ii.16 defines the "Four Exertions" (Jayasundere, n.d., sutta 3 ("Exertions (a)") and sutta 4 ("Exertions (b)")).
    • in Ps i.84, the "Four Exertions" are defined; while in Ps i.85 the "Four Right Exertions" are defined.
  15. ^ Translations primarily based on Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), entries for "padhāna" (p. 411), "saŋvara" (p. 657), "pahāna" (p. 448), "bhāvanā" (p. 503) and "anurakkhā" (p. 41) (all pages retrieved on 2007-05-29). Examples of discourses that expand on the four exertions are DN 33, set of four #10 (Walshe, 1995, p. 490); and, AN 4.14 (Jayasundere, n.d., sutta 4, "Exertions (b)," retrieved 2007-05-30). For more information on charnel-ground contemplations, see, for instance, the Satipatthana Sutta.

Sources

  • Bodhi, Bhikkhu (trans.) (2000). The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-331-1.
  • Buddhaghosa, Bhadantacariya & Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli (trans.) (1999). The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga. Seattle, WA: BPS Pariyatti Editions. ISBN 1-928706-00-2.
  • Jayasundere, A.D. (trans.) (n.d.). "Caravaggo" (AN 4, ch. 2). Retrieved on 2007-05-30 from "METTANET - LANKA" at: .
  • Ñanamoli Thera (trans.) & Bhikkhu Bodhi (ed.) (1991). The Discourse on Right View: The Sammaditthi Sutta and its Commentary (The Wheel Publication No. 377/379). Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society. Retrieved on 2007-08-25 from "Access to Insight" (1994) at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel377.html.
  • Rhys Davids, T.W. & William Stede (eds.) (1921-5). The Pali Text Society’s Pali–English Dictionary. Chipstead: Pali Text Society. A general on-line search engine for the PED is available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.
  • Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1987, 1996). Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path (SN 45.8). Retrieved on 2007-05-28 from "Access to Insight" at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html.
  • Upalavanna, Sister. (trans.) (n.d.). "Ekadhammapali: One thing" (AN 1, ch. 16). Retrieved on 2007-08-25 from "METTANET - LANKA" at: .
  • Walshe, Maurice O'C. (1995). The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-103-3.

January 31, 2023
four, right, exertions, unarisen, arisen, unwholesomestates, mind, prevent, abandonwholesomestates, mind, arouse, maintain, also, known, four, proper, exertions, four, right, efforts, four, great, efforts, four, right, endeavors, four, right, strivings, pali, . The Four Right Exertions unarisen arisen unwholesomestates of mind prevent abandonwholesomestates of mind arouse maintain The Four Right Exertions also known as Four Proper Exertions Four Right Efforts Four Great Efforts Four Right Endeavors or Four Right Strivings Pali sammappadhana Skt samyak pradhana or samyakprahaṇa are an integral part of the Buddhist path to Enlightenment understanding Built on the insightful recognition of the arising and non arising of various mental qualities over time and of our ability to mindfully intervene in these ephemeral qualities the Four Right Exertions encourage the relinquishment of harmful mental qualities and the nurturing of beneficial mental qualities The Four Right Exertions are associated with the Noble Eightfold Path s factor of right effort samma vayama and the Five Spiritual Faculties faculty of energy viriya and are one of the seven sets of Bodhipakkhiyadhamma factors related to bodhi Contents 1 In the Pali literature 1 1 Four Right Exertions 1 2 Four Exertions 2 See also 3 Notes 4 SourcesIn the Pali literature EditThe Four Right Exertions are found in the Vinaya Pitaka Sutta Pitaka Abhidhamma Pitaka and Pali commentaries 1 Additionally a similar sounding but different concept the four exertions is referenced in the literature as well These two concepts are presented below Four Right Exertions Edit The Four Right Exertions cattarimani sammappadhanani are defined with the following traditional phrase There is the case where a monk generates desire endeavors activates persistence upholds amp exerts his intent for i the sake of the non arising anuppadaya of evil unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen ii the sake of the abandonment pahanaya of evil unskillful qualities that have arisen iii the sake of the arising uppadaya of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen iv the maintenance ṭhitiya non confusion increase plenitude development amp culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen 2 This elaboration is attributed to the Buddha in response to the following questions What is right effort SN 45 8 3 in the context of the Noble Eightfold Path What is the faculty of energy SN 48 10 4 in the context of the Five Spiritual Faculties What are the four right strivings SN 49 1ff 5 This formulation is also part of an extensive exposition by Ven Sariputta when addressing the question of What is this Dhamma that has been well proclaimed by the Lord Buddha DN 33 6 In addition in a section of the Anguttara Nikaya known as the Snap of the Fingers Section AN 1 16 6 Accharasaṇghatavaggo the Buddha is recorded as stating that if a monk were to enact one of the four right exertions for the snap of the fingers or only for one moment 7 then he abides in jhana has done his duties by the Teacher and eats the country s alms food without a debt 8 A similar two part elaboration is provided by the Buddha in SN 48 9 again in the context of the Five Spiritual Faculties when he states And what bhikkhus is the faculty of energy Here bhikkhus the noble disciple dwells with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome states and the acquisition of wholesome states he is strong firm in exertion not shirking the responsibility of cultivating wholesome states This is the faculty of energy 9 What constitutes unskillful or unwholesome akusala and skillful or wholesome kusala qualities is taken up in the Abhidhamma Pitaka and the post canonical Pali commentaries 10 In general the unskillful states are the three defilements kilesa greed lobha hatred dosa and delusion moha 11 Skillful states are the defilements opposites non greed alobha non hatred adosa and non delusion amoha 12 13 Four Exertions Edit Throughout the Pali Canon a distinction is made between the fourfold exertions padhana and the four Right Exertions sammappadhana While similarly named canonical discourses consistently define these different terms differently even in the same or adjacent discourses 14 The four exertions cattarimani padhanani are summarized as Restraint saṃvara padhana of the senses Abandonment pahana padhana of defilements Cultivation bhavana padhana of Enlightenment Factors Preservation anurakkhaṇa padhana of concentration for instance using charnel ground contemplations 15 See also EditAyatana Sense Bases Bodhi Enlightenment Bodhipakkhiyadhamma Enlightenment Qualities Bojjhanga Enlightenment Factors Buddhist meditation Iddhipada Bases of Spiritual Power Indriya Spiritual Faculty Kilesa Defilement Noble Eightfold Path Samadhi Concentration Viriya Effort Notes Edit Rhys Davids amp Stede 1921 25 p 411 entry on padhana identifies the following Pali texts Vin i 22 S i 105 iii 96 the four A ii 15 id iii 12 iv 125 Nd1 14 Ps i 21 85 90 161 SnA 124 PvA 98 Thanissaro 1996 boldface added repetitions elided The Pali for what Thanissaro translates as evil unskillful qualities is papakanaṃ akusalanaṃ dhammanaṃ and the Pali for skillful qualities is kusalanaṃ dhammanaṃ Bodhi 2000 pp 1670 71 and Thanissaro 1996 Bodhi 2000 pp 1671 72 Bodhi 2000 pp 1709 12 Walshe 1995 pp 480 487 set of four 2 Rhys Davids amp Stede 1921 25 entry for Acchara p 9 retrieved 2007 08 25 AN 1 394 397 Upalavanna n d Archived 2011 01 16 at the Wayback Machine For the original Pali see AN 1 16 6 13 16 at MettaNet Lanka s http metta lk tipitaka 2Sutta Pitaka 4Anguttara Nikaya Anguttara1 1 ekanipata 016 Ekadhammapali p html Bodhi 2000 p 1671 Thus here the Buddha speaks of abandoning and acquisition as opposed to the abandoning non arising arising and maintenance of SN 48 10 Bodhi 2000 p 1939 n 245 identifies the following sources the Abhidhammic Vibh 208 14 and the post canonical Vibh atthakatha Sammohavinodani 289 96 and Vism 679 At times the Visuddhimagga speaks more broadly about abandoning the ten fetters defilements hindrances clingings etc See for instance Buddhaghosa amp Naṇamoli 1999 pp 707 709 XXII 47 63 Bodhi 2000 op cit Similar to the unwholesome wholesome qualities or states dhamma a number of discourses in the Sutta Pitaka identify unwholesome wholesome acts and their roots For instance in the Sammaditthi Sutta MN 9 Nanamoli amp Bodhi 1991 Sariputta identifies unwholesomeness as killing stealing sexual misconduct lying malicious speech abusive speech gossip covetness ill will and wrong view Wholesomeness is abstaining from these unwholesome acts The roots of the unwholesome are greed hate and delusion Roots of the wholesome are non greed non hate and non delusion Discourses that include separate definitions for both these terms either within the same or adjacent discourses include in DN 33 when listing sets of four things which were perfectly proclaimed by the Lord Ven Sariputta elaborates upon the Four Right Exertions or four great efforts as the second set of four and upon the Four Exertions as the tenth set Walshe 1995 pp 487 490 in AN ii 15 the Four Right Exertions are defined while AN ii 16 defines the Four Exertions Jayasundere n d sutta 3 Exertions a and sutta 4 Exertions b in Ps i 84 the Four Exertions are defined while in Ps i 85 the Four Right Exertions are defined Translations primarily based on Rhys Davids amp Stede 1921 25 entries for padhana p 411 saŋvara p 657 pahana p 448 bhavana p 503 and anurakkha p 41 all pages retrieved on 2007 05 29 Examples of discourses that expand on the four exertions are DN 33 set of four 10 Walshe 1995 p 490 and AN 4 14 Jayasundere n d sutta 4 Exertions b retrieved 2007 05 30 For more information on charnel ground contemplations see for instance the Satipatthana Sutta Sources EditBodhi Bhikkhu trans 2000 The Connected Discourses of the Buddha A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya Boston Wisdom Publications ISBN 0 86171 331 1 Buddhaghosa Bhadantacariya amp Bhikkhu Naṇamoli trans 1999 The Path of Purification Visuddhimagga Seattle WA BPS Pariyatti Editions ISBN 1 928706 00 2 Jayasundere A D trans n d Caravaggo AN 4 ch 2 Retrieved on 2007 05 30 from METTANET LANKA at https web archive org web 20130705174936 http www metta lk tipitaka 2Sutta Pitaka 4Anguttara Nikaya Anguttara2 4 catukkanipata 002 caravaggo e2 html Nanamoli Thera trans amp Bhikkhu Bodhi ed 1991 The Discourse on Right View The Sammaditthi Sutta and its Commentary The Wheel Publication No 377 379 Kandy Buddhist Publication Society Retrieved on 2007 08 25 from Access to Insight 1994 at http www accesstoinsight org lib authors nanamoli wheel377 html Rhys Davids T W amp William Stede eds 1921 5 The Pali Text Society s Pali English Dictionary Chipstead Pali Text Society A general on line search engine for the PED is available at http dsal uchicago edu dictionaries pali Thanissaro Bhikkhu trans 1987 1996 Magga vibhanga Sutta An Analysis of the Path SN 45 8 Retrieved on 2007 05 28 from Access to Insight at http www accesstoinsight org tipitaka sn sn45 sn45 008 than html Upalavanna Sister trans n d Ekadhammapali One thing AN 1 ch 16 Retrieved on 2007 08 25 from METTANET LANKA at https web archive org web 20110116045748 http www metta lk tipitaka 2Sutta Pitaka 4Anguttara Nikaya Anguttara1 1 ekanipata 016 Ekadhammapali e html Walshe Maurice O C 1995 The Long Discourses of the Buddha A Translation of the Digha Nikaya Somerville MA Wisdom Publications ISBN 0 86171 103 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Four Right Exertions amp oldid 1100336368, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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