Four Right Efforts
1. Four Right Efforts
The 4 Right Efforts (also known as, 4 Proper Exertions, 4 Right Exertions, 4 Great Efforts, 4 Right Endeavours or 4 Right Strivings) (Pāḷi: sammappadhāna; Skt.: samyak-pradhāna or samyakprahāṇa) are an integral part of the Buddhist path to Bodhi (awakening).
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 4 Right Efforts encourage the relinquishment of harmful mental qualities and the nurturing of beneficial mental qualities.
The 4 Right Efforts are associated with the Noble Eightfold Path's factor of Right Effort
(sammā-vāyāma) and the 5 Spiritual Faculties' faculty of Energy
(viriya); and, are one of the 7 sets of Bodhi-pakkhiya-dhamma, factors related to Bodhi.
The 4 Right Efforts are found in the Vinaya Piṭaka, Sutta Piṭaka, Abhidhamma Piṭaka and Pāḷi commentaries.
Additionally, a similar-sounding but different concept, the 4 Efforts,
is referenced in the literature as well. These 2 concepts are presented below.
2. 4 Right Efforts
The 4 Right Efforts (cattārimāni sammappadhānāni) are defined with the following traditional phrase:
There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavours, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for:
1) the sake of the non-arising [anuppādāya] of evil, unskilful qualities that have not yet arisen.
2) ... the sake of the abandonment [pahānāya] of evil, unskilful qualities that have arisen.
3) ... the sake of the arising [upādāya] of skilful qualities that have not yet arisen.
4) ... the maintenance [ṭhitiyā], non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skilful qualities that have arisen.
This elaboration is attributed to the Buddha in response to the following questions:
What is right effort?
(SN 45.8, in the context of the Noble 8-fold Path)What is the faculty of energy?
(SN 48.10, in the context of the 5 Spiritual Faculties)What are the 4 right strivings?
(SN 49.1ff.)
This formulation is also part of an extensive exposition by Ven. Sāriputta when addressing the question of What is this Dhamma that has been well-proclaimed by the Lord [Buddha]?
(DN 33).
In addition, in a section of the Aṅguttara Nikāya known as the Snap of the Fingers Section
(AN 1.16.6, Accharāsaṅghātavaggo),
the Buddha is recorded as stating that, if a monk were to enact one of the 4 Right Efforts for the snap of the fingers (or, only for one moment
) then he abides in Jhāna, has done his duties by the Teacher, and eats the country's alms food without a debt.
A similar 2-part elaboration is provided by the Buddha in SN 48.9, again in the context of the 5 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.
What constitutes unskilful
or unwholesome
(akusala) and skilful
or wholesome
(kusala) qualities is taken up in the Abhidhamma Piṭaka and the post-canonical Pāḷi commentaries:
In general, the unskilful states are the 3 defilements (kilesa):
- greed (lobha),
- hatred (dosa)
- delusion (moha).
Skilful states are the defilements' opposites:
- non-greed (alobha),
- non-hatred (adosa)
- non-delusion (amoha).
3. 4 Efforts
Throughout the Pāḷi Canon, a distinction is made between the 4-fold Efforts
(padhāna) and the 4 Right Efforts
(sammappadhāna).
While similarly named, canonical discourses consistently define these different terms differently, even in the same or adjacent discourses.
The 4 Efforts (cattārimāni padhānāni) are summarized as:
- Restraint (saṁvara padhāna) of the senses.
- Abandonment (pahāna padhāna) of defilements.
- Cultivation (bhāvanā padhāna) of Enlightenment Factors.
- Preservation (anurakkhaṇā padhāna) of concentration, for instance, by using charnel-ground contemplations.