6. RIGHT EFFORT
In the Buddhist teachings, the Eight-fold Path is explained as a gradual training (anupubbasikkha), which unfolds itself in stages from the first step of starting and conceptually learning to the ultimate goal.
On this path, Right Effort is the first of the three steps in the concentration aggregate of the Eight-fold Path. Together with Right Mindfulness (sati) and Right Concentration (samadhi), it forms the basis and explains the practice and the objectives that are part of the Buddhist way of life for applying your mind internally and externally:
“One makes an effort to abandon wrong view and to enter upon right view: this is one’s right effort. Mindfully one abandons wrong view, mindfully one enters upon and abides in right view: this is one’s right mindfulness. Thus these three states run and circle around right view, that is, right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.” — AN III.72
An important aspect of Right Effort is right striving (sammappadhana), where it is vital to have a strong determination during the practice of Right Effort. Or even better, you could say that right effort equals right striving:
“And what, friends, is right effort? Here a monk awakens zeal for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. He awakens zeal for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. He awakens zeal for the arising of unarisen wholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. He awakens zeal for the continuance, non-disappearance, strengthening, increase, and fulfillment by development of arisen wholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. This is called right effort.” — MN III.251-252
Two types of striving are mentioned that gives an idea of the Buddhist context in which it is taught:
“Monks, there are these two strivings that are hard to achieve in the world. What two? The striving of laypeople who dwell at home for the purpose of presenting [monastics with] robes, alms-food, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick, and the striving of those who have gone forth from the household life into the homeless-life [of Buddhist wanderers] for giving up all acquisitions.” — AN I.49
The first type of striving asks for lay-people to support the monks who teach the Dhamma.The second type of striving is the Dhamma-follower’s way. The acquisitions (upadhi) that are to be given up are explained in greater detail in the Anguttara Nikaya commentary, where there are three types: the five aggregates [of becoming] (khandha), the defilements [greed, hate, and ignorance] (kilesa), and volitional activities (abhisankhara). Giving these up is being equated to nibbana itself. The striving for this is the energy arisen along with insight and the path.
The middle way of practice is recommended as something to strive for:
“And what is the middle way of practice? Here, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings . . . mind in mind . . . phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection in regard to the world. This is called the middle way of practice.” — AN I.296
Right Effort is directly related to the four right types of striving, in that it explains the types of effort and it’s objective that are required as part of the practice:
“Monks, there are these four right strivings. What four? (1) Here, a bhikkhu generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen bad unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives. (2) He generates desire for the abandoning of arisen bad unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives. (3) He generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives. (4) He generates desire for the persistence of arisen wholesome states, for their non-decline, increase, expansion, and fulfillment by development; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives. These are the four right strivings.” — AN II.15
The objective of Right Effort is to create wholesome states [of the mind] (kusala dhamma) and to alleviate unwholesome states [of the mind] (akusala dhamma). The idea is that after some practice, one can identify and discriminate between wholesome- and unwholesome states of the mind:
“Venerable sir, for one who has no faith in regard to wholesome states, no sense of shame, no fear of wrongdoing, no energy, and no wisdom, whether day or night comes only decline is to be expected in regard to wholesome states, not growth.” — SN II.206
In the next post No. 7 of the path will be discussed: Right mindfulness.
The Nikayas are Buddhist books that form the earliest Buddhist canon of scriptures containing the teachings of the Buddha.
Today we’re going to be examining the Eight Fold Path, and even more so, the Ten Fold Path that is not as well known.
First of all, it really helps to have these books in digital form, so you can search for a particular word easily and be able to read how it is mentioned and in what context it is placed in the teachings of the Buddha.
The following English translations of the primary texts are available and used:
- The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya (SN)
- The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya (DN)
- The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya (MN)
- The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya (AN
B. The Virtue and Moral Discipline aggregate of training
- Right livelihood (samma-ajiva)
C. The Concentration aggregate of training
- Right effort (samma-vayama)
- Right mindfulness (samma-sati)
- Right concentration (samma-samadhi)
The Ten-fold Path consists of two additional ‘folds’:
- Right knowledge / wisdom (samma-nana)
- Right liberation / release (samma-vimutti)
- AN = Anguttara Nikaya,
- DN = Digha Nikaya,
- MN = Majjhima Nikaya,
- SN= Samyutta Nikaya); followed by book number in roman capitalized numerals and verse number (for example, AN I.30 = Anguttara Nikaya book 1 verse 30).
Note: Quotations follow the PTS (Pali Text Society) naming and numbering format:
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