ສັມມັປປະທານ ໔

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise.

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are completed by development.

That’s how a mendicant who develops and cultivates the four right efforts slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.”

(Tell in full as in SN 45.92–102.)

Six on slanting to the east,

and six on slanting to the ocean;

these two sixes make twelve,

and that’s how this chapter is recited.

Gaṅgāpeyyālavagga SN 49.1–12 https://suttacentral.net/sn49.1-12

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato

A Mendicant Develops and Cultivates the Four Right Efforts Depending on and Grounded on Ethics.

“Mendicants, all the hard work that gets done depends on the earth and is grounded on the earth. In the same way, a mendicant develops and cultivates the four right efforts depending on and grounded on ethics.

How so? It’s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. … so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are completed by development.

That’s how a mendicant develops and cultivates the four right efforts depending on and grounded on ethics.”

(Tell in full as in SN 45.149–160.)

Hard work, seeds, and dragons,

a tree, a pot, and a spike,

the sky, and two on clouds,

a ship, a guest house, and a river.

Balakaraṇīyavagga SN 49.23–34 https://suttacentral.net/sn49.23-34

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato

Four Efforts

“Mendicants, there are these four efforts. What four? The efforts to restrain, to give up, to develop, and to preserve.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to restrain? It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. This is called the effort to restrain.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to give up? It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities are given up. This is called the effort to give up.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to develop? It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise. This is called the effort to develop.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to preserve? It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fulfilled by development. This is called the effort to preserve.

These are the four efforts.

Restraint and giving up,

development and preservation:

these are the four efforts

taught by the kinsman of the Sun.

Any mendicant who keenly applies these

may attain the ending of suffering.”

Padhānasutta AN 4.69 https://suttacentral.net/an4.69