• Numbered Discourses 4.69 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 4.69
  • 7. Fitting Deeds 7. Pattakammavagga

Effort Padhānasutta

ā€œMendicants, there are these four efforts. ā€œCattārimāni, bhikkhave, padhānāni. What four? Katamāni cattāri? The efforts to restrain, to give up, to develop, and to preserve. Saṁvarappadhānaṁ, pahānappadhānaṁ, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to restrain? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, saṁvarappadhānaṁ? It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vÄ«riyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. This is called the effort to restrain. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saṁvarappadhānaṁ.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to give up? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṁ? It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities are given up. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vÄ«riyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. This is called the effort to give up. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṁ.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to develop? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ? It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vÄ«riyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. This is called the effort to develop. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ.

And what, mendicants, is the effort to preserve? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ? 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. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ į¹­hitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripÅ«riyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vÄ«riyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. This is called the effort to preserve. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ.

These are the four efforts. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri padhānānīti.

Restraint and giving up, Saṁvaro ca pahānaƱca, development and preservation: bhāvanā anurakkhaṇā; these are the four efforts Ete padhānā cattāro, taught by the Kinsman of the Sun. desitādiccabandhunā; Any mendicant who keenly applies these Yo hi bhikkhu idhātāpÄ«, may attain the ending of suffering.ā€ khayaṁ dukkhassa pāpuṇeā€ti.