“Mendicants, all the hard work that gets done depends on the earth and is grounded on the earth. “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye keci balakaraṇīyā kammantā kayiranti, sabbe te pathaviṁ nissāya pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhāya evamete balakaraṇīyā kammantā kayiranti; In the same way, a mendicant develops and cultivates the four right efforts depending on and grounded on ethics. evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya cattāro sammappadhāne bhāveti, cattāro sammappadhāne bahulīkaroti.

How so? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya cattāro sammappadhāne bhāveti, cattāro sammappadhāne bahulīkaroti? It’s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. … Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati …pe… so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are completed by development. uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

That’s how a mendicant develops and cultivates the four right efforts depending on and grounded on ethics.” Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya cattāro sammappadhāne bhāveti, cattāro sammappadhāne bahulīkarotī”ti.

(Tell in full as in SN 45.149–160.) (Evaṁ balakaraṇīyavaggo sammappadhānavasena vitthāretabbo.)

Dvādasamaṁ.

Balakaraṇīyavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Hard work, seeds, and dragons, Balaṁ bījañca nāgo ca, a tree, a pot, and a spike, rukkho kumbhena sūkiyā; the atmosphere, and two on clouds, Ākāsena ca dve meghā, a ship, a guest house, and a river. nāvā āgantukā nadīti.