Padhānasutta — Reader

Effort

Padhānasutta

“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?

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, padhānāni. Katamāni cattāri? Saṁvarappadhānaṁ, pahānappadhānaṁ, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ. Katamañca, 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. 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.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saṁvarappadhānaṁ. Katamañca, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

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.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṁ. Katamañca, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ.

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 fully developed. This is called the effort to preserve.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ.

These are the four efforts. Restraint and giving up, development and preservation: these are the four efforts

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri padhānānīti. Saṁvaro ca pahānañca, bhāvanā anurakkhaṇā; Ete padhānā cattāro,

taught by the Kinsman of the Sun. Any mendicant who keenly applies these may attain the ending of suffering.”

desitādiccabandhunā; Yo hi bhikkhu idhātāpī, khayaṁ dukkhassa pāpuṇe”ti. Navamaṁ.