AN 4.13

Padhānasutta

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, sammappadhānāni. Katamāni cattāri? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati; uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati; anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati; uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri sammappadhānānīti.

Effort

“Mendicants, there are these four right efforts. What four? A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up. 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 fully developed. These are the four right efforts.

Sammappadhānā māradheyyābhibhūtā, Te asitā jātimaraṇabhayassa pāragū; Te tusitā jetvā māraṁ savāhiniṁ te anejā, Sabbaṁ namucibalaṁ upātivattā te sukhitā”ti.

By rightly striving, they’ve crushed Māra’s sovereignty; unattached, they’ve gone beyond the peril of birth and death. Contented and unstirred, they’ve vanquished Māra with his legions; now they’ve gone beyond all Namuci’s forces, they’re happy.”