8.

Analysis of Right Strivings

1.

The Suttanta Classification

390. The four right strivings - Here a monk generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; he generates desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; he generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; he generates desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

391. And how does a monk generate desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, strive, arouse energy, exert the mind, and strive? Therein, what are unarisen evil unwholesome mental states? Three unwholesome roots - greed, hate, delusion. And the co-existent mental defilements. The aggregate of feeling associated with them, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental activities, the aggregate of consciousness, bodily action, verbal action, mental action originating from them - these are called "unarisen evil unwholesome mental states". Thus for the non-arising of these unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, he generates desire, strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

392. "Generates desire" means: Therein, what is desire? Whatever desire, desirousness, wish to do, wholesome desire for mental states - this is called "desire". This desire one generates, produces, raises, originates, brings forth, brings into existence. Therefore it is said "generates desire".

393. "Strives" means: Therein, what is effort? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort - this is called "effort". One who is endowed with this effort, fully endowed, approached, fully approached, attained, accomplished, possessed of it. Therefore it is said "strives".

394. "One arouses energy." Therein, what is energy? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort - this is called "energy". This energy one arouses, undertakes, practises, develops, and cultivates. Therefore it is said "one arouses energy."

395. "He exerts the mind" means: Therein, what is mind? Whatever consciousness, mind, mental state, etc. corresponding mind-consciousness element - this is called "mind". This mind one exerts, fully exerts, supports, and repeatedly supports. Therefore it is said "he exerts the mind".

396. "Strives" means: Therein, what is striving? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort - this is called "striving". One who is endowed with this striving, etc. possessed of it. Therefore it is said "strives".

397. And how does a monk generate desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, strive, arouse energy, exert the mind, and strive? Therein, what are arisen evil unwholesome mental states? Three unwholesome roots - greed, hate, delusion. And the co-existent mental defilements. The aggregate of feeling associated with them, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental activities, the aggregate of consciousness, bodily action, verbal action, mental action originating from them - these are called "arisen evil unwholesome mental states". Thus for the abandoning of these arisen evil unwholesome mental states, he generates desire, strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

398. "Generates desire" means: Therein, what is desire? Whatever desire, desirousness, wish to do, wholesome desire for mental states - this is called "desire". This desire one generates, produces, raises, originates, brings forth, brings into existence. Therefore it is said "generates desire".

399. "Strives" means: Therein, what is effort? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort - this is called "effort". One who is endowed with this effort, etc. possessed of it. Therefore it is said "strives".

400. "One arouses energy." Therein, what is energy? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort - this is called "energy". This energy one arouses, undertakes, practises, develops, and cultivates. Therefore it is said "one arouses energy."

401. "He exerts the mind" means: Therein, what is mind? Whatever consciousness, mind, mental state, etc. corresponding mind-consciousness element - this is called "mind". This mind one exerts, fully exerts, supports, and repeatedly supports. Therefore it is said "he exerts the mind".

402. "Strives" means: Therein, what is striving? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort - this is called "striving". One who is endowed with this striving, etc. possessed of it. Therefore it is said "strives".

403. And how does a monk generate desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, strive, arouse energy, exert the mind, and strive? Therein, what are unarisen wholesome mental states? Three wholesome roots - non-greed, non-hate, non-delusion. The aggregate of feeling associated with them, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental activities, the aggregate of consciousness. Bodily action, verbal action, mental action originating from them - these are called "unarisen wholesome mental states". Thus for the arising of these unarisen wholesome mental states, he generates desire, strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

404. "Generates desire" means etc. "strives" means etc. "arouses energy" means etc. "exerts the mind" means etc. "strives" means: Therein, what is striving? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort - this is called "striving". One who is endowed with this striving, etc. possessed of it. Therefore it is said "strives".

405. And how does a monk generate desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives? Therein, what are arisen wholesome mental states? Three wholesome roots - non-greed, non-hate, non-delusion. The aggregate of feeling associated with them, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental activities, the aggregate of consciousness, bodily action, verbal action, mental action originating from them - these are called "arisen wholesome mental states". Thus for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of these arisen wholesome mental states, he generates desire, strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

406. "For duration": Whatever is duration, that is non-confusion; whatever is non-confusion, that is increase; whatever is increase, that is expansion; whatever is expansion, that is meditation; whatever is meditation, that is fulfilment.

407. "Generates desire" means etc. "strives" means etc. "arouses energy" means etc. "exerts the mind" means etc. "strives" means: Therein, what is striving? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort - this is called "striving". One who is endowed with this striving, etc. possessed of it. Therefore it is said "strives".

The Discourse Analysis.

2.

The Abhidhamma Classification

408. The four right strivings - Here a monk generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; he generates desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; he generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; he generates desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

409. And how does a monk generate desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, strive, arouse energy, exert the mind, and strive? Here a monk, at whatever time he develops supramundane meditative absorption, leading to liberation, leading to non-accumulation, for the abandoning of wrong views, for the attainment of the first plane, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is of difficult practice and sluggish direct knowledge, at that time he generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

410. "Generates desire" means: Therein, what is desire? Whatever desire, desirousness, wish to do, wholesome desire for mental states - this is called "desire". This desire one generates, produces, raises, originates, brings forth, brings into existence. Therefore it is said "generates desire".

411. "Strives" means: Therein, what is effort? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort, enlightenment factor of energy, path factor, included in the path - this is called "effort". One who is endowed with this effort, fully endowed, approached, fully approached, attained, accomplished, possessed of it. Therefore it is said "strives".

412. "One arouses energy." Therein, what is energy? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort, enlightenment factor of energy, path factor, included in the path - this is called "energy". This energy one arouses, undertakes, practises, develops, and cultivates. Therefore it is said "one arouses energy."

413. "He exerts the mind" means: Therein, what is mind? Whatever consciousness, mind, mental state, etc. corresponding mind-consciousness element - this is called "mind". This mind one exerts, fully exerts, supports, and repeatedly supports. Therefore it is said "he exerts the mind".

414. "Strives" means: Therein, what is right striving? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort, enlightenment factor of energy, path factor, included in the path - this is called "right striving". The remaining states are associated with right striving.

415. And how does a monk generate desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, strive, arouse energy, exert the mind, and strive? Here a monk, at whatever time he develops supramundane meditative absorption, leading to liberation, leading to non-accumulation, for the abandoning of wrong views, for the attainment of the first plane, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is of difficult practice and sluggish direct knowledge, at that time he generates desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

416. "Generates desire" means etc. "strives" means etc. "arouses energy" means etc. "exerts the mind" means etc. "strives" means: Therein, what is right striving? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort, enlightenment factor of energy, path factor, included in the path - this is called "right striving". The remaining states are associated with right striving.

417. And how does a monk generate desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, strive, arouse energy, exert the mind, and strive? Here a monk, at whatever time he develops supramundane meditative absorption, leading to liberation, leading to non-accumulation, for the abandoning of wrong views, for the attainment of the first plane, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is of difficult practice and sluggish direct knowledge, at that time he generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

418. "Generates desire" means etc. "strives" means etc. "arouses energy" means etc. "exerts the mind" means etc. "strives" means: Therein, what is right striving? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort, enlightenment factor of energy, path factor, included in the path - this is called "right striving". The remaining states are associated with right striving.

419. And how does a monk generate desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives? Here a monk, at whatever time he develops supramundane meditative absorption, leading to liberation, leading to non-accumulation, for the abandoning of wrong views, for the attainment of the first plane, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is of difficult practice and sluggish direct knowledge, at that time he generates desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

420. "For duration": Whatever is duration, that is non-confusion; whatever is non-confusion, that is increase; whatever is increase, that is expansion; whatever is expansion, that is meditation; whatever is meditation, that is fulfilment.

421. "Generates desire" means: Therein, what is desire? Whatever desire, desirousness, wish to do, wholesome desire for mental states - this is called "desire". This desire one generates, produces, raises, originates, brings forth, brings into existence. Therefore it is said "generates desire".

422. "Strives" means: Therein, what is effort? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort, enlightenment factor of energy, path factor, included in the path - this is called "effort". One who is endowed with this effort, etc. possessed of it. Therefore it is said "strives".

423. "One arouses energy." Therein, what is energy? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort, enlightenment factor of energy, path factor, included in the path - this is called "energy". This energy one arouses, undertakes, practises, develops, and cultivates. Therefore it is said "one arouses energy."

424. "He exerts the mind" means: Therein, what is mind? Whatever consciousness, mind, mental state, etc. corresponding mind-consciousness element - this is called "mind". This mind one exerts, fully exerts, supports, and repeatedly supports. Therefore it is said "he exerts the mind".

425. "Strives" means: Therein, what is right striving? Whatever mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort, enlightenment factor of energy, path factor, included in the path - this is called "right striving". The remaining states are associated with right striving.

426. Therein, what is right striving? Here a monk, at whatever time he develops supramundane meditative absorption, leading to liberation, leading to non-accumulation, for the abandoning of wrong views, for the attainment of the first plane, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is of difficult practice and sluggish direct knowledge, whatever at that time is mental arousal of energy, etc. right effort, enlightenment factor of energy, path factor, included in the path - this is called "right striving". The remaining states are associated with right striving.

The Higher Teaching Analysis.

3.

The Question Section

427. The four right strivings - Here a monk generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, etc. for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, etc. he generates desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives.

428. Of the four right strivings, how many are wholesome, how many are unwholesome, how many are indeterminate? Etc. How many are conflicting, how many are without conflict?

1.

The threes

429. Wholesome only. May be associated with pleasant feeling, may be associated with neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling. States that have resultant quality. Neither clung-to nor subject to clinging. Undefiled and not subject to defilement. May be with applied and sustained thought, may be without applied but sustained thought only, may be without applied and sustained thought. May be accompanied by rapture, may be accompanied by pleasure, may be accompanied by equanimity. To be abandoned neither by seeing nor by meditative development. Connected with a root to be abandoned neither by seeing nor by meditative development. Leading to non-accumulation. The trainees. Limitless. Limitless object. Superior. With fixed course of the right path. Not having the path as object. Connected with the path as root. May have path predominance, may not be said to have path predominance. May be arisen, may be unarisen, they are not to be said to be subject to arise. May be past, may be future, may be present. Not to be said to have a past object, nor a future object, nor a present object. May be internal, may be external, may be internal-external. External object. Non-manifest and non-impinging.

2.

The twos

430. Non-roots. With root. Associated with root. Not to be said to be both roots and with root; with root and not roots. Not to be said to be both roots and associated with root; associated with root and not roots. Non-roots with root. With condition. Conditioned. Non-manifest. Non-impinging. Immaterial. Supramundane. Cognizable in some way, not cognizable in some way. Non-mental corruptions. Without mental corruptions. Dissociated from mental corruptions. Not to be said to be both mental corruptions and with mental corruptions, nor to be with mental corruptions and not mental corruptions. Not to be said to be both mental corruptions and associated with mental corruptions, nor to be associated with mental corruptions and not mental corruptions. Dissociated from mental corruptions. Without mental corruptions. Non-mental fetters, etc. Non-mental knots, etc. Non-mental floods, etc. non-mental bonds, etc. Non-mental hindrances, etc. Non-adherence, etc. With sense-object. Not consciousness. Mental factors. Associated with consciousness. Conjoined with consciousness. Consciousness-originated. Concomitant with consciousness. Consecutive to consciousness. Originate conjoined with consciousness. Originate conjoined with consciousness and arise together with it. Originate conjoined with consciousness and follow it. External. Non-derived. Not clung-to. Not clinging, etc. Not mental defilements, etc. Not to be abandoned through vision. Not to be abandoned by meditative development. Not connected with a root to be abandoned through vision. Not connected with a root to be abandoned by meditative development. May be with applied thought, may be without applied thought. May be with sustained thought, may be without sustained thought. May be with rapture, may be without rapture. May be accompanied by rapture, may be not accompanied by rapture. May be accompanied by pleasure, may be not accompanied by pleasure. May be accompanied by equanimity, may be not accompanied by equanimity. Non-sensual-sphere. Non-fine-material-sphere. Non-immaterial-sphere. Not included. Leading to liberation. Fixed in destination. Unsurpassed. Without conflict.

The question section.

The Analysis of Right Striving is concluded.