1-12.
The Twelve Discourses Beginning with the Eastern
651-662.
At Sāvatthī.
There the Blessed One said this:
"Monks, there are these four right strivings.
Which four?
Here, monks, 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.
These, monks, are the four right strivings."
"Just as, monks, the river Ganges slants towards the east, slopes towards the east, inclines towards the east; so too, monks, a monk developing the four right strivings, cultivating the four right strivings, slants towards Nibbāna, slopes towards Nibbāna, inclines towards Nibbāna. And how, monks, does a monk developing the four right strivings, cultivating the four right strivings, slant towards Nibbāna, slope towards Nibbāna, incline towards Nibbāna? Here, monks, 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. Thus, monks, a monk developing the four right strivings, cultivating the four right strivings, slants towards Nibbāna, slopes towards Nibbāna, inclines towards Nibbāna." The twelfth.