Padhānasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.69

Numbered Discourses 4.69

7. Pattakammavagga

7. Fitting Deeds

Padhānasutta

Effort

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, padhānāni.

“Mendicants, there are these four efforts.

Katamāni cattāri?

What four?

Saṁvarappadhānaṁ, pahānappadhānaṁ, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ.

The efforts to restrain, to give up, to develop, and to preserve.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, saṁvarappadhānaṁ?

And what, mendicants, is the effort to restrain?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saṁvarappadhānaṁ.

This is called the effort to restrain.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṁ?

And what, mendicants, is the effort to give up?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities are given up.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pahānappadhānaṁ.

This is called the effort to give up.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ?

And what, mendicants, is the effort to develop?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

It’s when you generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāvanāppadhānaṁ.

This is called the effort to develop.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ?

And what, mendicants, is the effort to preserve?

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

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.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anurakkhaṇāppadhānaṁ.

This is called the effort to preserve.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri padhānānīti.

These are the four efforts.

Saṁvaro ca pahānañca,

Restraint and giving up,

bhāvanā anurakkhaṇā;

development and preservation:

Ete padhānā cattāro,

these are the four efforts

desitādiccabandhunā;

taught by the Kinsman of the Sun.

Yo hi bhikkhu idhātāpī,

Any mendicant who keenly applies these

khayaṁ dukkhassa pāpuṇe”ti.

may attain the ending of suffering.”

Navamaṁ.