Padhānasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.13

Numbered Discourses 4.13

2. Caravagga

2. Walking

Padhānasutta

Effort

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, sammappadhānāni.

“Mendicants, there are these four right efforts.

Katamāni cattāri?

What four?

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

A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise.

uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati;

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up.

anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati;

They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise.

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

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.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri sammappadhānānīti.

These are the four right efforts.

Sammappadhānā māradheyyābhibhūtā,

By rightly striving,
they’ve crushed Māra’s sovereignty;

Te asitā jātimaraṇabhayassa pāragū;

unattached, they’ve gone beyond
the peril of birth and death.

Te tusitā jetvā māraṁ savāhiniṁ te anejā,

Contented and unstirred, they’ve vanquished Māra with his legions;

Sabbaṁ namucibalaṁ upātivattā te sukhitā”ti.

now they’ve gone beyond all Namuci’s forces,
they’re happy.”

Tatiyaṁ.