{"id":480,"date":"2016-03-09T13:30:13","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T02:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/walking-towards-right-effort"},"modified":"2019-08-04T12:06:40","modified_gmt":"2019-08-04T12:06:40","slug":"walking-towards-right-effort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/2016\/03\/09\/walking-towards-right-effort\/","title":{"rendered":"Walking towards right effort"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"atlas___curse_by_jujubajulia-d5e57xw\"<\/a>Samma vayama<\/span> right effort is the 6th of the eightfold path.<\/p>\n

I shall not give up my efforts until I have attained whatever is attainable by perseverance, energy, and endeavour.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We share in four great endeavours:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states<\/li>\n
  2. Abandon the unwholesome states that have already arisen<\/li>\n
  3. Arouse the wholesome states that have not yet arisen<\/li>\n
  4. Maintain and perfect the wholesome states that have already arisen<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/span>The unwholesome states<\/h3>\n

    The unwholesome states considered are especially the pa\u00f1ca<\/span> five nivarana<\/span> hindrances. These are:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Kamacchandra<\/span> sensual desire<\/li>\n
    2. Byapada<\/span> ill will<\/li>\n
    3. Thina-middha<\/span>\u00a0sloth and torpor<\/li>\n
    4. Uddhacca-kukkucca<\/span> restlessness and remorse<\/li>\n
    5. Vicikiccha<\/span> skeptical doubt<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The cannon uses similes of a man using a pot of water to study his reflection. He cannot make productive use of the water if it is (1) mixed with colours, (2) heated on a fire, (3) covered with moss and water-plants, (4) stirred by the wind, or (5) muddied and placed in the dark.<\/p>\n

      The cannon uses further similes:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Kamacchandra is like debt, because for both we are called upon and pledged to their service<\/li>\n
      2. Byapada is like a disease, because for both we cannot enjoy good things (like lessons, or honey) but are instead offended by everything<\/li>\n
      3. Thina-midha is like imprisonment, because for both we don’t enjoy things, as if they were happening in our absence<\/li>\n
      4. Uddhacca-kukkucca is like slavery, beause for both\u00a0we don’t enjoy things, as if we have imminent obligations.<\/li>\n
      5. Vicikiccha is like being lost in a desert, because for both we may pointlessly waver in our direction, ensuring that we go no where.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        <\/span>The wholesome states<\/h3>\n

        The wholesome states to be cultivated include the satta bojjhanga<\/span> (7) factors of enlightenment, namely:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Sati<\/span> mindfulness<\/li>\n
        2. Dhammavicaya<\/span> investigation of phenomenon<\/li>\n
        3. Viriya<\/span> energy<\/li>\n
        4. Piti<\/span> rapture<\/li>\n
        5. Passaddhi<\/span> tranquility<\/li>\n
        6. Samadhi<\/span> concentration<\/li>\n
        7. Upekkha<\/span> equanimity<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          <\/span>Regarding the unwholesome states<\/h3>\n

          To be prevented from arising, and to be abandoned once arisen.<\/p>\n

          Practice of mind-object contemplation on the mental object of the hindrance<\/h4>\n

          For example:<\/p>\n

          When kamacchandra is present, I know “there is\u00a0kamacchandra<\/em> in me,” or when it is absent I know, “there is no\u00a0kamacchandra<\/em> in me.” I attend to the arising of non-kamacchandra<\/em><\/em>, learning how it comes to be, I attend to the rejection of the arisen\u00a0kamacchandra<\/em><\/em>, learning how it comes to be, and I learn how the future non-arising of\u00a0kamacchandra<\/em><\/em> comes to be.<\/em> (cf. MN 10)<\/p>\n

          Note that each niravana requires nourishment, just as the body does. (Cf. mindfulness of nutriments).<\/p>\n

          Attending to\u00a0kamacchandra<\/h5>\n

          Sense desire\u00a0is nourished by unwise attention to beautiful objects. It arises where is the delightful and the pleasurable.<\/p>\n

          It is denourished by:<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Learning how to meditate on impure objects and meditating on them<\/li>\n
          2. Guarding the sense doors<\/li>\n
          3. Moderation in eating<\/li>\n
          4. Noble friendship<\/li>\n
          5. Suitable conversation<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Regarding impure objects for meditation: including the cemetery considerations, and the loathsomeness of the body.<\/p>\n

            Regarding guarding the sense doors: this involves avoiding ayoniso manasikara<\/span> unwise consideration<\/a>.<\/p>\n

            Having seen a form, I do not seize upon its (delusive) appearance as a whole, nor on its details. If my sense of sight were uncontrolled, then unwholesome states would flow into me. Therefore I practice for the sake of control; I watch over the sense of sight, and enter upon its control. So too for the other senses.<\/em> (Cf. SN 35:120)<\/p>\n

            Regarding moderation in eating:<\/p>\n

            I eat knowing that I eat for the sake of sustaining and maintaining the body, to avoid harm and to support holy life. I say to myself, “Thus I shall destroy the old painful feeling and shall not let a new one rise.”<\/em> (Cf. MN 2|39)<\/p>\n

            Attending to byapada<\/h5>\n

            Ill-will is nourished by unwise attention to objects causing aversion. But it can also be an object of resentment unto itself, so that wrong reflection upon the ill-will can cause and increase anger. (Because of wrong, ignorant thinking) we\u00a0are averse to the unpleasant, and to separation from the pleasant.<\/p>\n

            It is denourished by (5) and (6) as above, and:<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Learning how to meditate on metta<\/li>\n
            2. Devotion to meditation on metta<\/li>\n
            3. Considering one’s kammassakata sammaditthi<\/span> right view of the ownership of our actions<\/li>\n
            4. Frequent reflection on this<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Regarding (3):<\/p>\n

              What can I achieve by being angry at another person? Can I destroy what is good in them? \u00a0– I am the consequence of my own actions (including thought, body, and speech), and in the future I will be the consequence of my present actions.<\/em><\/p>\n

              What can another person achieve by being angry at me? Can they destroy what is good in me? – They are the consequence of their own actions, and in the future they will be the consequence of their present actions.<\/em><\/p>\n

              Attending to thina-midha<\/h5>\n

              Sloth and torpor\u00a0are nourished by unwise attention to boredom, which is a mode of dissatisfaction. Clues for the presence of thina-midha include the body acting lazy, with sluggish movements, sensing dizziness or faintness after a meal. So too for the mind, which can act with dullness. And they are denourished by (5) and (6) as above, and:<\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Knowing that over-eating is the cause of it<\/li>\n
              2. Changing the body’s posture<\/li>\n
              3. Thinking of the perception of light<\/li>\n
              4. Staying in the open air<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                It may be cast out also by right reflection, on:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. Inceptive energy<\/li>\n
                2. Exertion<\/li>\n
                3. Progressive endeavour<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  These are strategies for overcoming thina-midha, and not allowing them to develop a strong kamma. (They might also be generalised: (1) Attending to the correlation between behaviours and the\u00a0precipitation of thina-midha; (2-4) attending to the correlation between behaviours and the attenuation of thina-midha).<\/p>\n

                  Other reflections are also recommended in traditional texts, these include:<\/p>\n