The Practice of the Four Right Efforts (IV)

Original text: 又或有恶不善法。唯由分别力生。非境界力。或有恶不善法。由分别力生。亦境界力。唯由分别力生。非境界力者。谓于住时。思惟过去未来境界。而生于彼。由思惟力生。亦境界力者。谓于行时。缘现在境界而生于彼。当于尔时。决定亦有非理分别。当知此中。恶不善法唯由分别力生。非境界力者。彼若未生。能令不生。生已能断。是名策励。若由分别力生。亦境界力者。彼若未生。能令不生。生已能断。是名发勤精进。

Explanation: Some evil and unwholesome dharmas arise solely through the power of discriminating thought, and not through the power of sense objects. The power of discrimination is the discriminating nature of the mind consciousness, and is also the result of following the habitual tendencies of the manas; it is not influenced by the presently manifest objects of the six dusts. The sense objects lack the power to push evil and unwholesome dharmas into arising, because the inherent force of the manas's habitual tendencies is strong. Some evil and unwholesome dharmas arise not only from the discriminating power of the mind consciousness, but also from the power of the influence of the six dust objects.

Evil and unwholesome dharmas that arise solely from the power of discrimination and not from the influence of sense objects refer to dwelling amid presently manifest dharmas while deliberating on past and future objects, whereby evil and unwholesome dharmas arise. Such evil and unwholesome dharmas are produced mainly by the afflictive habitual tendencies of the manas. Evil and unwholesome dharmas that arise not only from the power of discrimination but also from the influence of sense objects refer to when, during the operation of body, speech, and mind, one takes present objects as conditions and thereby produces evil and unwholesome dharmas. When body, speech, and mind are operating, there is not only the discriminating power of the six consciousnesses, but also the influence of presently manifest objects. Because at that time, not only do the objects exert a driving force, there is certainly also unreasonable discrimination. These are evil and unwholesome dharmas produced jointly by the afflictive habitual tendencies of the manas and the influence of presently manifest objects.

From this we can know that for evil and unwholesome dharmas that arise solely from the power of discrimination and are not influenced by the power of sense objects, if they have not yet arisen, one can prevent them from arising; and once they have arisen, one can eliminate them. This is called exertion (策励). As for evil and unwholesome dharmas that arise from the power of discrimination and at the same time from the influence of sense objects, if these dharmas have not yet arisen, one can prevent them from arising; and even after they have arisen, one can still eliminate them. This is called diligent effort (发勤精进).