The Practice of the Four Right Efforts (7)

The Twenty-Ninth Volume of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra (Part Seven)

Original Text:

These four are also called the Right Strivings (samyak-pradhāna). Regarding the unwholesome (kṛṣṇa-pakṣa) dharmas: For those not yet arisen, one generates the desire and exertion to prevent their arising. For those already arisen, one generates the desire and exertion to bring about their cessation. Generating desire, exerting oneself, arousing diligence and vigor, arousing the mind and sustaining the mind – these are the two Right Strivings. Regarding the wholesome (śukla-pakṣa) dharmas: For those not yet arisen, one generates the desire for them to arise. As extensively explained previously for the unwholesome, it should be understood that these are the two Right Strivings.

Explanation:

The above four cultivation methods are also called the Four Right Strivings (catvāri samyak-pradhānāni). For the unwholesome dharmas of afflictions (kleśa-dharma): If they have not yet arisen, one generates the desire and exertion to prevent them from arising. For those already arisen, one generates the desire and exertion to bring about their cessation. Generating desire and exertion, arousing a diligent and vigorous mind (vīrya), arousing the mind and sustaining the mind – these are the two Right Strivings. For the wholesome dharmas: For those not yet arisen, one generates the desire for them to arise. For those already arisen, one generates the desire for them to become steadfast and complete. Generating aspiration and exertion, arousing the mind to diligently practice, arousing the mind and sustaining the mind – these are also the two Right Strivings.

Diligence (vīrya) means diligent exertion. Striving (pradhāna) means the mind prevails; it also means exertion. Right (samyak) means the direction and method are correct and without error. Exerting oneself diligently in the right direction is Right Effort (samyag-vyāyāma); it is continuously progressing towards the goal. Conversely, exerting oneself diligently in the wrong direction is wrong effort (mithyā-vyāyāma); the more effort one puts in, the further one strays from the goal. Many people who study Buddhism and practice engage in such wrong effort: they do not understand the goal of practice, nor the principles of practice, and merely exert themselves blindly. They may be vigorous, but they lack wisdom.

Original Text:

These four are also called the Right Abandonments (samyak-prahāṇa). The first is called Abandonment by Restraint (saṃvara-prahāṇa). It means that regarding arisen unwholesome, unskillful dharmas (akuśala-dharma), one generates desire and exertion for the sake of abandoning them. [The text] is to be elaborated extensively, etc. The second is called Abandonment by Eradication (prahāṇa-prahāṇa). It means that regarding unarisen unwholesome, unskillful dharmas, one generates desire and exertion for the sake of preventing their arising. [The text] is to be elaborated extensively, etc. Since one should cultivate restraint (saṃvara) regarding arisen unwholesome, unskillful things so that they are abandoned and cease, one should not endure them. For this reason, it is called Abandonment by Restraint. Regarding unarisen unwholesome, unskillful things, for the sake of causing them not to become presently active (pratipanna) and thus be abandoned, for the sake of causing them not to become presently manifest (pratyupasthita) and thus be abandoned, one abandons for the sake of abandoning; therefore, it is called Abandonment by Eradication.

Explanation:

These Four Right Strivings are also called the Four Right Abandonments (catvāri samyak-prahāṇāni). The first is the Abandonment by Restraint of body, speech, and mind (kāya-vāṅ-manaḥ-saṃvara-prahāṇa). It is for the arisen unwholesome, unskillful dharmas, generating desire and exertion for the sake of abandoning them. The second is Abandonment by Eradication (prahāṇa-prahāṇa). It is for the unarisen unwholesome, unskillful dharmas, generating desire and exertion for the sake of preventing them from arising. Since arisen unwholesome, unskillful dharmas should be addressed by cultivating the restraint of body, speech, and mind, causing them to be abandoned and cease, one should not endure these unwholesome, unskillful dharmas, allowing them to arise and increase. This is called Abandonment by Restraint. For the unarisen unwholesome, unskillful dharmas, for the sake of causing them not to become presently active (pratipanna) and thus be abandoned, for the sake of causing them not to become presently manifest (pratyupasthita) and thus be abandoned, one abandons for the sake of abandoning unwholesome, unskillful dharmas. This is called Abandonment by Eradication.

Original Text:

The third is called Abandonment by Cultivation (bhāvanā-prahāṇa). It means that regarding all unarisen wholesome dharmas, one generates desire for them to arise. [The text] is to be elaborated extensively, etc., up to arousing the mind and sustaining the mind. Since, through repeatedly cultivating and practicing the wholesome dharmas, what was previously unobtained can be caused to become present, and [this practice] can abandon [the unwholesome], therefore it is called Abandonment by Cultivation. The fourth is called Abandonment by Protection (anurakṣaṇā-prahāṇa). It means that regarding all arisen wholesome dharmas, one generates the desire for them to abide. [The text] is to be elaborated extensively, etc., up to arousing the mind and sustaining the mind. Since, within the wholesome dharmas already obtained and already present, one abandons heedlessness (pramāda), cultivates heedfulness (apramāda), causes the wholesome dharmas to abide without being forgotten, cultivates them to completeness, and protects the arisen wholesome dharmas, [this practice] can abandon [the unwholesome]; therefore, it is called Abandonment by Protection.

Explanation:

The third is Abandonment by Cultivation (bhāvanā-prahāṇa). It is for the unarisen wholesome dharmas, generating the desire for them to arise, and arousing the mind and sustaining the mind. Since wholesome dharmas are cultivated and practiced repeatedly, wholesome dharmas previously unobtained can now be caused to appear presently, and this can cause the unwholesome, unskillful dharmas to be abandoned. Therefore, it is called Abandonment by Cultivation. The fourth is Abandonment by Protection (anurakṣaṇā-prahāṇa). It is for all arisen wholesome dharmas, generating the desire for them to become steadfast, and continuously arousing the mind and sustaining the mind. Since, within all wholesome dharmas already obtained and already present, the mind is able to abandon heedlessness (pramāda), cultivate heedfulness (apramāda), cause the wholesome dharmas to abide steadfastly without being forgotten, cultivate them to completeness, and thus protection arises. All wholesome dharmas can cause the unwholesome, unskillful dharmas to be abandoned; therefore, it is named Abandonment by Protection (of unwholesome, unskillful dharmas).

Protection (anurakṣaṇā) means protecting against the arising of unwholesome, unskillful dharmas. Only when wholesome dharmas are present in the mind can unwholesome, unskillful dharmas be abandoned and prevented from arising, since the wholesome and unwholesome cannot arise simultaneously. Therefore, wholesome dharmas serve a protective function. Once wholesome dharmas become steadfast, one will not create unwholesome, unskillful karmas (akuśala-karma). This is the result of long-term cultivation of wholesome dharmas. The Four Right Strivings belong to the preliminary supporting path (āgamya-mārga) of cultivation and are a necessary condition for attaining the path of insight (darśana-mārga). Therefore, one who attains the path of insight must abandon the corresponding coarse and heavy afflictions (audārika-kleśa); the wholesome dharmas in the mind are steadfast, and unwholesome, unskillful dharmas do not easily become present.

If one completes the cultivation of the Four Right Strivings but has not yet attained the path of insight before death, due to the change of mind (citta-parivṛtti), the karmic retribution (vipāka) experienced in future lives will be very slight. However, it does not guarantee that the wholesome dharmas will not decline or that unwholesome, unskillful dharmas will not reappear. Due to the power of karmic conditions (karma-pratyaya), one will inevitably be influenced by unwholesome environments. Yet, because of the foundation of wholesome dharmas, upon encountering wholesome conditions again, wholesome dharmas will still easily arise, and the cultivation of wholesome dharmas will be rapid. Only after attaining the path of insight can wholesome dharmas be maintained, continuously becoming more steadfast and increasing, and continuously becoming complete.