The Practice of the Four Right Efforts (8)

Volume 29 of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra (Part 8)

Original text: Having thus extensively discussed the four right efforts, how can one know the concise meaning herein? It is to show that, in the matter of abandoning and adopting within the categories of the black (unwholesome) and white (wholesome), the superior aspiration (adhyāśaya) is perfected, and the application (prayoga) is perfected. Therefore, the four right efforts are expounded. It should be known that herein, because desire (chanda) arises, the superior aspiration is perfected. Because of self-exertion, the generation of diligence and vigor (vīrya), and the exertion and restraint of the mind, the application is perfected.

Explanation: After thus extensively discussing the four right efforts, how can one know the concise meaning of the four right efforts? The concise meaning of the four right efforts is to show that in the process of abandoning and adopting within the various categories of the black (unwholesome) and white (wholesome), the superior aspiration is perfected, and the application for abandoning the unwholesome and increasing the wholesome is also perfected. Therefore, the four right efforts should be expounded. You should know that during the cultivation of the four right efforts, because the desire to abandon the unwholesome and increase the wholesome has arisen in the mind, the superior aspiration is perfected. Because the mind is able to exert itself, further generating diligent vigor, constantly exerting the mind and sustaining the mind, therefore the application is perfected.

Before attaining the four right efforts, during the cultivation of the four right strivings (catvāri samyakprahāṇāni), a strong desire has not yet arisen, so the superior aspiration is not perfected, and the four right efforts do not manifest. The self-exertion and motivation are still insufficiently strong; the force of urging and driving the mind is still not great enough, so the four right efforts do not manifest. Only when both the aspiration and the exertion are perfectly complete do the four right efforts manifest. At this point, the cultivation of the four right strivings is complete.

Original text: The yogi practitioner has only these things that are truly to be done: namely, for the sake of extinguishing what should be extinguished, and for the sake of attaining what should be attained, one should first generate hope, aspiration, and joyful desire. To abandon all bonds (paryavasthāna), one should also constantly and rightly diligently cultivate the characteristics of calming (śamatha), lifting (lifting the mind), and relinquishing (upekṣā). To abandon all bonds and latent tendencies (anuśaya), one should further cultivate and accumulate wholesome dharmas as antidotes. To manifest all these actions to be done, the four right strivings and the four right efforts are taught. This is called the concise meaning.

Explanation: For the yogi practitioner, only these dharmas are what he should do: for the sake of extinguishing those things that should be extinguished, and to attain what should be attained, one should first generate hope, aspiration, and joyful desire. To abandon all afflictive bonds, one should also constantly and rightly diligently cultivate the characteristic of calming (śamatha, meditative stabilization), the characteristic of lifting (lifting the mind from laxity), and the characteristic of relinquishing (upekṣā, abandoning unwholesome dharmas). For the sake of abandoning all afflictive bonds and latent tendencies, one should further cultivate and accumulate wholesome dharmas used as antidotes against the unwholesome dharmas. To manifest all these actions that should be done, the four right strivings and the four right efforts are expounded. These contents are called the concise meaning of the four right efforts.

Regarding the above dharmas of the four right strivings, some people are unwilling to cultivate them, belittling these dharmas, considering them basic, belonging to the Hīnayāna, and unnecessary to spend time cultivating. They think all effort should be devoted to studying the Mahāyāna dharmas. However, if the four right strivings are not cultivated, the mind does not turn towards wholesomeness, virtues are not perfected, and virtues are not compatible (with the Mahāyāna). Consequently, one cannot realize the Mahāyāna dharmas. All study ultimately remains merely theoretical. Theory, under certain conditions of causes and conditions, can be forgotten or lost. Even if not forgotten, theory is ultimately just theory, lacking practical value. At the end of life, one may fall due to unwholesome dharmas; mere theories cannot save one's life. By cultivating the four right efforts and abandoning the coarse afflictive bonds, the virtuous characteristics of the five aggregates (skandhas) can then manifest. Only when virtues are perfected does one become qualified to be a virtuous bodhisattva or a virtuous noble saṅgha member, qualified to lead the multitude and together accomplish the Buddha Way.