2.2. The Fourfold Supreme Endeavour (Introduction)

[Full title: The Fourfold Supreme Endeavour (Cattāro sammappadhāna; Sanskrit: samyakprahṇa)—Introduction]

There are the fourfold supreme endeavours (Cattāro sammappadhāna, Skt. samyakprahṇa); namely,

(1) the endeavor to avoid the arising of evil (pāpaka) and unwholesome (akusala) states of mind that have not arisen (saṃvarapadhāna);

(2) the endeavor to overcome evil and unwholesome states of mind that have arisen (pahānapadhāna);

(3) the endeavor to develop wholesome states of mind that have not arisen (bhāvanāpadhāna);

(4) the endeavor to maintain and increase the wholesome states of mind that have arisen (anurakkhaṇapadhāna).

In the Aṅguttara Nikāya, the four parts of formula act as explanation of four endeavours (padhānas) without qualification sammā. The four parts here represent the endeavor of restraint (saṃvarappahāna), the endeavor of abandoning (pahanappadhāna), the endeavor of development (bhāvanappahāna), and the endeavor of protection (anurakkhaṇappahāna) respectively.^[1]

These same four padhānas of saṃvara, pahāna, bhāvanā and anurakk-haṇa are elsewhere explained rather differently;

Bhikhhu, there are these four endeavours. What are the four? There are the endeavour of restraint; the endeavour of abandoning, the ende-avour of cultivation; the endeavour of guarding.

(1) Sense-Restrain. And what, bhikkhus, is the endeavour of restraint (saṃmvarappadhāna)? Here, bhikkhus, when a monk sees a form with the eye, he grasps neither its sign nor its detail.

So long he dwells unrestrained in that ear-faculty, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might overwhelm him, to that extent, he therefore keeps himself restrained.

He practices the restraint of it. He guards the restraint of the earfaculty; he commits himself to the restraint of the ear-faculty.

When he smells a smell with the nose, he grasps neither its sign nor its detail.

So long he dwells unrestrained in that nose-faculty, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and dis-pleasure might overwhelm him, to that extent, he therefore keeps himself restrained.

He practices the restraint of it. He guards the restraint of the nose-faculty; he commits himself to the restraint of the nose-faculty.

When he tastes a taste with the tongue, he grasps neither its sign nor its detail.

So long he dwells unrestrained in that tongue-faculty, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might overwhelm him, to that extent, he therefore keeps himself restrained.

He practices the restraint of it. He guards the restraint of the tongue-faculty; he commits himself to the restraint of the tonguefaculty.

When he feels a touch with the body, he grasps neither its sign nor its detail.

So long he dwells unrestrained in that body-faculty, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might overwhelm him, to that extent, he therefore keeps himself restrained.

He practices the restraint of it. He guards the restraint of the body-faculty; he commits himself to the restraint of the body-faculty.

When he cognizes a mind-object with the mind, he grasps neither its sign nor its detail.

So long he dwells unrestrained in that mind-faculty, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might overwhelm him, to that extent, he therefore keeps himself restrained.

He practices the restraint of it. He guards the restraint of the mind-faculty; he commits himself to the restraint of the mind-faculty. This, bhikkhus, is called the endeavour of restraint.

(2) Right Thought. And what, bhikkhus, is the endeavour of abandoning (pahānappadhāna)?

Here, bhikkhus, a monk does not harbour a thought of sensual desire when it has arisen. He abandons it, dispels it, makes an end of it, brings it to a state of non-existence.

He does not harbour a thought of hatredwhen it has arisen. He abandons it, brings it to a state of non-existence.

He does not harbour a thought of violence [cruelty] when it has arisen. He abandons it, dispels it, makes an end of it, brings it to a state of non-existence. This, bhikkhus, is called the endeavour of abandoning.

(3) The Seven Factors of Enlightenment. And what, bhikkhus, is the endeavour of cultivation (bhāvanāppadhāna)?

Here, bhikkhus, a monk cultivates the enlightenment factor of mindfulness based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation (of suffering), ripening in letting go.

Here, bhikkhus, a monk cultivates the enlightenment factor of dharma-investigation based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation (of suffering), ripening in letting go.

Here, bhikkhus, a monk cultivates the enlightenment factor of effortbased on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation (of suffering), ripening in letting go.

Here, bhikkhus, a monk cultivates the enlightenment factor of zestbased on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation (of suffering), ripening in letting go.

Here, bhikkhus, a monk cultivates the enlightenment factor of tranquility based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation (of suffering), ripening in letting go.

Here, bhikkhus, a monk cultivates the enlightenment factor of concentration based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation (of suffering), ripening in letting go.

Here, bhikkhus, a monk cultivates the enlightenment factor of equanimity based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation (of suffering), ripening in letting go. This, bhikkhus, is called the endeavour of cultivation.

(4) Wise Attention. And what, bhikkhus, is the endeavour of guarding (anurakkhaṇappadhāna)?

Here, bhikkhus, a monk guards the auspicious sign of concentration when it has arisen, that is to say, the perception [image] of a skeleton, the perception of the worm-infested (corpse), the perception of the discoloured (corpse), the perception of the festering (corpse), the perception of the fissured (corpse), the perception of the bloated (corpse).

This, bhikkhus, is called the endeavour of guarding. These, bhikkhus, are the four endeavours.^[2]

Again, the four sammappadhānas in the Nikāya are explained by following formula:

(1) Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu following my teaching generates enthusiasm, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind and strives most ardently to prevent the arising of evil de-meritorious states of mind which have not arisen yet.

(2) He generates enthusiasm, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind and strives most ardently to abandon evil demeritorious states of mind which have arisen.

(3) He generates enthusiasm, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind and strives most ardently to bring forth the meritorious states of mind which have not arisen yet.

(4) He generates enthusiasm, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind and strives most ardently to maintain; to prevent lapsing; to improve; to proliferate the meritorious states of mind and to accomplish practice of both samatha and vipassanā.^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

AN II, p. 74

[2]:

AN II, p. 16-17; DN III, p. 225

[3]:

DN III, p. 221; MN II, p. 11; SN V, p. 244; AN II, p. 15