RIGHT EFFORT
Maintaining Arisen Healthy States
Whatever a person frequently
thinks about and ponders, that will become the inclination of their
mind. If one frequently thinks about and ponders healthy states, one has
abandoned unhealthy states to cultivate healthy states, and then one’s
mind inclines to healthy states. (MN 19)
Here a person rouses the will, makes an effort, stirs up energy, exerts
the mind, and strives to maintain arisen healthy mental states. One
maintains the arisen energy-awakening factor. (MN 141)
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It is one thing
to arouse energy when it is needed in order to persevere in some
healthy practice, for example. It is something else to be able to
sustain that extra energy long enough to see the endeavor through.
Sporadic effort has some value, but it is sustained effort that is
really effective in helping us develop healthy mental and emotional
states. It is valuable to be able to maintain the awakening factor of
energy.
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Let’s take a
specific example. Say you are in an annoying discussion with an annoying
person, and you want to respond with kindness rather than annoyance.
Remember that each moment is a new beginning and that each moment you
have to renew your intention and your resolve. If you find kindness
once, you need to reapply it in every ensuing moment. Maintaining
kindness involves reapplying it again and again.
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Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna
One week from today: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States
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