Buddhist Perspective on the Development of Social Welfare
by Ashin Indacara | 2011 | 61,386 words
This page relates ‘The Four Supreme Efforts (Four Sammappadhana)� of the study on the Buddhist perspective on the development of Social Welfare, employing primarily the concepts of Utthana-sampada (persistent effort) and Arakkha-sampada (watchfulness). Based on the teachings of the Buddha in the Dighajanu Sutta and other canonical texts, this essay emphasizes the importance of effort, knowledge, and good karma in achieving social welfare.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
10. The Four Supreme Efforts (Four ³§²¹³¾³¾²¹±è±è²¹»å³óÄå²Ô²¹)
We have been discussing a variety of subjects about making an effort up to now. Yet there, here, have been some subjects in terms of diligence. As regards to it, the four supreme efforts are mentioned in Buddha’s Abhidhamma as coming up:-
"â€�³§²¹³¾³¾²¹±è±è²¹»å³óÄå²Ô²¹â€� signifies no ordinary effort, but the unfaltering concentrated effort of one who vows: “Let me be reduced to skin and bone; let my blood and flesh dry up; let my life come to an end; but I will not stop till I succeed!â€�
³§²¹³¾³¾²¹±è±è²¹»å³óÄå²Ô²¹ (four supreme efforts) represents ±¹Ä«°ù¾±²â²¹.
The four supreme efforts are:
1. The effort to discard evils that have arisen,
2. The effort to prevent the arising of unrisen evils,
3. The effort to bring about the arising of unrisen good,
4. The effort to further arisen good."[1]
According to the above effort, one must try to discard greed, hatred, envy, etc., as soon as they arise in the mind. One must develop »åÄå²Ô²¹, ²õÄ«±ô²¹ and ²ú³óÄå±¹²¹²ÔÄå as much as possible. And finally, to bring about the arising of the unrisen good which has never arisen in the long ²õ²¹á¹ƒsÄå°ù²¹, one must purify one’s mind stage by stage by tranquility and insight meditation till one enters the Path of the stream-winner (²õ´Ç³ÙÄå±è²¹²Ô²Ô²¹) and the higher Paths (maggas).
³ÕÄ«°ù¾±²â²¹ is described as the four supreme efforts for the following reason -function of ±¹Ä«°ù¾±²â²¹ has been differentiated into four categories, viz,
1. To discard evils that has arisen,
2. To prevent the arising of unrisen evils,
3. To develop unrisen good, and
4. To further the arisen good."[2]
Accordingly, although there are four kinds of supreme effort based on their functions, we can sum them up into two categories in accordance with their functions.
(1) Not to make effort for evil deeds and
(2) To make effort for getting good deeds.
In others words, we can describe in the following way.
(1) Not to do disadvantage and
(2) To do advantage.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
, P. 218.
[2]:
, P. 218.