Right Effort

Vastmind

Right Effort is part of the 8.....part of the path.
We also know it takes alot of Concentration.

'Like fine tuning a musical instrument'
True.
How do you practice Right Effort?

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-vayamo/index.html

taiyaki

Keep checking on intention throughout the day.

Vastmind

taiyaki said:

Keep checking on intention throughout the day.

I think I like that.

cacto

Being kind, being thoughtful of others.

DairyLama

Maintain a positive attitude.

OneLifeForm

PedanticPorpoise said:

positive attitude

What is that?

jessie70

perhaps similar to the old adage, "work smarter, not necessarily harder"? When you are mindful in a task, you can save energy by making fewer mistakes than you would in a "ready, fire, aim" approach. Being deliberate, careful and precise- but also energetic-in whatever you do, from washing dishes to writing a thesis to driving on the highway, to consoling a friend.

upekka

there are four Right Efforts
1. First Effort= do not allow to arise unskillful thought (kama vitakka, vyapada vitkka, vimsa vipakka) [anuppadanam akusalanama dhammanam anuppadaya...]

2. Second Effort = get rid of unskillful thought that has arisen (loba, dosa, moha) [uppannanam akusalanam dhammanam pahanaya...]

3. Third Effort = try to develop skillful thoughts [seela, samadhi, panna)

4. Fourth Effort = maintain the developed skillful thoughts

Jeffrey

upekka said:

there are four Right Efforts
1. First Effort= do not allow to arise unskillful thought (kama vitakka, vyapada vitkka, vimsa vipakka) [anuppadanam akusalanama dhammanam anuppadaya...]

2. Second Effort = get rid of unskillful thought that has arisen (loba, dosa, moha) [uppannanam akusalanam dhammanam pahanaya...]

3. Third Effort = try to develop skillful thoughts [seela, samadhi, panna)

4. Fourth Effort = maintain the developed skillful thoughts

How do you identify which is a skillful thought without going to monkey mind?

upekka

monkey mind gives unskilful thoughts always even though we think our thoughts are skilful
when we are mindful of dhamma only we have skilful thoughts

for example:
i am answering to your post because my monkey mind says 'aha, "jeffrey" asked me a question, so "i" must answer him'
here in my monkey mind there is "jeffrey" and there is ""i"
already 'i have been deluded'
if i could be mindful 'i should let go of your question' and 'let you think about it more and get an answer, specially, because my perception of jeffrey says he knows dhmma well enought to think over the question itself'

instead of writing more and more, 'i better let go of this now, if i want to develop 3rd effort and maintain 4th effort'

Jeffrey

Nice showing how it works in your passage, an example. It is still a question I have. What does it mean if I say 'good thought'? Could it be grasping to label a thought as good or bad?

upekka

when you see that your thought has no loba, dosa, or moha that is a good thought

say you want to give something to someone, but there is no hidden ajanda
you do not expect something from the person who received
you do not have any grudge with someone by giving it
you do not expect a good return in later etc.

it is hard to explain jeffrey, but you surely know what i am trying to say

Jeffrey

I don't really know. I have not come across the terms: loba, dosa, and moha. It is a question I have often thought about. I tend to just persist even though I am unsure if I am on the right track!

jessie70

My prior response was incorrect- it was a response to a post on "mindfulness" and was not intended for this post. Sorry-

upekka

I have not come across the terms: loba, dosa, and moha. It is a question I have often thought about.

loba = greed
dosa = hate
moha =delusion

i am trying to draw attention to these three through 'vattupama sutta' in another thread

we will see what the advance practisioners have to say about them
we can learn from them

Silouan

Go to confession regularly. That's where the rubber meets the road!

Jeffrey

Ah, yes, upekka. Indeed, I find meditation to be training for letting go of loba, dosa, and moha. Other than meditation I am not sure how to overcome those. Maybe just that feeling when you take a deep breath and look outward sort of in appreciation.

Yes, let's see what advanced practitioners may say even if they wouldn't be so bold as to say that they are advanced!

upekka

we accept that what we have done wrong if we go for confession
but
when we know we have a chance to go for confession there is a possibility we would do the same wrong doing again

what we need is to convince ourselves what is wrong and what is right

some feelings (thoughts) we do not see as wrong because they are covered up with sweetening
(in my case, for 15 or 16 years ago i didin't see a certain thought was jeolousy, but after a long long time later now i know what that thought exactly was,
there was a very subtle combination of happiness, uneasiness, selfishness etc. but it is jeolousy)

Jeffrey

I was just thinking that one of the ways where loba, dosa, and moha are vanquished is in thinking positive for another person. Cheesy (literally) anecdote, I ordered a pizza tonight and left a big tip to the delivery person, because I know they work hard driving all over creation without any reimbursment of their insurance and with a tip already calculated in their minimum wage. The feeling I got was a glow. They say random acts of kindness lead to disaster, but this is samsara and all we have got is disaster so lets let go and think of others.

Silouan

Certainly. When we fall down we get back up, and there is no shame in that. Confession is about change of heart, and its a continued practice of introspection and preparation. You aren't confessing to your spiritual father confessor, but he is a witness and prescribes the necessary antidote for a particular passion or sin that is troubling you that perhaps has deep roots or has been occurring for an extended period of time. Also, the feelings that you don't see as wrong he will extract and make known to you so that you are aware and can work on them. Even the subtle ones, and when you keep bringing the same things to confession you start to become more aware of them. Its quite different then trusting one's own judgment alone.

Also, not every spiritual father has the gift of being a confessor.

DairyLama

Silouan said:

Go to confession regularly. That's where the rubber meets the road!

"Bless me father for I have sinned, it has been 42 years since my last confession...."

tmottes

confession = abiding in the moments in which we wish to not abide?