The Practice of the Four Right Efforts (1)

Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume Twenty-Nine

Original text: 如是于四念住串习行故。已能除遣粗粗颠倒。已能了达善不善法。从此无间于诸未生恶不善法为不生故。于诸已生恶不善法为令断故。于其未生一切善法为令生故。于其已生一切善法为欲令住令不忘失。广说如前。乃至摄心持心。

Explanation: Because of repeatedly cultivating the contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) of the four foundations of mindfulness, one has already been able to eliminate the coarsest of one's inversions. Previously, one took the body as self, reckoned it pure, and craved attachment to it; now one knows the body is impure and without self. Previously, one took suffering as bliss and greedily enjoyed feelings; now one knows all feeling is suffering. Previously, one believed the mind was continuous and permanent; now one knows the mind is impermanent. Previously, one reckoned the five aggregates and worldly dharmas as self; now one knows there is no self. One has corrected the inverted views, and the mind no longer operates under inversion.

After cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness, one can thoroughly understand what wholesome dharmas are and what unwholesome dharmas are, and from then on, without interruption, one enters into the cultivation of the four right efforts. One can prevent those evil and unwholesome dharmas that have not yet arisen from arising; one can eliminate those evil and unwholesome dharmas that have already arisen; one can bring forth wholesome dharmas that have not yet arisen; and one can maintain those wholesome dharmas that have already arisen, never forgetting or losing them. Expounded in detail, it is as said before. Throughout the cultivation of the four right efforts, one is able to gather in the mind and sustain the mind.

Original text: 云何名为恶不善法。谓欲缠染污身语意业。是身语意恶行所摄。及能起彼所有烦恼。若未和合。未现在前。说名未生。若已和合。已现在前。说名已生。

Explanation: What are called evil and unwholesome dharmas? Evil and unwholesome dharmas are bodily, verbal, and mental actions bound and defiled by craving, subsumed under evil bodily actions, evil verbal actions, and evil mental actions, together with all the afflictions capable of giving rise to them and to the five aggregates and the seven consciousnesses. If the evil and unwholesome actions of body, speech, and mind have not yet been carried out, and the evil and unwholesome conduct has not yet appeared, this is called evil and unwholesome conduct that has not yet arisen. If the evil and unwholesome actions of body, speech, and mind have already come together and arisen, and the evil and unwholesome conduct has already appeared, this is called evil and unwholesome conduct that has already arisen.

"Coming together" means the afflictions combine with conditions: when afflictions encounter conditions, evil and unwholesome karmic conduct appears; when afflictions do not encounter conditions, they merely lie dormant, and evil and unwholesome karmic conduct does not appear.

Evil karma and unwholesome karma differ slightly, with a distinction in the degree of severity of the afflictions. Evil conduct indicates afflictions that are relatively heavy and coarse, while unwholesome conduct indicates afflictions that are somewhat lighter, lying between evil and wholesome. Unwholesome conduct covers a broader range; evil refers to conduct that is unbearable to others.

From the cultivation of the four right efforts, it can be known that in the actual process of practice, afflictions will certainly be continuously lightened and eliminated, and the mind-ground will certainly become gradually purified. Only when purified to a certain degree can one be transformed root and branch—like a carp leaping over the dragon gate—turning from an ordinary person into a sage. If the coarse and heavy afflictions are not eliminated, one remains a bound ordinary being.