What Is Wrong Effort?

Wrong effort is the opposite of right effort: the direction of one's striving is incorrect, and when the direction is incorrect, the harder one strives, the farther one drifts from the goal. The direction of right effort is to realize no-self, to realize emptiness—becoming ever more selfless, ever more empty—until reaching complete and ultimate realization, with practice centered on the three pure, untainted studies of precepts, meditation (samādhi), and wisdom. Those engaged in wrong effort, however, have a flourishing sense of self in their minds, clinging to existence and non-emptiness. Whatever they cultivate, it is all for the worldly benefit of that so-called self; they cling to worldly existence, harboring hopes and pursuits for fame, praise, and material gain, running directly counter to the Path. In this way, even if they sit in meditation, recite sutras, practice recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti) day and night without rest, study the Dharma, or even propagate it, everything is self-centered and centered on their own benefit. As long as they themselves profit, and those connected to them profit, it matters not whether others fare well or ill—they may even harm others' interests. With such practice, the more diligent one is, the farther one strays from the path of no-self, from emptiness, and from the true reality of the dharmadhātu, and in the end one may easily cultivate oneself into a māra.

Diligence without pure great vows or right vows, though not counted as wrong effort, is still not right effort. In all practice, "vow" comes first as the guide: without vows, nothing is accomplished; with vows, half the effort yields double the result. A vow is like an accelerator, like steps of a ladder in a deep pit, like a towrope in the mud. Vows can free one from the entanglement of karma and lead directly to the farther shore of nirvāṇa. Small vows are for oneself; great vows are for sentient beings; wrong vows are for false existence; right vows are for true emptiness and for purity. If great vows and right vows cannot yet be brought forth, one's practice is still shallow. Once the roots of goodness and merit have accumulated deeply, vows will naturally arise, and every vow will be fulfilled.