1At Sāvatthī. There the Blessed One said this: "Bhikkhus, there are these four right strivings. What four?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu generates desire for the nonarising of unarisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives.

He generates desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives.

He generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives.

He generates desire for the maintenance of arisen wholesome states, for their nondecay, increase, expansion, and fulfilment by development; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives.

These are the four right strivings.[n.245] The terms of the formula are explained according to the sutta method at Vibh 208–10, commented on at Vibh-a 289–96; see too Vism 679 (Ppn 22:35). Briefly: The evil unwholesome states are greed, hatred, delusion, and the defilements associated with them; desire (chanda) is wholesome wish-to-do, wholesome righteous desire; effort, energy, and striving are all terms for energy (viriya); mind is defined by the standard register of terms for citta. The wholesome states are nongreed, nonhatred, nondelusion, and their concomitants. The Abhidhamma analysis, at Vibh 211–14, treats right striving as the energy factor in the supramundane paths, which accomplishes all four functions simultaneously.

2SN49:2-6"Bhikkhus, just as whatever great rivers there are— that is, the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhū, the Mahī— all slant, slope, and incline towards the east,
SN49:7… just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the ocean,
SN49:8-12 … just as whatever great rivers there are— that is, the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhū, the Mahī— all slant, slope, and incline towards the ocean,

so too a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the four right strivings slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

"And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu develop and cultivate the four right strivings so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu generates desire for the nonarising of unarisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

He generates desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

He generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

He generates desire for the maintenance of arisen wholesome states, for their nondecay, increase, expansion, and fulfilment by development; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

"It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the four right strivings so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna."

3(The remaining suttas of this vagga are elaborated thus).

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Tatra kho bhagavā etadavoca: "cattārome, bhikkhave, sammappadhānā. Katame cattāro?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

Uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

Anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

Uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro sammappadhānāti.

2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, … nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā;

evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cattāro sammappadhāne bhāvento cattāro sammappadhāne bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cattāro sammappadhāne bhāvento cattāro sammappadhāne bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

Uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

Anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

Uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cattāro sammappadhāne bhāvento cattāro sammappadhāne bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro"ti.

Dvādasamaṁ.

Gaṅgāpeyyālavaggo paṭhamo.

3(Sammappadhānasaṁyuttassa gaṅgāpeyyālī sammappadhānavasena vitthāretabbā.)