In this paper of my work, I will try to look for information how the Buddha explained about right effort in the Tipitaka especially in the sutra and look that with what situation the Buddha taught his disciples to practice this Dhamma then apply this right effort to individual economics in our modern life by look for the reference from the sutra to support this idea. It is possible to apply right effort in individual economics or not, I will try to explain and give the reference from the Suttas as follow:
Effort literally means the physical or mental energy that we need to do something; something that takes a lot of energy or an attempt to do something especially when it is difficult to do. Therefore, right effort mean work hard with something in the correct way or in the right way. Right effort we can apply both in the mental or physical works.
Right effort In the Tipitaka
In the Tipitaka, very often the Buddha taught about right effort. We can find many Suttas which explained about right effort or in many group of Dhamma which consist of right effort. The Buddha explained right effort in many different situation and put it into many different group of Dhammas such as in the group of the four powers the Buddha explained right effort as the power of energy or diligence (VIRIYA BALA)[1], in the group of four path of accomplishment (four Iddhipặda), the Buddha explained right effort as the energy (Viriya)[2], in the group of four virtues conducive to benefits in the present, the Buddha explained right effort as the Uţţhặnasampadặ: achievement of diligence[3], in the four Padhặna, the Buddha explained right effort as the exertion by divided into four kind of effort[4], in the group of five controlling faculties, the Buddha explained right effort as the Viriyindriya[5], in the group of seven enlightenment factors, the Buddha explained right effort as the Viriya Bojjhanga[6] etc.
From the above information, we can see that the Buddha explained right effort in many different kind of doctrine and put into different levels of practice which his followers applied to practice in different situation.
Here, for my paper, I would like to divide right effort that the Buddha explained in the Suttas into two levels of practice. The first level is the highest level which the Buddha taught to apply for monastic life. The second level is the common level which applies for householder life, the level which I would like to apply for individual economics that I will explain later. So, now I will explain the first level of right effort which applies for monastic life.
The Buddha taught about the highest level of right effort to monk in the Digha Nikaya that:
Monks, what is right effort?
Monks, with regard to this the monk makes a resolution and an effort, mobilizes energy, concentrates and forces his mind, in order that evil and inappropriate mental processes, that have not yet arisen, may not be produced. He makes a resolution and an effort, mobilizes energy, concentrates and forces his mind, in order that evil and inappropriate mental processes that have already arisen. He makes a resolution and an effort, mobilizes energy, concentrates and forces his mind in order that skilful mental processes, that have not yet arisen, may be produced. He makes a resolution and an effort, mobilizes energy, concentrates and forces his mind in order that skilful mental processes that have already arisen may be stabilized, gain clarity, reach full growth, development and completeness. Monks, this is called right effort.
Digha Nikaya II 312
Here is the highest level of right effort the Buddha taught to monks in the Digha Nikaya. Monks must try to eliminate their defilements and try to develop their skilful mental process with effort, in order to attain enlightenment. Here, The Buddha explained the highest level of right effort to monks by divided into four types: 1. to prevent the arising of un-arisen unwholesome states, 2. to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen, 3. to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen, and 4. to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.
However, in this paper, I will not explain more about the highest level of right effort, but I will try to explain about the common level of right effort which the Buddha taught for householder life that I would like to apply this right effort into individual economics in our modern life. So now I will explain about right effort in the common level which the Buddha taught in the Anguttaranikaya Catuka nipata for apply in householder life as follow:
In the Anguttaranikaya Catuka nipata, the Buddha taught about four virtues conducive to benefits in the present, in pali called Ditthadhammikattha-samvattanika-dhamma, that one can apply for practice in daily householder life for the achievement of benefits in the present or temporal welfare. Here for easy to understand about these four virtues conducive to benefits in the present, I will take a quote from the book of Phraphomkhunaphon (P.A. Payutto) which he mentioned about these four kinds of virtues that he also took from Anguttaranikaya that I mentioned above.
He state in his book that
On the level of seeking and safeguarding wealth: practicing according to the principles that lead to immediate benefit, or that aid in the attainment of basic benefit, known as the four Ditthadhammikattha-samvattanika-dhamma:
1/ Utthaana sampadaa: endowment of industry: he is energetic and applies himself to his duties and making an honest living; he trains so that he acquires skills and true knowledge; he wisely scrutinizes (his undertaking) and seeks skillful means to manage and conduct his work for good results.
2/ Arakha-sampadaa: endowment of protection: he knows how to protect from risk and loss the wealth and fruits of his labor, gained through his own honest efforts.
3/ Kalyặnamittatặ: association with good friends; he discerns which people are worth associating with and which not, and does not associate with or emulate those who would lead him downward , but associates with, studies and emulates people who are learned, worthy, capable, honorable and endowed with qualities that are helpful to his livelihood.
4/ Samajivitặ: balanced life style; he keeps track of his income and expenditure and lives within his means so that he is neither deprived nor extravagant, and has income left over for saving.
A constitution for living, 2007, P. 40
For living as the householders, the Buddha taught to have these four virtues, to achieve the benefits in the present. First, one must have the diligence or effort to conduct his work to the good result. Second, he has to protect his wealth or properties which are gained through his own honest effort from every kind of risk. Third, he has to associate with good friends. Bad friends will lead him downward but good friends will be helpful to his livelihood. And the last one is, he has to keep his life style balance, not deprive or extravagant.
However, what I would like to present here is, for achievement of the benefits in the present for householder life is to have diligence or effort. Effort is the first thing which one must apply in their lives with every kind of works in order to conduct his work to the good result. It is exactly true that, good benefits or best result never achieve for those who are lazy. Both, Buddhism and the common world, never admire laziness. In order to conduct our work to be successful, it doesn’t care whether it is religious work or common work, we must work with effort.
Ramana Maharshi, the great Indian master, one of the greatest ever and certainly in the last century or so, said:
Enlightenment is not your birthright. Those who succeed do so only through proper effort[7].
From the above idea, we can see that effort is really significant for successful life especially to conduct every kinds of work to good benefits. Now I would like to apply right effort which the Buddha taught in the four virtues mentioned above to individual economics in our modern life, we will see how the effort important for our individual economics in daily life. I will take the reference from the Buddha’s teaching and example from people who succeed with their work by their effort to describe this topic as follow:
The term “individual economics” which I would like to describe here refer to the simple human need in daily living. Maslow had described the hierarchy of need, represented as the pyramid into five layers[8]. The first layer is physiological need which he gave the detail; refer to breathing, food, water, sex, sleep, homeostasis and excretion. The second layer is safety, he refer to security of body, employment, resources, morality, the family, health and property. The third layer is love or belonging, he refers to friendship, family and sexual intimacy. The fourth layer is esteem, refer to self-esteem, confidence, achievement, respect of others and respect by others. These four layers Maslow said they are the deficient need. The top layer or the fifth is self-actualization; refer to acceptance of facts, lack of prejudice, problem solving, spontaneity, creativity and morality. These are the hierarchy of human need which Maslow described that I refer to, in my paper. However, my point here is, to achieve these need especially the first layer of human need, one must work with effort, that why I would like to use right effort apply in individual economics in order to show that effort is really important for achievement of human need or our individual economics in daily life.
The Buddha’s teaching about the four virtues leading to temporal welfare which mentioned above is quite clear to show us with this point. For householder life, to achieve the benefits in the present or to earn wealth for living, the important thing that they must do is work hard with effort. To have the effort with doing something is not only the Buddhist teaching, but it is the universal standard to lead work to success. In every field of work, if we like to make it more success, we must work with effort. To study and gain more knowledge or to succeed with study we must study hard or take effort to study. In other fields are the same. Therefore, effort is really significant to apply in every kind of work to make it success, not only individual economics.
Tal Fighel wrote the article called Top 8 ways to make your business a success. In his article he explained about 8 steps to make business success. The 8 steps are: 1. Write down your “WHY". 2. Write down your goals. 3. Expand your knowledge. 4. Visualize what you want. 5. Replace negative self-talk. 6. Make sure that you are persistent and consistent. 7. Organize your planning and 8.Take action. He explained step by step about the step how to make business success. But, he said the important step to make business success is the last step “take action”. He said in his article:
Very important, when you take action, things are getting done. When you just think about an idea for a business and you don’t take any action then nothing gets done. Ever. Visualizing, persistence, goals, and positive self talk, none of that is important unless you start to take action toward what you are striving for.
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/10832/online_business/top_8_ways_to_make_your_business_a_success.html: followed by Saturday, January 16, 2010
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/10832/online_business/top_8_ways_to_make_your_business_a_success.html: followed by Saturday, January 16, 2010
What he said here is exactly true that the important thing is when we take action, the thing are getting done. If we just think about it, we just plan it, nothing is got done. It is true that we must set a goal and we must have a plan to do a work, but the important is getting start and does it. If we did not do it, nothing is getting done.
Therefore, we must do with effort. Effort is really important to lead a work to good result. In the term of individual economics, one must work with effort in order to earn their benefits for good living. Effort is the significant thing that householders must have to obtain the benefits in the present and to make their economies better.
Effort is important in every field of work. In Buddhism, the Buddha very often taught his disciples to practice with effort. Such as in the Dhammapada, the Buddha said:
It is for you to make strong effort; the Buddha only tells you how.
Dhammapada 276
Doing no evil, engaging in what’s skillful, and purifying one’s mind: This is the teachings of the Buddha.
Dhammapada 183
In the Anguttaranikaya, the Buddha also said “The Dharma is for the industrious, not for the lazy”[9]. So it is quite clear that we need effort to work. In every kind of jobs we need to work with effort. The dhamma of the Buddha is for the industrious one, not for the lazy one. Only one, who works with effort, can achieve the highest benefit or attain the highest fruit in Buddhism. As like Ramana Maharshi said “Enlightenment is not your birthright, those who succeed do so only through proper effort” mentioned above. In other fields especially for individual economics that I apply to mention here is really require the achievement of effort to make it sucess.
[1] A. IV. 363
[2] D. III. 221
[3] A. IV. 281
[4] A. II. 74, 16, 15
[5] S. V. 191-204
[6] D. III. 251,282
[7] http://www.cheraglibrary.org/buddhist/kornfield/jkeffort.htm followed by Saturday, january16, 2010
[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow followed by Saturday, january16, 2010
[9] Anguttara IV. 229