Sammappadhānasutta — Rāgapeyyāla — the twenty-eighth chapter of the Fours
Setting
None stated; the Rāgapeyyāla gives no location for this discourse, and it is addressed to the mendicants directly
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
A list of four, each following an identical effort-formula crossed with a different combination of arisen/unarisen and bad/good
Length
~1 minute to read
Northern parallel
The four right efforts are foundational across the Nikāyas and Āgamas, and form the sixth factor of the noble eightfold path; this reading guide does not assert a specific matching sutra number for this particular framing
Difficulty
★★☆☆☆ — a clean four-cell grid, worth mapping out explicitly
Why this discourse
Where AN 4.274 gave four different objects of observation, this discourse gives four different combinations of a single effort applied to two variables: whether a quality has arisen yet, and whether it is skillful or not. The result is a small, complete grid — prevent, abandon, develop, and maintain — each aimed at direct knowledge of greed, as at AN 4.274.
Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
For direct knowledge of greed, a mendicant strives to prevent bad qualities from arising, to abandon bad qualities that have arisen, to develop good qualities that have not yet arisen, and to maintain and grow good qualities already present.
A grid, not a simple list
The four right efforts are not four unrelated activities but one activity, effort, vāyamati…vīriyaṁ ārabhati, crossed against two independent distinctions: arisen or not yet arisen, and unskillful or skillful. Unarisen-bad (prevent it), arisen-bad (abandon it), unarisen-good (develop it), arisen-good (maintain and grow it) — every combination of the two variables filled exactly once, with nothing left over and nothing repeated.
The same energetic language, four times
Each of the four cells uses the identical string of verbs: chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati, generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives. The discourse does not vary the intensity of effort by target; preventing a bad quality from ever arising gets the same energetic description as growing a good quality already well established. Vigilance and cultivation are treated as requiring identical exertion, not a lighter touch for maintenance and a heavier one for prevention.
A second bodhipakkhiya list, the same narrow purpose
As with AN 4.274, what distinguishes this discourse from the four right efforts’ usual, general presentation is its stated aim: not the cultivation of skillful qualities as an end in itself, but rāgassa abhiññāya, direct knowledge of greed. The same four efforts that elsewhere describe the general shape of diligent practice are here pointed at a single, named target.
Key terms
sammappadhāna — “right effort” — the sixth factor of the noble eightfold path, given here as its own fourfold set for the first time in this series.
anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya — “for the non-arising of bad, unskillful qualities not yet arisen” — the first cell of the grid.
uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ pahānāya — “for the giving up of bad qualities that have arisen” — the second cell.
anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ uppādāya — “for the arising of good qualities not yet arisen” — the third cell.
uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ ṭhitiyā…bhāvanāya pāripūriyā — “for the persistence…and fulfillment by development of good qualities that have arisen” — the fourth cell.
The text
The discourse in full: the four right efforts, for direct knowledge of greed. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
The four right efforts
§1“For insight into greed, four things should be developed. What four? Firstly, a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. …so that unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up … so that skillful qualities arise … so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fulfilled by development. For insight into greed, these four things should be developed.”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What two variables does this discourse cross to generate its four right efforts?
Correct: B. Every combination filled exactly once, with nothing left over.
Question 2 of 10
What is the first of the four right efforts?
Correct: B. The unarisen-bad cell of the grid.
Question 3 of 10
Does the discourse vary the intensity of effort described for each of the four cells?
Correct: B. Vigilance and cultivation treated as requiring identical exertion.
Question 4 of 10
What purpose does this discourse assign to the four right efforts?
Correct: B. The same narrow purpose given to AN 4.274's four establishments of mindfulness.
Question 5 of 10
What position do the four right efforts occupy in the noble eightfold path?
Correct: B. One of the eight factors already met whole and split across earlier chapters.
Question 6 of 10
What verbs describe the effort applied in each of the four cells?
Correct: B. The same energetic description whether preventing, abandoning, developing, or maintaining.
Question 7 of 10
What is the third cell of the grid?
Correct: B. The unarisen-good cell.
Question 8 of 10
How does this discourse's four right efforts compare to their usual, general presentation elsewhere in the canon?
Correct: B. Narrowed to direct knowledge of greed, as with AN 4.274.
Question 9 of 10
What discourse immediately precedes this one, using the same overall frame?
Correct: B. The first of three discourses applying this frame to different fourfold lists.
Question 10 of 10
What discourse follows this one, applying the frame to a third list?
Correct: B. Completing the three-discourse set built on this frame.
