The Four Right Exertions of Buddhism - List

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The four right exertions offer guidance about how to make a habit of reclaiming what is important and are an integral part of the Buddhist path to Enlightenment.

The Four Right Exertions of Buddhism - List

The exertions are a 2600 year old teaching of the Buddhist Pali canon. They help to identify insightful recognition of the arising and non arising of various mental qualities over time and of our ability to mindfully intervene in these ephemeral qualities.
Thought can run wild and if left unchecked can produce numerous unwholesome actions so we must guard our sense doors and thoughts.
Sometimes called the four right endeavours, or four supreme efforts for the mind (in Pali cattārimāni sammappadhānāni), these are an important part of the Buddhist path to bodhi (understanding).
The Four Right Exertions are to be found in the Buddhist scriptures within the Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka which are the three baskets that comprise the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism.
These are also listed in the Anguttara Nikaya which is a Buddhist scripture, the fourth of the five nikayas, or collections.
The Four Right Exertions encourage the abandonment of harmful mental qualities and the nurturing of beneficial mental qualities

The Four Right Exertions of Buddhism

01. Restraint or guarding of the senses.

Generating the desire for the non arising of unwholesome states. Avoiding and preventing the arising of unwholesome states and thoughts that are not of skill which may not have arisen yet.
This item relates to not taking on two many things, not including too much complexity, allowing you to concentrate on what is important. i.e. Learn when to say no, and say no when you are not able to give what you are doing 100%.
This is the abandoning or ceasing negative acts.
"There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavours, activates persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskilful qualities that have not yet arisen."

02. Abandoning (pahana pahana) of defilements. (Unclean or wrong thoughts).

Generating the desire for abandoning arisen unwholesome states. Abandoning unwholesome states and thoughts without skill which have already arisen.
This relates to ensuring habits formed are considered to ensure they are right for you and the world at large. Habits formed may be for a reason, find out what the reason is and find other ways to ensure you can abandon continual thought, or, better, replace it will continual thought for the things better for you or the world at large.
This is the preventing future negative acts.
"There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavours, activates persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskilful qualities that have arisen."

03. Developing, arousing or cultivation (bhavana pahana) of enlightenment factors.

Generating the desire for the arising of wholesome states. Cultivating, developing and bringing forth wholesome states and skilful thoughts which have not yet arisen.
This is about putting into place the practices to make us feel impulsively generous, open and kind once we have abandoned or jettisoned unhelpful additions in the second exertion.
This is the enhancing of existing positive qualities and past wholesome acts.
"There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavours, activates persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skilful qualities that have not yet arisen."

04. Protecting, maintaining or preservation (anurakkhana pahana) of concentration.

Generating the desire for continuing arisen wholesome states. Maintaining and sustaining wholesome states and skilful thoughts which have already arisen.
This is about continuance of your defined skilful habits maintaining the beauty of things that already now exist in your life.
This is the laying of the foundation for future wholesome acts.
"There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavours, activates persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, and culmination of skilful qualities that have arisen."