+3 votes
by (1.6k points)
by (8.5k points)
In what way does it contradict right mindfulness?

2 Answers

0 votes
by (8.5k points)
Right effort is defined as:

And what, monks, is right effort?

[i] "There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.

[ii] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.

[iii] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.

[iv] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen: This, monks, is called right effort.

- Magga-vibhanga Sutta

Right effort goes hand in hand with right mindfulness.
by (1.6k points)
[ii] to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen; we can use the 5 methods explained in MN 20.
But in case of mindful meditation when we meditate observing the mind as mind with greed, mind without greed, mind with hate , mind without hate , mind with delusion, mind without delusion...so here we don't abandon unwholesome states. Right?
by (8.5k points)
There can only ever be one mind state present at any time. A mindful mind state is different from an unwholesome mind state like greed or hate. When we practice mindfulness and notice an unwholesome mind state the unwholesome mind is already gone. Our mindfulness is imperfect so a new unwholesome mind state arises. But if we continue to be mindful more mindful mind states will arise until eventually the unwholesome mind states no longer arise.
by (8.5k points)
MN 20 is giving an explanation on how to relax thoughts for the purpose of Jhana. It has nothing to do with removing greed, hatred, and delusion. That is the job of mindfulness.
by (1.6k points)
When i am mindful about an unwholesome state of mind, without right effort how can it be gone?
by (8.5k points)
If you are mindful then that is already right effort. You are practicing mindfulness to see clearly. You are putting effort into this practice of mindfulness because seeing clearly is what removes ignorance.

When you are angry and start to note the anger what happens? Does the anger stay or does it go away after some time?

Try for yourself.
by (1.6k points)
Yes anger goes away. But what about desire to gain fame? Will it go away only by seeing clearly...
[ i am not arguing, my mind wants to know the true knowledge, because i am not finding answers ]
by (8.5k points)
The cause of both desire and aversion is ignorance. Ignorance of what? Ignorance of how reality actually works. How does one remove ignorance? Through direct experiential knowledge. Mindfulness is the tool which allows this knowledge to arise. Once reality has been seen clearly the mind starts to change on its own as ignorance is replaced with knowledge.

But intellectual understanding is not enough. It is the difference between reading about the taste of an orange and actually eating an orange. You must see for yourself reality as it is for the change to happen.
by (1.6k points)
Can you give me some sources to read about how simply noting i can gain insight.? Which sutta deals with this noting technique.? Or it is unique style invented by Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw?
by (8.5k points)
No technique is ever discussed in any of the suttas. Only the framework is presented in the suttas. The techniques are developed over time.
0 votes
by (2.0k points)
Good householder,

Right effort, eg. letting go of the hindrances, uphold proper attention, increase kusala, abound akusala, is the prerequisite of right mindfulness, goes into the seven factors of awakening, while Saddha (or sometimes calked Sila) can be seen as the area of right effort: letting go, surrender, in regard of senses.

It's here already Adhi-Sila, highered virtue, which does not take on what ever touches, will be given from the Givers (senses-media). One, how ever, knows touch, knowns impressions... there Satipatthana beginns, not holding or getting lost on one while overseeing that already died off.

In regard of noting: when careful reading the Maha Satipatthana Sutta, it's all about "know"-ting what one does, all the way. That's food for right investigation already, feeded by Sati. Doing such in certain verbaliced way in mind helps to get not lost, distracted, yet at certain point verbalizing will be to slow in regard of the many events turning up and decay. So not wrong to let go of such at certain state, when good concentration is reached and proper attention pure.

No right effort, no factors of awakening, no right remembering/keeping in mind, no right concentration... wrong release.

As long as Virtue isn't complete, saddha, isn't complete (house not left), meaning no right effort, the Samadhi-Section will not develop, how much ever one tries. Cause of this lack is wrong view, wrong association. There is actually the base of the depending co-arising path to release.
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