Verified
Grammatical Analysis
Sammāvāyāma: [m.] Right Effort; Correct Exertion; Perfect Striving. Formed by sammā (correctly) + vāyāma (effort, struggle, labor). Doctrinally identical to the mental factor of energy (viriya-cetasika) directed toward spiritual development.
Orthodox Definition
Sammāvāyāma is the sixth limb of the Noble Eightfold Path and the first component of the concentration division (samādhi-sikkhā). It represents the heroic driving power that prevents the path from becoming an empty intellectual exercise.
The Buddha formalized Right Effort into four distinct structural strivings (sammappadhāna):
- Saṃvara-ppadhāna (Effort to Prevent): Rousing the will to prevent unarisen unwholesome states (such as hindrances) from flashing into existence.
- Pahāna-ppadhāna (Effort to Abandon): Rousing energy to actively discard and drive out unwholesome states that have already manifested.
- Bhāvanā-ppadhāna (Effort to Cultivate): Exerting the mind to initiate and awaken unarisen wholesome states (such as the factors of enlightenment).
- Anurakkhana-ppadhāna (Effort to Maintain): Striving to guard, preserve, and multiply wholesome factors that have already arisen, bringing them to fulfillment.
Quote
‘‘katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāvāyāmo?
“And what, bhikkhus, is right effort?”idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ anuppādāya chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati; uppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati; anuppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ uppādāya chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati; uppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati.
“Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states, he exerts himself, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives; he generates desire for the abandonment of arisen evil unwholesome states, he exerts himself, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives; he generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states, he exerts himself, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives; he generates desire for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, amplification, development, and perfection of arisen wholesome states, he exerts himself, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives.”ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāvāyāmo.
“This, bhikkhus, is called right effort.”— Mahāsatipaṭṭhānasuttaṃ (DN 22)
Textual References
- Sutta: Padhāna Sutta (AN 4.14) – Foundational mapping of the four distinct functional methods of correct spiritual striving.
- Abhidhamma: Vibhaṅga (Magga-vibhaṅga exposition).
- Commentary: Visuddhimagga (Chapter XXII) – Detailing how energy transforms from a fluctuating, unstable element into an unmoving supramundane path factor.