Friends:
ENTHUSIASM
Enthusiasm means energy
Enthusiasm means effort
Enthusiasm means exertion
Enthusiasm means interest
Enthusiasm means initiative
Enthusiasm means endeavor
Enthusiasm means action
Enthusiasm means intensity
Enthusiasm means force
Enthusiasm means power
Enthusiasm means eagerness
Enthusiasm means keenness
Enthusiasm means devotion
Enthusiasm means dedication
Enthusiasm means determination
Enthusiasm means commitment
Enthusiasm means enjoyment
These pave the way for success in all projects.
These are thereby instrumental for all perfection.
Without these no achievement can ever be accomplished.
---
Get up! Sit up!
Of what use are your dreams ?
How can you sleep when sick,
stabbed by the arrow of craving.
Sutta Nipata 331
---
Get up! Sit up!
Push on your training until reaching peace.
Do not let the king of death see you sloppy,
and thus deceive & dominate you (like a toy).
Sutta Nipata 332
---
The origin of directing attention in order to exert sustained effort,
The origin of enthusiasm stimulated by this firm exertion,
The origin of unwavering interest stimulated by this firm exertion,
The foundation & fixation in single-pointed sameness of absorption
stimulated by this initial initiative, is the origin of the ability
of enthusiasm. (Determined ability to do, to act)..
When the Noble friend avoids lax & lazy persons,
cultivates, frequents and honors energetic persons,
and reviews own practice within the four best efforts,
then is the ability of enthusiasm refined in these three aspects.
When the Noble friend is leaving laziness all behind,
there is development of the ability of enthusiasm.
When the Noble friend is developing the ability of
enthusiasm, this idleness is momentarily left all behind.
Patisambhidamagga
---
Possessed of Energy & Endurance
be always earnest in your training.
The clever One is not satisfied before
the goal of ending misery is reached.
Theragatha 585
---
And what, friends, is the feeding for the arising of the
Link to Wisdom that is Energy not yet arisen, and food
for the growth and increase of already arisen Energy ?
The element of initiative,
The element of exertion,
The element of endurance.
Systematic attention to these, is this food for the arising of
the Link to Wisdom that is Energy not yet arisen, and food too
for the growth and increase of already arisen Energy.
And what, friends,
is the feeding for the arising of unarisen Lethargy and Laziness,
and food for the growth and increase of already arisen Lethargy
and Laziness ?
It is the apathetic drowsiness, overeaten dullness &,
unaware sluggishness of mind!
Unsystematic & muddled attention to that, is food for the arising
of yet unarisen and for the growth of already arisen Lethargy and
Laziness.
Samyutta Nikaya XLVI 51 Bojjhanga-samyutta
---
It is too cold, it is too hot,
It is too early, it is too late!
Such bad excuses make one
give up the training & miss one
more precious opportunity.
DN 31
---
And again, prince, a friend cultivates the link to wisdom
that is Energy-to-Effort, that is based on seclusion, based on
dispassion, based on cessation, which ends in self-surrender.
With a mind thus trained he knows, he sees it as it really develops;
the link to wisdom that is Energy. This, prince, is the Condition,
is the Cause of Knowing and Seeing.
SN V, 46. Bojjhanga-samyutta
---
Having known the escape from sensual desires
And the overcoming of forms,
One whose energy is always enthusiastic
Reaches the stilling of all construction.
Such a bhikkhu who sees rightly
Is thereby well released, at ease.
Accomplished in knowledge, at peace.
That sage has overcome all bonds.
Itivuttaka 72 Escape
---
And how and where, friends, bhikkhus,
is the ability of enthusiasm to be found ?
Among the four best efforts !
The ability of enthusiasm is to be found there.
When one leaves behind laziness, the ability of enthusiasm is found
in one as being dominated by exertion of effort.
This ability of enthusiasm dominated by exertion of effort,
then facilitates establishment, non-distraction, seeing and
determination.
The enthusiastic One establishes awareness, one who is aware trains.
The enthusiastic One concentrates, one who concentrates exerts
effort.
The enthusiastic One dig up insight, one who has insight exerts
effort.
The enthusiastic One find confidence, one who has faith exercises
the instruction.
Patisambhidamagga
---
This straight way has now been clearly shown:
Dont hesitate, walk forward & do not turn around.
Urge yourself forward by your own enthusiasm,
only thus will you attain Nibbana.
Theragatha 637
---
And of what sort, friends, is the controlling ability of effort ?
In this, friends, the Noble disciple remains devoted to exertion,
resolute in effort, always striving to leave behind bad mental
qualities, to cause the emergence of good mental qualities,
vigorously restraining himself, not giving up the burden of
development and maintenance of good mental qualities.
Thus a Noble disciple arises desire, intention, and determination
for, exerts energetic striving, lays hold on thought, and focus
mind onthe Prevention of the arising of any bad, detrimental and
un-clever mental states that have not yet arisen.
As to any bad, detrimental, and un-clever mental states,
that have already arisen, such Noble learner arise desire,
intention and determination for, exerts energetic striving,
lays hold on thought, and focus mind on their destruction and
elimination.
As to any good, advantageous & clever mental states not yet arisen,
such Noble learner arise desire, intention and determination for,
exerts energetic striving, lays hold on thought, and focus mind
solely on causing their arising, on their coming into being.
As to any good, advantageous & skilful mental states already arisen
such Noble learner arise desire, intention and determination for,
exerts energetic striving, lays hold on thought, and focus mind on;
their continuation, support, maintenance, refinement, increase,
cultivation growth and completion, culminating in their utter
perfection.
This, friends, is the controlling ability of effort ...
SN V 48-10 Indriya-samyutta
---
The effort to prevent & to eliminate bad
to develop & to maintain good: These are
the 4 right efforts taught by the Buddha.
AN ii 17
---
At such times, friends,
when the mind is Slow, Sluggish, and Heavy:
Then it is the Right Occasion: for cultivating the
Investigation-by-curiosity enlightenment-factor,
for cultivating the Energy-of-Enthusiasm enlightenment-factor,
for cultivating the Rapture-of-Joy enlightenment-factor...
Why is it so ?
When the mind is slow, sluggish, and heavy,
it is Easily Raised Up by these mental qualities.
Suppose, friends, that a man wants a fire to blaze up,
and he put on dry grass, dry wood sticks and blow it
with dry hot air and do not cover it with any dust,
would that man then see his fire blaze up ?
Certainly So, Lord.
SN V, 46. Bojjhanga-samyutta
---
Well then, Moggallana, whatever perception you have in mind when
drowsiness demoralize you down, don't attend to that perception,
don't pursue it. Remember instead the Dhamma as you have heard &
memorized it, reflect on & examine it. Then raise & repeat aloud
in detail the Dhamma as you have learnt it. Then pull both you
earlobes and rub your limbs with both your hands. Then get up from
your seat and, after washing your eyes with cold water, look around
upward in all directions and identify the major stars & planets.
Then attend to the perception of inner light, resolve on the
perception of daytime, by night as by day, and by day as by night.
By means of awareness thus open & unhampered, develop a brightened
mind. It's possible that by doing this you will shake off your
drowsiness. But if by doing this you don't shake off your
drowsiness, then perceiving what is both in front & behind set a
distance to meditate walking back & forth, your senses inwardly
set, your mind not getting lost outwards. It is possible that by
doing this you will shake off your drowsiness.
Anguttara Nikaya VII.58
---
Thus will I do even as a master should:
Let whatever is obtained be enough for me,
that taming indeed I'll impose on you mind as
an energetic man makes soft a cat-skin bag.
Thus will I do even as a master should;
Let whatever is obtained be enough for me,
by energy I'll bring you mind under my control
as a skilled trainer even the elephant in rut.
Theragatha SIX 48-49
---
The Bodhisatta was once as the Brahmin Mahajanaka
aboard a ship sinking far from shore. All the crew were
in great panic. The Bodhisatta though ate his belly full
of sugar & ghee, oiled his clothes and swam continuously
for 7 days towards the shore until he was rescued by an
ocean guarding female deva. Later he remembered:
"Even far out at sea, where many men were lost,
yet still unruffled by worry was my mind.
This was my perfection of Enthusiasm."
Mahajanaka-Jataka no. 539
---
Enthusiasm (Viriya) is the fifth perfection (parami)
Come On Now !
This One is the fifth one to adopt, practice,
develop, refine, & perfect resolutely:
With the effort of courage, enthusiasm & energy strive
perfectly then the absolute of Wisdom is an approaching thing.
As a lion, whether lying, standing or walking, is
always alert, awake & aware & never ever sluggish.
Jataka Nidana (introduction)
-oo0oo-
Thank you,
for free forward : - ]
Friendship is the GREATEST !!
& the whole Motivation behind
the entire Noble Life ...
--
A saying of the Buddha from
http://metta.lk/
The sun shines by day; the moon is radiant by night. Armoured shines the
warrior king. Meditating the Brahmana shines. But all day and night the
Buddha shines in glory.
Random Dhammapada Verse 387