When I was a teenager, I read a book called “From Primitives to Zen,” a collection of texts from various world religions compiled by Mircea Eliade, a renowned Romanian historian of religion who taught at the University of Chicago. This book was one of my first encounters with the teachings of the Buddha, as it included excerpts from early Buddhist scriptures.
I quickly realized that Buddhism heavily relies on lists. This is because, during the time Buddhism emerged, sacred texts were not written down. Instead, important information was preserved in human memory. In India at that time, there was no paper, and special leaves were used for writing short, temporary notes and business receipts.
While some of these lists initially confused me, others stood out for their clarity. One particularly clear teaching was the “four right efforts,” which is part of the longer eightfold path. The Buddha’s teachings on right effort can be summarized as follows:
1. Effort to prevent unarisen unwholesome states from arising.
2. Effort to abandon arisen unwholesome states.
3. Effort to develop unarisen wholesome states.
4. Effort to maintain and perfect arisen wholesome states.
These four right efforts are not only logical but practical. They form the core of spiritual practice, providing moments in which we can guide our minds towards better states, ultimately reducing suffering and increasing happiness.
Recently, I was reflecting on another practice called mudita, which I prefer to translate as “joyful appreciation.” Mudita traditionally means feeling joy in another’s happiness or virtues. It involves appreciation, admiration, and gratitude, which are encouraging attitudes. Expressing admiration for someone’s admirable actions can motivate them to continue, and by admiring good qualities in others, we are more likely to develop those qualities ourselves.
I began to see a connection between mudita and the four right efforts. Though the four right efforts typically apply to our own mental states, they can also be extended to how we relate to others’ mental states. A key aspect of Buddhist practice is to diminish self-centeredness and enhance our concern for others.
So how might we apply the four right efforts to our interactions with others? It turns out this idea isn’t new, but it’s an interesting perspective. Being a supportive friend aligns with many teachings in the scriptures. For example, the Buddha advised a householder named Sigālaka to recognize a good friend by their support in doing good and avoiding bad, teaching beneficial knowledge, and explaining ethical paths.
In another favorite teaching, the Buddha tells two acrobatic performers that their safety depends on taking care of each other and themselves. He explains, “Taking care of myself, I take care of others. Taking care of others, I take care of myself.” Working on eliminating our own negative states and nurturing positive ones benefits those around us by making us kinder and easier to be with. Helping others, in turn, connects us through kindness, compassion, and appreciation, bringing fulfillment, peace, and joy.
This reflection on extending our positive mental states to others underlines how interconnected our well-being is with the well-being of others. As we repeatedly guide our minds towards positivity, these actions become habits. Neuroscientists suggest that such repeated actions strengthen neural pathways, leading to growth in the brain areas responsible for these positive behaviors.