When I was a teenager, I read “From Primitives to Zen,” a book compiled by Mircea Eliade that brought together texts from various religious traditions. Eliade, a prominent Romanian historian of religion, was a Professor of the History of Religions at the University of Chicago. This book gave me one of my earliest glimpses into the Buddha’s teachings, as it included extracts from early Buddhist scriptures.
Buddhism, I found out, loves lists. This penchant for lists likely stems from the fact that Buddhism emerged when sacred texts were not written down. Instead, crucial information was preserved in the human mind. At that time in India, paper didn’t exist, so people used special leaves for writing. Only temporary data like brief notes and business receipts were generally inscribed.
Some of these lists were puzzling to me, but that was more my fault than theirs. However, a few stood out as models of clear thinking. One such teaching was the “four right efforts,” which is part of a longer list called the eightfold path. Here’s a simplified version of what the Buddha said about right effort:
1. Preventing unwholesome states from arising.
2. Abandoning unwholesome states that have already arisen.
3. Bringing about wholesome states that haven’t yet arisen.
4. Maintaining and enhancing wholesome states that have already arisen.
These principles are straightforward and practical. They form the core of spiritual practice, offering us the chance to gently guide our minds in positive directions. The purpose is to alleviate suffering and increase happiness.
Recently, I was pondering another practice called mudita, which I interpret as “joyful appreciation.” Traditionally, mudita is explained as feeling happy for someone else’s happiness or experiencing sympathetic joy. Originally, it referred to finding joy in appreciating the virtues of others—essentially, expressing appreciation, admiration, and gratitude.
Feelings of appreciation and admiration are incredibly encouraging. When we acknowledge someone’s good deeds, they are more likely to continue doing them. Similarly, when we admire a quality in another person, we’re more inclined to develop it in ourselves.
I then realized we could also apply the four right efforts to how we interact with others, not just our own mental states. Buddhist practice aims to shift focus away from ourselves and towards others, promoting empathy and concern for those around us.
So how can the four right efforts be applied to others? I found it intriguing to consider this outward application. Although I’m not the first to think of it, I can’t recall seeing it presented this way before.
This idea of being a supportive friend aligns with many Buddhist teachings. For instance, the Buddha told the householder Sigālaka that a good friend helps us avoid wrongdoing, supports us in doing good, teaches us new things, and explains the ethical path.
In another favorite teaching of mine, the Buddha explains to two acrobatic performers that they must take care of each other for their own safety. “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 fostering positive ones benefits others because it makes us kinder and easier to be around. Helping others similarly benefits us, as kindness, compassion, and appreciation foster deep connections and bring us peace and joy.