The Sixth Step

“Right Effort” entails a thorough process that ranges from “right thoughts” through “right actions,” resulting in both fence-mending for past offenses and working to create desirable karma. Five steps are recognized which define this process. They are: (1) Generating a desire (passion), (2) making a commitment (resolve), (3) activating persistence (forbearance), (4) not becoming side-tracked (focused), and (5) carrying through with the original intention (sees the matter through to completion). These five steps are then applied to four areas of conduct, assisted by four areas of awareness.

• Abandonment of existing evil
• Correcting existing unskilled qualities
• Creating future good
• Creating future skilled qualities

The four parts of awareness are:

1. A Buddha is eternally enlightened. He thus can’t attain what he has already.
2. All beings are Buddhas thus share in enlightenment.
3. A Buddha’s nature is non-differentiated—Nothing to grasp—Neither a subject nor an object. 
4. This nature is our unconditional nature. Since we, too, are Buddhas, we are likewise non-differentiated.

Right effort needs to be seen in the context of enlightenment and dharma. Hui-neng said, “When we are deluded, our teacher liberates us. When we are enlightened, we liberate ourselves.” 

Dharma is a teaching of transcendent truth. The Eightfold Path is dharma—we use the help of a teacher to gain enlightenment. While in an unenlightened state, we need to be taught and have guidelines to follow. This is a teaching to follow, and the Path is intended to lead to enlightenment.

However, Hui-neng correctly points out that once we achieve enlightenment, we must put the dharma away. Why? Because to retain a teaching designed to take us somewhere would bind us (attach us) once we arrive. The question thus becomes, “What is the nature of enlightenment, and what guide-line would we follow once we arrive?”

The Diamond Sutra is instructive in answering this question. In chapter twenty-three, The Buddha said that unexcelled, perfect enlightenment can’t be realized since it possesses no features, qualities, nor aspects since it (enlightenment) is undifferentiated. Furthermore, he says there is nothing whatsoever to attain. This puzzling expression is explained with the above four points of awareness.

In an unenlightened state, these qualities are not seen; we must follow a set of guidelines that will help us remove delusions that obstruct our vision. Bad karma creates such obstructions and muddies the clarity of vision, whereas good karma clears the clouds.

Once we are enlightened, the guiding force is the recognition that there is no difference between our self, others, and The Buddha. These are one thing, not many. The principal to abide by is the one provided by Jesus: “Do unto others as we would have them do to us.” Such effort is right because it is selfless.