(Sanskrit; ) is a

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

term commonly translated as "energy", "diligence", "enthusiasm", "effort" or "heroism" "help". It can be defined as an attitude of gladly engaging in wholesome activities, and it functions to cause one to accomplish wholesome or virtuous actions.

Etymology

literally means "state of a strong human" or "manliness."See, e.g., which Monier Williams (1899), entry for "Vīryà,
p. 1006
Defines in part as: "manliness, valour, strength, power, energy, RV &c. &c.; heroism/heroinism, heroic deed, ibid.; manly vigour, virility, semen virile, MBh.; Kāv. &c;...." In

Vedic literature FIle:Atharva-Veda samhita page 471 illustration.png, upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the ''Atharvaveda''. The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of relig ...

, the term is associated with heroism and virility. In

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

, refers to a practitioner's "energy", "persistence", "persevering," "vigour", "effort", "diligence", or "exertion", and is repeatedly identified as a necessary prerequisite for achieving liberation.

Mental factor

Within the Buddhist Abhidharma teachings, is identified as: *One of the six occasional mental factors within the Theravada Abhidharma *One of the eleven virtuous mental factors within the Mahayana Abhidharma In this context, is defined as the attitude of gladly engaging in what is wholesome; its function is to cause one to accomplish wholesome actions.Guenther (1975), Kindle Locations 578–580.Kunsang (2004), p. 25. The

Abhidharma-samuccaya The Abhidharma-samuccaya (Sanskrit; ; English: "Compendium of Abhidharma") is a Buddhist text composed by Asaṅga. The ''Abhidharma-samuccaya'' is a systematic account of Abhidharma. According to J. W. de Jong it is also "one of the most impor ...

states: :What is ? It is the mind intent on being ever active, devoted, unshaken, not turning back and being indefatigable. It perfects and realizes what is conducive to the positive. In the context of the Mahayana Abhidharma, is commonly translated as diligence.

Pali literature

Pali literature Pali literature is concerned mainly with Theravada Buddhism, of which Pali (IAST: pāl̤i) is the traditional language. The earliest and most important Pali literature constitutes the Pāli Canon, the authoritative scriptures of Theravada school ...

, is identified as critical component in each of the following sets of qualities conducive to Enlightenment (): :*the five spiritual faculties () :*the five powers () :*the ten or six "perfections" () :*the seven factors of enlightenment ().See, e.g., Bullitt (2005), entry for "viriya," which defines this term as:
Persistence; energy. One of the ten perfections (), the five faculties (; see ), and the five strengths/dominant factors (; see )
. Retrieved 3 February 2011. It is also associated with " Right Effort" () of the

Noble Eightfold Path The Noble Eightfold Path () or Eight Right Paths () is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana. The Eightfold Path consists of eight pra ...

(Pāli: ; Skt.: ) and with the " Four Right Exertions" (). In the ''Kīṭāgiri Sutta'' ( MN 70), the Buddha instructs his followers: :... For a faithful disciple who is intent on fathoming the Teacher's Dispensation, it is natural that he conduct himself thus: 'Willingly, let only my skin, sinews, and bones remain, and let the flesh and blood dry up on my body, but my energy ali: shall not be relaxed so long as I have not attained what can be attained by manly strength [], manly energy [], and manly persistence []...."Ñāṇamoli & Bodhi (2001), "Kīṭāgiri Sutta" (MN 70), pp. 583–84.

Other characterizations

stands for strenuous and sustained effort to overcome unskillful ways (), such as indulging in sensuality, ill will and harmfulness (see, e.g., and ). can also be aroused by strong feelings of and the practice of the charnel ground meditations as outlined in the

Satipatthana sutta The ''Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta'' ( Majjhima Nikaya 10: ''The Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness''), and the subsequently created Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Dīgha Nikāya 22: ''The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness'' ...

. It stands for the right endeavour to attain . can also signify courage and physical strength and was cultivated by Buddhist guardians including the Shaolin monks. It signifies strength of character and persistent effort for the well-being of others as well as the ability to defend the Triratna from attacks. In the absence of sustained effort in practicing meditation, craving creeps in and the meditator comes under its influence. Right effort () is thus required to overcome unskillful mental factors and deviation from .

Notes

Sources

*Bullitt, John T. (2005). ''A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist Terms''. Available from
Access to Insight
(ATI). *Griffith, Ralph T.H. (1896). ''Rig Veda''. * Guenther, Herbert V. & Leslie S. Kawamura (1975), ''Mind in Buddhist Psychology: A Translation of Ye-shes rgyal-mtshan's "The Necklace of Clear Understanding"''. Dharma Publishing. Kindle Edition. *Ireland, John D. (trans.) (1998).
Meghiya Sutta: Meghiya
( Ud. 4.1). Retrieved 7 February 2011 from "Access to Insight". * Kunsang, Erik Pema (translator) (2004). ''Gateway to Knowledge, Vol. 1''. North Atlantic Books. * Monier-Williams, Monier (1899; rev. 2008).
A Sanskrit-English Dictionary
'. Oxford: Clarendon Press. A general on-line search engine for this dictionary is available from "U. Cologne". * Ñāṇamoli, Bhikkhu (trans.) & Bodhi, Bhikkhu (ed.) (2001). ''The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya''. Boston: Wisdom Publications. . * Piyadassi, Thera (1999).
Gilana Sutta: Ill (Factors of Enlightenment)
( SN 46.14). Retrieved 7 February 2011 from "Access to Insight". * Rhys Davids, T.W. & William Stede (eds.) (1921-5).
The Pali Text Society's Pali–English Dictionary
'. Chipstead:

Pali Text Society The Pāli Text Society is a text publication society founded in 1881 by Thomas William Rhys Davids "to foster and promote the study of Pāli texts." Pāli is the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism are preserved. The ...