The Buddha teaches on wrong effort, presenting a fivefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 5.120 Wrong Effort

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgatā bhikkhunī yathābhataṁ nikkhittā evaṁ niraye. Katamehi pañcahi? Ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, micchāvāyāmā ca hoti, micchāsatinī ca, saddhādeyyaṁ vinipāteti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgatā bhikkhunī yathābhataṁ nikkhittā evaṁ niraye.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgatā bhikkhunī yathābhataṁ nikkhittā evaṁ sagge. Katamehi pañcahi? Anuvicca pariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, anuvicca pariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, sammāvāyāmā ca hoti, sammāsatinī ca, saddhādeyyaṁ na vinipāteti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgatā bhikkhunī yathābhataṁ nikkhittā evaṁ sagge”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Andhakavindavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Kulūpako pacchāsamaṇo,
samādhiandhakavindaṁ;
Maccharī vaṇṇanā issā,
diṭṭhivācāya vāyamāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgatā bhikkhunī yathābhataṁ nikkhittā evaṁ niraye.

“Mendicants, a nun with five qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati,

Without examining or scrutinizing, she praises those deserving of criticism,

ananuvicca apariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati,

and criticizes those deserving of praise.

micchāvāyāmā ca hoti,

She has wrong effort and

micchāsatinī ca,

wrong mindfulness,

saddhādeyyaṁ vinipāteti.

and wastes gifts given in faith.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgatā bhikkhunī yathābhataṁ nikkhittā evaṁ niraye.

A nun with these five qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgatā bhikkhunī yathābhataṁ nikkhittā evaṁ sagge.

A nun with five qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Anuvicca pariyogāhetvā avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati,

After examining and scrutinizing, she criticizes those deserving of criticism,

anuvicca pariyogāhetvā vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati,

and praises those deserving of praise.

sammāvāyāmā ca hoti,

She has right effort and

sammāsatinī ca,

right mindfulness,

saddhādeyyaṁ na vinipāteti.

and doesn’t waste gifts given in faith.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgatā bhikkhunī yathābhataṁ nikkhittā evaṁ sagge”ti.

A nun with these five qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.”

Dasamaṁ.

Andhakavindavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Kulūpako pacchāsamaṇo,

samādhiandhakavindaṁ;

Maccharī vaṇṇanā issā,

diṭṭhivācāya vāyamāti.

Qualities:

Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Right effort

Right effort

Energy and resolve directed toward preventing unwholesome states from arising, abandoning arisen unwholesome states, cultivating wholesome states, and maintaining arisen wholesome states; persistent application of the mind aligned with the path.

Also known as: right endeavor, right striving
Pāli: sammāvāyāma, padhāna
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Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
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Wrong effort

Wrong effort

Misapplied energy directed toward goals rooted in craving, aversion, or delusion. It manifests as striving for sensual pleasure, gain, fame, or domination, overwhelming the mind by feeding defilements.

Also known as: incorrect endeavor
Pāli: micchāvāyāma
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Wrong mindfulness

Wrong mindfulness

Misdirected presence of mind and unwholesome retention; the faculty that remembers worldly or harmful narratives, anchors attention to objects of craving and distress, and leaves the mind unguarded against unwholesome states.

Also known as: inferior recollection
Pāli: micchāsati
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Last updated on July 27, 2026