[238] Four efforts (padhāna): the effort of restraint (saṃvarappadhāna), the effort of abandoning (pahānappadhāna), the effort of development (bhāvanāppadhāna), and the effort of preservation (anurakkhanāppadhāna).
And what, friends, is the effort of restraint? Here, friends, a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, does not grasp at its signs (nimitta) or its features (anubyañjana). Since, if he dwelt with the eye faculty unrestrained, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and grief (abhijjhā-domanassa) might flow in upon him, he practices for its restraint; he guards the eye faculty, he attains restraint over the eye faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having smelled an odor with the nose … Having tasted a flavor with the tongue … Having touched a tangible with the body … Having cognized a dhamma with the mind, he does not grasp at its signs or its features. Since, if he dwelt with the mind faculty unrestrained, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might flow in upon him, he practices for its restraint; he guards the mind faculty, he attains restraint over the mind faculty. This, friends, is called the effort of restraint.
And what, friends, is the effort of abandoning? Here, friends, a bhikkhu does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensuality; he abandons it, dispels it, makes an end of it, brings it to non-existence. An arisen thought of ill will (byāpāda) … An arisen thought of cruelty he does not tolerate; he abandons it … He does not tolerate evil, unwholesome states whenever they have arisen; he abandons them, dispels them, makes an end of them, brings them to non-existence. This, friends, is called the effort of abandoning.
And what, friends, is the effort of development? Here, friends, a bhikkhu develops the mindfulness factor of awakening (satisambojjhaṅga), dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. He develops the investigation-of-dhammas factor of awakening (dhammavicaya). He develops the energy (vīriya) factor of awakening. He develops the rapture (pīti) factor of awakening. He develops the tranquility (passaddhi) factor of awakening. He develops the concentration (samādhi) factor of awakening. He develops the equanimity (upekkhā) factor of awakening, dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. This, friends, is called the effort of development.
And what, friends, is the effort of preservation? Here, friends, a bhikkhu preserves an auspicious sign of concentration that has arisen: the perception of a skeleton, the perception of a worm-infested corpse, the perception of a livid corpse, the perception of a fissured corpse, the perception of a bloated corpse. This, friends, is called the effort of preservation.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.