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What Comes Before Mindfulness?: Effective Effort: How to Garden Your Inner Life
Right Effort is a sadly neglected factor of the Noble Eightfold Path. There are endless retreats about mindfulness, but the sixth factor of the path, Right Effort, is woefully underappreciated and not talked about enough in Buddhist circles. It's one of the most inspiring and beautiful path factors, full of so many clear instructions about how to navigate in the inner world and in the outer world. This book is an attempt to bring Right Effort out of the shadow of its glamourous sister, Right Mindfulness, by going back to the basic suttas of the Pali Canon and examining the language of the Buddha around this essential training.
- GenresBuddhism
166 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2023
33 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 31, 2025
Yay! My last book for the year! And what a lovely finish.
This book is uplifting indeed. I love the analogies used. I think that often, Buddhist teachings is seen as logical, rational, about detachment, dispassion, but can also come across a bit dry.
So I am so that teachers such as Ajahn Sona, Ajahn Brahmali and Ajahn Brahm, often take a lighter and more joyful approach and reminds us that the practise is full of joy and lightness. When it comes to meditation, in my mind, it is "work", that I have to put effort and work on it. But Ajahn Sona and Ajahn Brahmali both said "Enjoy!"
Essentially, Ajahn Sona said that Right Effort, the sixth factor in the 8-Fold Path that comes before Right Mindness, is often under-rated and given less attention that it deserved. Most modern teachers focus on mindfulness, but Ajahn Sona said that Right Mindfulness is the servant of Right Effort, because mindfulness is not just about observing of the comings and goings in our minds, but we need to employ Right Effort in the prevention and abandonment of the unwholesome (namely the 5 hindrances) and the cultivation and deepening of the wholesome (7 Factors of Enlightenment, Brahmaviharas). That Right Effort is a critical component in our spiritual path that leads us beyond the mundane (basic Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood) to the supermundane (Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration/Stillness).
There is so much wonderful guidance in this book that I cannot say enough. I will just focus on the analogies used in this book, as these give me a fresh perspective to Buddha's teachings and help me remember. And they are a testament of Ajahn Sona's acute skill as a teacher, showing he understands the teachings so well he can use analogies to demonstrate them.
The Garden: this is the meta analogy for the book and for the teaching on right effort. That we should learn to tend to our internal garden. To prevent and remove weeds, and to plant and maintain a wonderful garden of flowers and fruits. This is eseentially the tetrad of Right Mindfulness that Buddhat taught. It is such a beautiful analogy.
The House: That we live in this body (house) for so long, but we do not know how to take care of it or maintain it. So we need to learn the skills how to.
The Map: If we have no map, the wrong map, or maps with information lacking or misinformation - we will not get to the right place. The maps of ordinary persons are all distorted. So we need to get the right map so that we can get onto the right path (noble 8 fold path).
The Raft: This is a common analogy used by the Budda. But I like how Ajahn Sona infused Right Effort into it. He said the Buddha has given us enough teachings (the raft) to keep us from drowning. But we cannot just just ourselves float along the river and hope to get to the far shore. That we still need to paddle (Right Effort) – with our hands and legs (getting rid of the unwholesome and growing the wholesome). We only abandon the raft when we have reached the other shore, not before. So having some kind of attachment to the raft is a useful and neccessary thing. It is not like what others have said – to have total non-attachment. He said use attachement to get rid of attachment. It is a wholesome attachment. Like using a temporary peg first and get it out later with a permanent peg.
The City: An analogy used and described in detail by the Buddha. That Mindfulness is like sentries guarding the gates to a gity. There are 6 gates (6 senses) and the sentries can only allow the swift pair of messengars in - vipassana and samatha. They always go other – clear seeing and serenity. That they are the only ones who can tell the truth of reality to the Lord of the City. So we need to use Mindfulness wisely and with right effort. So that we can see reality clearly and with serenity.
The hill and the beach: The first 5 factors of the 7 factors of enlightenment take more effort and are more enegising (mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy). But subsequently, past the summit, we can glide down and coast, and enjoy the stillness by the beach (tranquillity, concentration, equanimity).
He reminds us that Buddha said there is pleasure that is apart from sensual pleasure, and that we need not be afraid of it, need not be afraid to be adventurous and push through with our practise.
Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu!
This book is uplifting indeed. I love the analogies used. I think that often, Buddhist teachings is seen as logical, rational, about detachment, dispassion, but can also come across a bit dry.
So I am so that teachers such as Ajahn Sona, Ajahn Brahmali and Ajahn Brahm, often take a lighter and more joyful approach and reminds us that the practise is full of joy and lightness. When it comes to meditation, in my mind, it is "work", that I have to put effort and work on it. But Ajahn Sona and Ajahn Brahmali both said "Enjoy!"
Essentially, Ajahn Sona said that Right Effort, the sixth factor in the 8-Fold Path that comes before Right Mindness, is often under-rated and given less attention that it deserved. Most modern teachers focus on mindfulness, but Ajahn Sona said that Right Mindfulness is the servant of Right Effort, because mindfulness is not just about observing of the comings and goings in our minds, but we need to employ Right Effort in the prevention and abandonment of the unwholesome (namely the 5 hindrances) and the cultivation and deepening of the wholesome (7 Factors of Enlightenment, Brahmaviharas). That Right Effort is a critical component in our spiritual path that leads us beyond the mundane (basic Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood) to the supermundane (Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration/Stillness).
There is so much wonderful guidance in this book that I cannot say enough. I will just focus on the analogies used in this book, as these give me a fresh perspective to Buddha's teachings and help me remember. And they are a testament of Ajahn Sona's acute skill as a teacher, showing he understands the teachings so well he can use analogies to demonstrate them.
The Garden: this is the meta analogy for the book and for the teaching on right effort. That we should learn to tend to our internal garden. To prevent and remove weeds, and to plant and maintain a wonderful garden of flowers and fruits. This is eseentially the tetrad of Right Mindfulness that Buddhat taught. It is such a beautiful analogy.
The House: That we live in this body (house) for so long, but we do not know how to take care of it or maintain it. So we need to learn the skills how to.
The Map: If we have no map, the wrong map, or maps with information lacking or misinformation - we will not get to the right place. The maps of ordinary persons are all distorted. So we need to get the right map so that we can get onto the right path (noble 8 fold path).
The Raft: This is a common analogy used by the Budda. But I like how Ajahn Sona infused Right Effort into it. He said the Buddha has given us enough teachings (the raft) to keep us from drowning. But we cannot just just ourselves float along the river and hope to get to the far shore. That we still need to paddle (Right Effort) – with our hands and legs (getting rid of the unwholesome and growing the wholesome). We only abandon the raft when we have reached the other shore, not before. So having some kind of attachment to the raft is a useful and neccessary thing. It is not like what others have said – to have total non-attachment. He said use attachement to get rid of attachment. It is a wholesome attachment. Like using a temporary peg first and get it out later with a permanent peg.
The City: An analogy used and described in detail by the Buddha. That Mindfulness is like sentries guarding the gates to a gity. There are 6 gates (6 senses) and the sentries can only allow the swift pair of messengars in - vipassana and samatha. They always go other – clear seeing and serenity. That they are the only ones who can tell the truth of reality to the Lord of the City. So we need to use Mindfulness wisely and with right effort. So that we can see reality clearly and with serenity.
The hill and the beach: The first 5 factors of the 7 factors of enlightenment take more effort and are more enegising (mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy). But subsequently, past the summit, we can glide down and coast, and enjoy the stillness by the beach (tranquillity, concentration, equanimity).
He reminds us that Buddha said there is pleasure that is apart from sensual pleasure, and that we need not be afraid of it, need not be afraid to be adventurous and push through with our practise.
Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu!
September 21, 2024
I have nothing but endless praise for this book. An excellent book which wades and traverses through modern, mistaken versions of Buddhist ideas as well as common ideas about the mind in the West. It clears up many ubiquitous but wrong ideas which have been circulating about mindfulness, specifically in the context of Buddhism. Ajahn very deftly explains subtle nuances about Right Effort in simple language.
I've already (several times) listened to the series of talks upon which the book is based, but this is quite neat because it's all in written text and well-formatted and revised to be more suited for reading in a book. It was a joy to read.
Again, just an absolute gem of a book as expected by Ajahn.
I've already (several times) listened to the series of talks upon which the book is based, but this is quite neat because it's all in written text and well-formatted and revised to be more suited for reading in a book. It was a joy to read.
Again, just an absolute gem of a book as expected by Ajahn.
April 9, 2024
Time, energy, and money well spent.
This book will help you. Give you the necessary information and advice for effective effort towards enlightenment. Very thankful for this book. Would love it if Ajahn Sona did a book on everything pertaining to the 8 fold path as there’s not a wealth of books on the subject yet it is so vital. Heck, just cover everything pertaining to the path if you feel so inclined. Not enough access to monastery and wise friends in the west so that could also help. But this book has been enough and has given me plenty to cultivate. Thank you Ajahn Sona.
By the way go to his monastery website and you will find some books available for free.
This book will help you. Give you the necessary information and advice for effective effort towards enlightenment. Very thankful for this book. Would love it if Ajahn Sona did a book on everything pertaining to the 8 fold path as there’s not a wealth of books on the subject yet it is so vital. Heck, just cover everything pertaining to the path if you feel so inclined. Not enough access to monastery and wise friends in the west so that could also help. But this book has been enough and has given me plenty to cultivate. Thank you Ajahn Sona.
By the way go to his monastery website and you will find some books available for free.
August 15, 2025
Ajahn Sona is the real deal. An expert in Therevada Buddhism and able to explain it in a lucid way that removes many of the misunderstandings that have accumulated around the fundamentals. He explains things with great clarity and with the obvious weight of both deep scholarship and actual lived experience of the Dharma. This book, on the much neglected step in the eightfold path Right Effort, is a perfect example and corrects many misunderstandings I had around dealing with the hindrances.
A remarkable individual, I'm truly grateful for his teachings. Check out his YouTube channel for many great talks if you you like this and want more. You won't find a better teacher.
A remarkable individual, I'm truly grateful for his teachings. Check out his YouTube channel for many great talks if you you like this and want more. You won't find a better teacher.
January 10, 2025
The true teachings of the Buddha over the past century have been obscured with other ideas and concepts, the biggest detriment is the mixing and conflation of buddha's teachings with modern western psychology. This book filters out the incorrect ideas and clarifies the true practice. It is a must read to get the correct map to true and lasting satisfaction in life.
February 23, 2024
Imperdible para lograr avanzar en el camino de la iluminación.
Un libro muy práctico con consejos simples pero muy profundos que ayudan a construir la barca para cruzar al otro lado del río.
Un libro muy práctico con consejos simples pero muy profundos que ayudan a construir la barca para cruzar al otro lado del río.
January 5, 2024
Written as an accessible tome for all levels of people on the Path of Dhamma. It answers questions for those that are more familiar with Theravada Buddhism and an excellent guide for those just starting on their journey, with exercises, suggestions and insight into meditation practice but also a fuller understanding of the often overlooked Right Effort.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews