This talk by Ines Freedman was given as part of the series “Eight Great Thoughts” (Anguttara Nikaya 8:30). Energetic effort deals with the effort needed to let go of unskillful and unwholesome mental activities, and to cultivate skillful and wholesome mental activities. It is really about the quality of our mind. We can look at our daily lives, and determine whether we are doing things that are supporting wholesome mental states, such as peace, freedom, kindness and compassion, or doing things that are supporting unwholesome mental states, such as jealous and angry thoughts.

This series is inspired by a delightful discourse that identifies eight thoughts of a great person (Anguttara Nikaya 8:30).