Right Endeavour means practicing meditation correctly even without seeing results. Can you explain this further?

Right Endeavour (Sammā Vāyāma) refers to an unwavering commitment to meditation practice even when immediate results are not apparent. This phase — in which effort brings no noticeable progress, or fleeting positive experiences arise and disappear — is a profound test of patience and perseverance. Practitioners may encounter unusual phenomena: at times they may feel as though they have entered deep meditative absorption; at other times they may experience hallucinations, the emergence of supernatural abilities, significant psychological distress, or stagnation in their cultivation.

Without proper guidance from an experienced master, practitioners can easily develop misunderstandings. They may mistakenly believe they have attained enlightenment or, conversely, assume they have failed, leading to misguided decisions that hinder progress. Through accumulated merit, strict adherence to moral precepts, and vigilance in avoiding even the smallest transgressions, however, dedicated practitioners cultivate the resilience and determination needed to persevere on the path.

A deep understanding of the Right Endeavour stage is essential for establishing a solid foundation in meditation. Unfortunately, many meditation instructors do not emphasize this critical phase, which creates difficulties for their students. Many practitioners consequently become trapped in Right Endeavour while believing they have achieved Right Mindfulness, realized their true nature, or entered the First or Second Jhana. These misconceptions obstruct genuine progress and may lead to diminished merit and spiritual regression over time.

When the mind is firmly grounded in morality, merit, and internal energy, and the practitioner mindfully observes the body, its impermanence, and the breath, a subtle form of Awareness begins to emerge. Initially, simply recognizing that the mind has wandered is itself a form of awareness. At this stage, however, it remains weak and cannot yet prevent the subtle arising of wandering thoughts.

Distractions therefore intrude frequently and cause lapses in focus. A practitioner may lose awareness of the breath as thoughts take over, or become completely disengaged from contemplating the body's impermanence because of mental distraction.

During the Right Endeavour stage, meditation techniques must be skillfully adjusted as concentration deepens. Progress through this stage typically follows a structured sequence:

• An Unwholesome Mind
• A Mixed Mind (containing both wholesome and unwholesome qualities)
• A Purely Wholesome Mind
• A Mind with Awareness
• A Mind with Profound Awareness (Right Mindfulness)
• A Mind Entering the First Jhana

The strength of Awareness depends on the practitioner's accumulation of merit, the purification of past transgressions, and the correct application of contemplative techniques grounded in true principles. If awareness remains weak, practitioners should not force progress. They must step back, assess their karmic reservoir — including both wholesome and unwholesome karmic retribution — and make the necessary adjustments to their practice. In the Right Endeavour stage, meditation techniques must therefore be refined skillfully to cultivate strong Awareness, the gateway to deep meditative absorption.