Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ye kecime bīja·gāma·bhūta·gāmā vuḍḍhiṃ virūḷhiṃ vepullaṃ āpajjanti, sabbe te pathaviṃ nissāya pathaviyaṃ patiṭṭhāya evam·ete bīja·gāma·bhūta·gāmā vuḍḍhiṃ virūḷhiṃ vepullaṃ āpajjanti; evam·eva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlaṃ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya cattāro samma·p·padhāne bhāveti, cattāro samma·p·padhāne bahulī·karoti.

Just as, bhikkhus, whatever seeds and plants come to development, growth and maturity, it is supported by earth and grounded in earth that all these seeds and plants come to development, growth and maturity; in the same way, bhikkhus, it is supported by virtue and grounded in virtue that a bhikkhu develops the four right strivings, that he practices assiduously the four right strivings.

Kathañ·ca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlaṃ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya cattāro samma·p·padhāne bhāveti, cattāro samma·p·padhāne bahulī·karoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ anuppādāya chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati. Uppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati. Anuppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ uppādāya chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati. Uppannānaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyo·bhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṃ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṃ ārabhati cittaṃ paggaṇhāti padahati.

And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu supported by virtue and grounded in virtue develop the four right strivings, practice assiduously the four right strivings? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu generates his desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil and unwholesome states, he exerts himself, rouses his exertion, applies vigorously his mind and strives. He generates his desire for the abandoning of arisen evil and unwholesome states, he exerts himself, rouses his exertion, applies vigorously his mind and strives. He generates his desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states, he exerts himself, rouses his exertion, applies vigorously his mind and strives. He generates his desire for the steadiness of arisen wholesome states, for their non-confusion, for their increase, their maturity, their development and their completion, he exerts himself, rouses his exertion, applies vigorously his mind and strives.

Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlaṃ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya cattāro samma·p·padhāne bhāveti, cattāro samma·p·padhāne bahulī·karotī ti.

Thus, bhikkhus, it is supported by virtue and grounded in virtue that a bhikkhu develops the four right strivings, that he practices assiduously the four right strivings.