ABSTRACT
There is also, however, a qualitative sense to right effort. We might call it rightly directed effort. When we follow this path a change takes place in the way we relate to problems. When someone makes us angry, or hurts us, or embarrasses us, our tendency is to point to them, saying "you this" and "you that." Rightly directed effort is toward our
own reactions, toward ourselves. Our first responsibility is to leam equanimity and patience. We saw examples earlier ofthis attitude: The Buddhist monk who advised: When someone makes you angry think "Thank you; you're my teacher," (chap. 9) and the Dalai Lama, who said: "The enemy can be very important; the enemy teaches you patience" (chap. 2). These examples neatly exemplify rightly directed effort, which is toward orte' s own reactions.
