“The word ārya (Pāli: ariya), in the sense of “noble” or “exalted”, is very frequently used in Buddhist texts to designate a spiritual warrior or hero, which use this term much more often than Hindu or Jain texts. Buddha’s Dharma and Vinaya are the ariyassa dhammavinayo. The Four Noble Truths are called the catvāry āryasatyāni (Sanskrit) or cattāri ariyasaccāni (Pali). The Noble Eightfold Path is called the āryamārga (Sanskrit, also āryāṣṭāṅgikamārga) or ariyamagga (Pāli).
In Buddhist texts, the ārya pudgala (Pali: ariyapuggala, “noble person”) are those who have the Buddhist śīla (Pāli sīla, meaning “virtue”) and who have reached a certain level of spiritual advancement on the Buddhist path, mainly one of the four levels of awakening”—-Wikipedia
-Thanissaro has recently published two books broadly on this theme which reflects his stage of life, when extra effort is needed.
https://www.dhammatalks.org/ebook_index.html
-Thanissaro alludes to the populist thread which adulterates western Buddhism:
“when you look at the list of qualities included under the bases for success, you find only one that’s emphasized in modern mindfulness. That’s intentness. The other three—desire, effort, using your powers of judgment—are all considered antithetical to proper mindfulness practice as it’s generally taught now.”
“Just as a royal frontier fortress has a large army stationed within — elephant soldiers, cavalry, charioteers, bowmen, standard-bearers, billeting officers, soldiers of the supply corps, noted princes, commando heroes, infantry, & slaves — for the protection of those within and to ward off those without; in the same way a disciple of the noble ones keeps his persistence aroused for abandoning unskillful mental qualities and taking on skillful mental qualities, is steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his duties with regard to skillful mental qualities. With persistence as his army, the disciple of the noble ones abandons what is unskillful & develops what is skillful, abandons what is blameworthy & develops what is blameless, and looks after himself with purity…”—-AN 7.63
-To exert the effort of will and persistence required to advance in the dhamma is to fulfill a necessary aspect of the teaching:
"And what is the food for the arising of unarisen persistence as a factor for Awakening, or for the growth & increase of persistence… once it has arisen? There is the potential for effort, the potential for exertion, the potential for striving. To foster appropriate attention to them: This is the food for the arising of unarisen persistence as a factor for Awakening, or for the growth & increase of persistence… once it has arisen.”—-SN 46.51
-Making the distinction between conventional and ultimate reality, the practitioner sees clearly the parameters within which they are working, and therefore has the confidence for striving and persistence while going against the current:
"And who is the individual who goes with the flow? There is the case where an individual indulges in sensual passions and does evil deeds. This is called the individual who goes with the flow.
“And who is the individual who goes against the flow? There is the case where an individual doesn’t indulge in sensual passions and doesn’t do evil deeds. Even though it may be with pain, even though it may be with sorrow, even though he may be crying, his face in tears, he lives the holy life that is perfect & pure. This is called the individual who goes against the flow.”—AN 4.5
