Five hindrances
In the Buddhist tradition, the five hindrances are identified as mental factors that hinder progress in meditation and in our daily lives. In the Theravada tradition, these factors are identified specifically as obstacles to the jhānas within meditation practice. Within the Mahayana tradition, the five hindrances are identified as obstacles to samatha meditation. Contemporary Insight Meditation teachers identify the five hindrances as obstacles to mindfulness meditation.
The five hindrances are:
- Sensory desire : the particular type of wanting that seeks for happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling.
- Ill-will : all kinds of thought related to wanting to reject; feelings of hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness.
- Sloth-and-torpor : heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression.
- Restlessness-and-worry : the inability to calm the mind.
- Doubt : lack of conviction or trust.
Overview
Within the Buddhist traditions
The five hindrances are identified in the major Buddhist traditions of Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism, as well in the contemporary Insight Meditation tradition. But the hindrances are presented differently within these different traditions, depending upon the way each tradition teaches the practice of meditation.;Contemporary Insight Meditation:
Contemporary Insight Meditation teacher Gil Fronsdal describes the hindrances as "a very important list of mental states that have a big impact on meditation practice and people’s daily lives." Fronsdal emphasizes that it is important not to see the hindrances as personal failings. All human beings have them. A big part of mindfulness meditation is to learn about these hindrances in order to become free of them. Therefore, Fronsdal states, the goal is to not dismiss them, but to study them and understand them really well.
Contemporary teacher Jack Kornfield described the five hindrances as "difficult energies which arise in the mind and in one's life as a part of meditation practice."
;Theravada tradition:
Contemporary Theravada scholar Nina van Gorkom states: "The hindrances are obstructions, overwhelming the mind, weakening insight. The hindrances obstruct the development of what is wholesome."
Within the Theravada tradition, the five hindrances are identified specifically as obstacles to the jhānas within meditation. For example, contemporary Theravada teacher Ajahn Brahmavamso states:
Ajahn Brahmavamso emphasizes that any obstacle that arises in meditation can be identified as one of the five hindrances; he states:
;Mahayana tradition:
Within the Mahayana tradition, the five hindrances are typically identified as obstacles to samatha meditation.
Overcoming the hindrances
All of the Buddhist traditions emphasize that the hindrances are overcome by investigating and understanding them. For example, contemporary Theravada teacher Ajahn Sumedho states:Contemporary Insight Meditation teacher Gil Fronsdal emphasizes that to be a good student of the hindrances, you must be very patient with them and not be dismissive of them. When they arise, you must stop for them. Fronsdal states that a bumper sticker for this type of training could be “I stop for the hindrances.” You don't indulge them, Fronsdal states, you become interested and study them.
The Insight Meditation tradition teaches the RAIN formula for investigating the hindrances:
- R: Recognize it.
- A: Accept it.
- I: Investigate it, be curious. What is it like?
- N: Non-identification. This is just a passing process that comes and goes, not who we are.
The five hindrances individually
1. Sensory desire (kamacchanda)
The hindrance of sensory desire is latching onto thoughts or feelings based on the pleasures of the five senses.- Ajahn Brahmavamso states: "Sensory desire refers to that particular type of wanting that seeks for happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling. It specifically excludes any aspiration for happiness through the sixth sense of mind alone. In its extreme form, sensory desire is an obsession to find pleasure in such things as sexual intimacy, good food or fine music. But it also includes the desire to replace irritating or even painful five-sense experiences with pleasant ones, i.e. the desire for sensory comfort."
- Ajahn Brahmavamso states: " kāma chanda are anything from the extremes of lust to just being concerned with how the body is doing. Thinking about the letter that you have to write afterwards, about the rain pattering on your roof, about your kutī , or what needs to be built next, or where you are going to next, that’s all in the kāmaloka, the world of the senses, that’s all kāma chanda. It’s also kāma vitakka, or the thoughts about those things, about family, about health, about coming here, going there, and thoughts about words.
- Traleg Kyabgon states: "This term alludes to the mind's tendency to latch on to something that attracts it--a thought, a visual object, or a particular emotion. When we allow the mind to indulge in such attractions, we lose our concentration. So we need to apply mindfulness and be aware of how the mind operates; we don't necessarily have to suppress all these things arising in the mind, but we should take notice of them and see how the mind behaves, how it automatically grabs onto this and that."
The hindrance of sensory desire is compared to taking out a loan – any pleasure one experiences through these five senses must be repaid through the unpleasantness of separation or loss which invariably follow when the pleasure is used up. There is also interest to be repaid on the loan. Thus, the Buddha said that the pleasure is small compared to the suffering repaid.
;Antidote
In order to overcome the hindrance of sensory desire, the meditator must first apply mindfulness and recognize that the hindrance is present. Then one must look at the hindrance, analyze it, make it the object of our meditation, experience it fully. The meditator can then apply specific techniques such as contemplating the impermanence of the pleasant desire.
Ajahn Brahmavamso emphasizes the technique of letting go of concern for the body and the five senses completely; he states:
;Etymology
Kamacchanda can be compared to giving your approval for kāma-based thoughts and emotions to remain in your mind. It is allowing these thoughts to occupy your mind. Ajahn Brahmavamso explains:
2. Ill will (vyapada)
The hindrance of ill will is latching onto thoughts or feelings based on anger, resentment, hostility, bitterness, etc.- Ajahn Brahmavamso states: "Ill will refers to the desire to punish, hurt or destroy. It includes sheer hatred of a person, or even a situation, and it can generate so much energy that it is both seductive and addictive. At the time, it always appears justified for such is its power that it easily corrupts our ability to judge fairly. It also includes ill will towards oneself, otherwise known as guilt, which denies oneself any possibility of happiness. In meditation, ill will can appear as dislike towards the meditation object itself, rejecting it so that one's attention is forced to wander elsewhere."
- Traleg Kyabgon states: "The second hindrance is ill will; it is the opposite of the first hindrance, being brought about by aversion rather than attraction. Ill will refers to all kinds of thought related to wanting to reject, feelings of hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness. When they arise, we should take note of them, not necessarily suppressing them, but seeing how they arise."
The hindrance of ill will is compared to being sick. Just as sickness denies one the freedom and happiness of health, so ill will denies one the freedom and happiness of peace.
;Antidote
The antidote to the hindrance of ill will is meditation on loving kindness. Ajahn Brahmavamso states:
3. Sloth-torpor (thina-middha)
Sloth-torpor is a dull, morbid state that is characterized by unwieldiness, lack of energy, and opposition to wholesome activity.- Traleg Kyabgon states: "When this hindrance is present, we lose our focus in meditation. We may not be agitated in any perceptible way, but there is no mental clarity. We gradually become more and more drowsy, and then eventually go to sleep."
- Ajahn Brahmavamso states: "Sloth and torpor refers to that heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression. In meditation, it causes weak and intermittent mindfulness which can even lead to falling asleep in meditation without even realising it!"
The hindrance of sloth-torpor is compared to being imprisoned in a cramped, dark cell, unable to move freely in the bright sunshine outside.
;Antidote:
Ajahn Brahmavamso states:
Traleg Kyabgon states: "When this happens, instead of persisting with the meditation, it is better to try to refresh ourselves by getting up and going for a walk or washing our face, after which we return to our meditation."
4. Restlessness-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca)
The hindrance of restlessness-worry refers to a mind that is agitated and unable to settle down.- Ajahn Brahmavamso states: "Restlessness refers to a mind which is like a monkey, always swinging on to the next branch, never able to stay long with anything. It is caused by the fault-finding state of mind which cannot be satisfied with things as they are, and so has to move on to the promise of something better, forever just beyond. Remorse refers to a specific type of restlessness which is the karmic effect of one's misdeeds."
- Traleg Kyabgon states: "The fourth hindrance is restlessness and worry, which refers to all the mental activities that go on in our mind due to its restless nature."
- Gil Fronsdal states: "The discomfort of restlessness creates an outward looking – what can I do to fix this? What can I do to settle this? So the challenge in restlessness is how to turn towards it and be present for it and engage it."
Restlessness is compared to being a slave, continually having to jump to the orders of a tyrannical boss who always demands perfection and so never lets one stop.
;Antidote:
- Ajahn Brahmavamso states:
- * Restlessness is overcome by developing contentment, which is the opposite of fault-finding. One learns the simple joy of being satisfied with little, rather than always wanting more. One is grateful for this moment, rather than picking out its deficiencies. For instance, in meditation restlessness is often the impatience to move quickly on to the next stage. The fastest progress, though is achieved by those who are content with the stage they are on now. It is the deepening of that contentment that ripens into the next stage.
- * Remorse refers to a specific type of restlessness which is the kammic effect of one's misdeeds. The only way to overcome remorse, the restlessness of a bad conscience, is to purify one's virtue and become kind, wise and gentle. It is virtually impossible for the immoral or the self-indulgent to make deep progress in meditation.
- Gil Fronsdal states: " a variety of ways to engage restlessness, be present for it. learning, reflecting, meditating and contemplating what the nature of restlessness is. There might be a really good cause for you to be restless. Maybe you haven't paid your taxes in ten years. you don't need meditation, you need to pay your taxes. You don't use meditation to run away from the real issues of your life. Sometimes what's needed is to really look and understand are there root causes for being restless."
5. Doubt (vicikicchā)
- Ajahn Brahmavamso states: "Doubt refers to the disturbing inner questions at a time when one should be silently moving deeper. Doubt can question one's own ability 'Can I do This?,' or question the method 'Is this the right way?,' or even question the meaning 'What is this?.' It should be remembered that such questions are obstacles to meditation because they are asked at the wrong time and thus become an intrusion, obscuring one's clarity."
- Traleg Kyabgon states: "When we meditate in the presence of this hindrance, we have a constant nagging feeling: 'How do I know what I am doing is right? How do I know if this thing really works and if I am not just wasting my time? How do I know what the Buddhist teachings say is true? How do I know if that what the meditation teachers have taught me is right and that they are not deluded?'"
Doubt is compared to being lost in a desert, not recognising any landmarks.
;Antidote:
Ajahn Brahmavamso states:
- Such doubt is overcome by gathering clear instructions, having a good map, so that one can recognise the subtle landmarks in the unfamiliar territory of deep meditation and so know which way to go. Doubt in one's ability is overcome by nurturing self-confidence with a good teacher. A meditation teacher is like a coach who convinces the sports team that they can succeed.
- The end of doubt, in meditation, is described by a mind which has full trust in the silence, and so doesn't interfere with any inner speech. Like having a good chauffeur, one sits silently on the journey out of trust in the driver.
Mental factors that counteract the five hindrances
- Coarse examination counteracts sloth-torpor
- Precise investigation counteracts doubt
- Well-being counteracts ill-will
- Bliss counteracts restlessness-worry
- Single-pointed attention counteracts sensory desire
In Pali Literature
In the Pali Canon
In the Pali Canon's Samyutta Nikaya, several discourses juxtapose the five hindrances with the seven factors of enlightenment. For instance, according to SN 46.37, the Buddha stated:In terms of gaining insight into and overcoming the Five Hindrances, according to the Satipatthana Sutta, the Buddha proclaimed:
Each of the remaining four hindrances are similarly treated in subsequent paragraphs.
The Buddha gives the following analogies in the Samaññaphala Sutta :
Similarly, in the Sagārava Sutta, the Buddha compares sensual desire with looking for a clear reflection in water mixed with lac, turmeric and dyes; ill will with boiling water; sloth-and-torpor with water covered with plants and algae; restlessness-and-worry with wind-churned water; and, doubt with water that is "turbid, unsettled, muddy, placed in the dark."
From post-canonical Pali literature
According to the first-century CE exegetic Vimuttimagga, the five hindrances include all ten "fetters": sense desire includes any attachment to passion; ill will includes all unwholesome states of hatred; and, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and doubt include all unwholesome states of infatuation. The Vimuttimagga further distinguishes that "sloth" refers to mental states while "torpor" refers to physical states resultant from food or time or mental states; if torpor results from food or time, then one diminishes it through energy; otherwise, one removes it with meditation. In addition, the Vimuttimagga identifies four types of doubt:- doubt regarding self is a hindrance to tranquility;
- doubt regarding the Four Noble Truths and three worlds is a hindrance to insight;
- doubt regarding the Triple Gem is a hindrance to both tranquility and insight;
- doubt regarding places and people is a hindrance to "non-doctrinal" things;
- doubt regarding the Discourses is a hindrance to solitude.
Etymology
According to Gil Fronsdal, the Pali term nīvaraṇa means covering. Fronsdal states that these hindrances cover over: the clarity of our mind, and our ability to be mindful, wise, concentrated, and stay on purpose.According to Rhys Davids, the Pali term nīvaraṇa refers to an obstacle or hindrance only in the ethical sense, and is usually enumerated in a set of five.