Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
The Five Hindrances to Meditation
This is perhaps the most useful Buddhist concept I have come across. I first encountered it while reading about Theravada Buddhism. My own practice at that time was mantra chanting and mandala contemplation. It was going in circles. The Five Hindrances described exactly what was happening. I later found out that the same concept is/was taught in Tiantai Buddhism; as the Five Veils.
My understanding is that these are taught in the Nikaya Suttas and expanded upon in the Path of Purification; a Meditation Manual by Buddhagosa. The hindrances are similar to kleshas or afflictions. However, in this case it is not necessary to eradicate them. We only need to suspend them, get past them, long enough to enter the first level of Meditative Absorption. Jhana or Dhyana begins when the Five Hindrances stop. In more advanced practice, they are like veils that must be lifted to reveal virtue.
Here is the Pali concept as I understand it right now:
Panca Nivaranani
1. Kamachanda: Kama translates as lust, or sensory pleasure; chanda means desire. Literally lust-desire; refers to sense desires in general; not just erotic desires.
2. Vyapada/Byapada: The best translation is probably enmity. There are five or so Indic terms, with specific nuances of meaning, that are generally collapsed into a single Chinese word meaning anger. This one, vyapada, comes from a root meaning resistance. It means ill will, antipathy, enmity, or unfriendliness.
3. Thina-middhi: This is, obviously, a compound word. Thina means sloth, laziness, or indolence. Middhi means drowsiness, torpor, listlessness, or mental fog. I know the frame of mind of thina-middhi well, quite well. Boredom, melancholy, sullenness, indifference, or apathy might be decent translations of thina-middhi.
4. Uddhacca-kukkucca: This is another compound word. Uddhacca means to be restless, inattentive, nervous, edgy, wavering, fidgety, agitated, or distracted. Kukkucca translates as anxiety, worry, or remorse ~~ going cuckoo. It is a good and healthy thing to feel shame and guilt. Lack of shame and guilt are deemed impediments to progress in Buddhist practice. However, dwelling on, or obsessing over, remorse; or guilt tripping, can cause one to descend into sullen, morose, or hopeless moods.
5. Vicikiccha: This is generally translated as suspicious or skeptical doubt. I like cynicism as a translation. Vicikiccha means to feel uncertain, unsafe; lacking in confidence and trust. A certain amount of skepticism is healthy though. The question is how to resolve legitimate doubt?
As always, this is just my take on the topic. My views might be incorrect; and are definitely incomplete. Also, this a real brief summary.
My understanding is that these are taught in the Nikaya Suttas and expanded upon in the Path of Purification; a Meditation Manual by Buddhagosa. The hindrances are similar to kleshas or afflictions. However, in this case it is not necessary to eradicate them. We only need to suspend them, get past them, long enough to enter the first level of Meditative Absorption. Jhana or Dhyana begins when the Five Hindrances stop. In more advanced practice, they are like veils that must be lifted to reveal virtue.
Here is the Pali concept as I understand it right now:
Panca Nivaranani
1. Kamachanda: Kama translates as lust, or sensory pleasure; chanda means desire. Literally lust-desire; refers to sense desires in general; not just erotic desires.
2. Vyapada/Byapada: The best translation is probably enmity. There are five or so Indic terms, with specific nuances of meaning, that are generally collapsed into a single Chinese word meaning anger. This one, vyapada, comes from a root meaning resistance. It means ill will, antipathy, enmity, or unfriendliness.
3. Thina-middhi: This is, obviously, a compound word. Thina means sloth, laziness, or indolence. Middhi means drowsiness, torpor, listlessness, or mental fog. I know the frame of mind of thina-middhi well, quite well. Boredom, melancholy, sullenness, indifference, or apathy might be decent translations of thina-middhi.
4. Uddhacca-kukkucca: This is another compound word. Uddhacca means to be restless, inattentive, nervous, edgy, wavering, fidgety, agitated, or distracted. Kukkucca translates as anxiety, worry, or remorse ~~ going cuckoo. It is a good and healthy thing to feel shame and guilt. Lack of shame and guilt are deemed impediments to progress in Buddhist practice. However, dwelling on, or obsessing over, remorse; or guilt tripping, can cause one to descend into sullen, morose, or hopeless moods.
5. Vicikiccha: This is generally translated as suspicious or skeptical doubt. I like cynicism as a translation. Vicikiccha means to feel uncertain, unsafe; lacking in confidence and trust. A certain amount of skepticism is healthy though. The question is how to resolve legitimate doubt?
As always, this is just my take on the topic. My views might be incorrect; and are definitely incomplete. Also, this a real brief summary.
0
Comments
If you don’t mind, I am going to take what you have written here in smaller pieces, as there is a great deal worth speaking to, in what you have said.
R: The hindrances are similar to kleshas or afflictions. However, in this case it is not necessary to eradicate them.
S9: I am not a scholar, so forgive me for coming at this from a whole other angle.
I practice a good deal of mindfulness, or my version of mindfulness, anyway, on this whole idea of hindrances. I have personally come to see that what we call hindrances is actually not blocking our vision of the Real, at/all. In other words, we are looking directly at Ultimate Reality all of the time, every single one of us, every single second, including right NOW.
The only problem, as I see it, is that we do not know what we are looking at.
Q: “The Gates (of Realization) are wide open, and there is (absolutely) nothing that blocks the way.”
R: We only need to suspend them, (hinrances), get past them, long enough to enter the first level of Meditative Absorption.
S9: It is all about “Wrongful Identity.” These thoughts, these so-called hindrances are only like clouds that drift across our Pristine Mind all of the time. If we see these for what they are, “Not me,” then we will not be tempted to reach out, and grab them, holding them to our hearts, and becoming attached to them to the point where we call them "ME." This is all about Spiritual Poverty, owning absolutely no ideas/no concepts/no mental objects.
Peace and freedom is beyond ownership. Hold onto any one thing, and it becomes an anchor.
Warm Regards,
S9
As you know, the 8-fold path is divided into three Trainings. Meditation is one of the three. Meditation is also divided into 3. These are Right Exertion, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
Right exertion means to block and let go of unwholesome mind states; while cultivating and maintaining wholesome mind states. I wondered what are these unwholesome states? There hindrances {or veils}, poisons, afflictions, obsessions, fetters, and inflow-outflows. Maybe more. The lists are fairly redundant, especially in Chinese. It occurred to me that the difference is context.
The Buddha talked about the Five Hindrances in two ways I know of. One is that they prevent one from doing Concentration Meditation. The other context, which I think applies to Mindfulness; is that they stifle insight. Here is passage that applies to the latter:
here are five impediments and hindrances, overgrowths of the mind that stultify insight. What five? Sensual desire is an impediment and hindrance, an overgrowth of the mind that stultifies insight. Ill-will... Sloth and torpor... Restlessness and remorse... Skeptical doubt are impediments and hindrances, overgrowths of the mind that stultify insight. Without having overcome these five, it is impossible for a monk whose insight thus lacks strength and power, to know his own true good, the good of others, and the good of both; nor will he be capable of realizing that superhuman state of distinctive achievement, the knowledge and vision enabling the attainment of sanctity.
But if a monk has overcome these five impediments and hindrances, these overgrowths of the mind that stultify insight, then it is possible that, with his strong insight, he can know his own true good, the good of others, and the good of both; and he will be capable of realizing that superhuman state of distinctive achievement, the knowledge and vision enabling the attainment of sanctity. -- AN 5:51
I think that is what you are talking about? The terms 'veils' works there. Lift the veils; what do you see? Also, what comes out?
Here is a passage that applies to a different context; Concentration Meditation:
"Having thus abandoned these five hindrances, imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sense pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, he enters upon and abides in the first absorption (jhana)...(through 4th jhana)"...Thus too, bhikkhus, this exertion is fruitful, this striving is fruitful." -- MN 101. 38-42) (Majjhima Nikaya trans. Bhikkhus Nanamoli & Bodhi, Wisdom, 1995)
IOW, if we want to do Shamatha Meditation, we need to suspend the 5 hindrances. If we want to do do Vipassana; we need to lift the 5 veils.
I would consider Metta Bhavana; in the Context of Brahma Vihara; to be a concentration meditation; another way to enter the first jhana absorption, an alternative to counting breaths. It {all 4 together} also serves as an antidote to Enmity, Cruelty, Envy, and Resentment. In addition; I think it is way of doing what the Japanese call Kito; see the context of the metta sutta.
One of the "hinderances" is delusion ("wrongful identity" as you put it). Greed is clinging/attachment/craving, thus a hinderance. Hatred as a hinderance speaks for itself, but when delusion/greed are gone then hatred ceases. You just described the "real issue" as the Three Poisons (hinderances).
(What the OP is talking about is all within these.. it all comes back to this).
R: Right exertion means to block and let go of unwholesome mind states.
S9: I always ask myself one thing, “How does this thought make you feel? That simple. If it makes me feel bad, than I know that it is unhealthy, and throw it off, much like the body would throw off a disease.
If a thought feels good, then I welcome it to come in and stay for a while.
Calling it exertion almost seems melodramatic, in my case, as I do not break a sweat. Flicking my fingers, I say, "Go away little mosquito of a thought."
Catch it early enough, and it is always only a little mosquito of a thought. This of course calls for being alert.
R: The other context, which I think applies to Mindfulness; is that they stifle insight.
S9: I’m not sure that anything stifles insight. Insights aren’t passed out to us like prizes for being good little boys and girls. Insights come after paying attention, and trying to learn. Even if we are messing up badly, we are always alert, and trying to learn how to remove suffering from our lives. Although, we may not always realize what we are doing. It is a natural inclination, not to want to hurt.
Oh sure, sometimes we go about it badly, and get burned to a crisp. But, then we get the burned to a crisp insight.
Respectfully,
S9
I think you AND S9 are side tracking here. The three poisons are really afflictions; not hindrances / veils. Afflictions {kleshas}. Afflictions are unhealthy {akushala} mind states {cetana} that give rise to thoughtas, words. & deeds.
The sankrit / pali terms for hindrance are Nivaranani / varana or nivarana. The verbal root var means to cover. A varana is something that either keeps things out or conceals them. var = Cover a = toward na- works as a gerundive suffix; makes the word an action noun. Ni- works something like the prefix ex-; it means out, forth, without. Sometimes ni can be a negation; here it just reinforces the concept of keeping something out.
In the basic context, the 5 Hindrances are mental states that keep us out of access samadhi {concentration} and therefore unable to enter the 5 material absorptions. While the Chinese for the second hindrance can mean anger; the pali and sanskrit originals mean enmity, antipathy or ill-will; the opposite of metta -- loving kindness, empathy, amity, or good will.
Hindrance is a so so translation of nivarana. Barrier might work. These do not so much hinder us, as they keep us out of the fine material meditative absorptions {rupa jhana / dhyana} as well as the samapatti formless attainments. In other words, we are talking about Samadhi / Concentration or Samatha / Shamatha Meditation here.
Of course, fences not only keep us out, they can also keep us in. On a more advanced, or different, level, that of Mindfulness & Insight Meditation; the hindrances are more like veils or lids that keep our virtues within.
Yes, your Thread got sidetracked. I was simply pointing out that the 5 Hindrances are a result of the Poisons (which S9 essentially brought up inadvertantly in identifying the "real issue) in my opinion. Hindrance (small "h") was the term S9 chose and I stuck with it.
The 5 Hindrances are Kleshas.
I'm not sure I agree with the "it's not necessary to eradicate them" statement because it sounds like you're saying they do not need to be eradicated in any context (i.e. Nibbana). Do you feel the 5 Hindrances exist within the mind of an awakened being?
How so? You're going to have to elaborate on this one. This sounds, again, like you feel an awakened being is subject to the Hindrances, which seems contradictory.
S9,
Did you read what the 5 "Hindrances" are?
If Hindrances are kleshas, then so are fetters, obsessions, and inflow-outflows? I think the difference is context. That is just my take. I meant it is not necessary to eradicate them only in the context of Shamatha Meditation. We do have to get past them to experience Dhyana.
On the other point, I prefer to defer the answer until later.
1. Underlying tendencies (anusaya)
2. Asava (outflows of underlying tendencies)
3. Outflows without a sense object = hindrance (nirvarana)
4. Outflows with a sense object = kilesa (defilements)
5. Fetters are chains to be broken by insight (vipassana)
4th & 5th fetters are large reductions in sensuality & ill-will. Thus, whilst the tendency has not been uprooted the tendencies, outflows, hindrances & defilements have been significantly eradicated but not totally
For example, non-arahant ariyan still has little of these things
Once returner can place mind in jhana at will, even after extensive non-meditation activity
Preliminary struggle with hindrances is not required
You explained it more elegantly than I did. They are basically the same. My take is a bit different. That might because I was so steeped in a Mahayana tradition {30 years with little or no other influence}. I became fascinated with the Nikayas fairly recently. My take is very tentative. I was going to add more; but have a cold and my long term health issue is flaring up again.
Sorry to hear you're not feeling too good robby - and hope that you will be well soon.
Kind regards,
Dazzle
.
In case S-9 is still around, after all this time, the word in the Sutta translation is stultify. I assume the translator meant merriam's sense 3; 3 a : to impair, invalidate, or make ineffective : negate b : to have a dulling or inhibiting effect on
Stifle would be a synonym. Knowing the pali terms might be helpful:
"There are five impediments and hindrances {veils}, overgrowths of the mind that *stultify insight*<qtlend></qtlend> ..."
Long time/no read. : ^ )
The very word “insight” gives many persons the impression that we must gain something that we previously didn’t have, or don’t quite have yet, something that is not intrinsic to our very Nature or Being, in order to be healed or made complete.
But is the actual case about Reality in its very Thusness? Hasn’t ‘Thusness’ or ‘Isness’ (our Buddha Nature) always been Immediately Present as our Intimate Awareness?
And:
Isn’t Isness “NOTICED” in its Fullness only when we “STOP” thinking that it is somewhere else rather than within this Eternal Here and Now, or in some other moment. Can we not embrace ‘Now’ without any possibility of the conceptual separation we so dread?
There is a little worm in our garden even when we think that we must travel “In-wardly” as in ‘in---sight’ in order to see the truth.
Q: Belief in separation is our only sin.” (Sin aka Suffering.)
Q: “Every direction traveled is a traveling away”… (From this Present Reality that requires absolutely no doing on our part, or any time passing into a future in order to obtain our fullness, or even in order to “NOTICE” it).
Q: (para) “The gate (or Isness) is wide open and there is nothing to stand in your way.”
Perhaps it is our concept that this must be done with the egoic mind, or must be owned by the mind, (AKA grasped), that is a real initial blunder in this issue.
Peace,
S9
If the word insight gives some people trouble; then they need to develop more insight.
The curious thing about Buddhism is it starts with the proposition that life sucks {sabbe sankhara dukkhe}, and the reason it sucks is because we seek something lasting, and a self identity, where they do not exist. The phrasing {sabbe sankhara} leaves open the possibility of bliss {as the opposite of dukkha}, and a constancy; but sabbe dhamma precludes any abiding self.
Despite that, the 8-fold Path is very much about self development. This apparent contradiction actually bothers a lot of Buddhists. The thing is, we do not already have all that we need. However, we have the ability to develop ourselves, even though there is nothing that can be identified as a self. In another sense, we do have what we need, but lost it.
The 8-fold path itself starts with Correct View. Why not just stop there?
There are actually two kinds of correct view or perspective. One is the mundane correct view; which is about Karma, or volitional moral causality. Suffering exists, in a relative sense, because of unwholesome causes. There is also the Superior Correct View; that all of conditional existence {sabbe sankhara} sucks {dukkha}, even wholesome conditioning.
Since there are two Correct Views; there are also two Proper Resolves; the second step. The Proper Mundane Resolve is to develop morals and ethics. The nest 4 steps support that. Three - Five tell us to be generous, behave ourselves, and earn and honest living. Those are still superficial. The 6th is about actually preventing and abandoning the mental roots of moral wrong; while arousing and maintaining wholesome mental states.
That is interesting. All conditional things, including wholesome mental states, are inconstant. That might imply we ought to just let go. However, the Buddha says we should maintain the good, and destroy the bad. If we let things go, the bad seems to take over.
An untended garden gets taken over by weeds, destructive insects, and crop diseases. I do not already have a nice garden with abundant peppers and eggplants. I have to prevent weeds, pests, and disease; then pull any weeds or treat any infestations that still arise. I also must cultivate and maintain my peppers and eggplant. I have that ability, but I must exercise it.
Moreover, I have to develop and maintain my gardening skills; while preventing and getting rid of impairments that limit my skills. That is where right mindfulness and right concentration come in. I must remain attentive. I have to read and study to keep up with the latest gardening methods.
Of course, that is still about the mundane and relative, the conditional. The Buddha also taught about the superior and ultimate. This lies in the unconditioned. However, as I see it, the same methods apply. The gardening analogy does not work so well here. Mining for gold or jewels might be a better analogy. Instead of developing things that are not yet present, we are uncovering what is already there. IOw, that insight, or vipassa, is already there, but it is obscured.
Back to the prior discussion, Samatha Meditation, is, IMO, about developing useful skills. And no, we do not have those already. We have the potential, but must work at it. We must strive to develop fixed concentration. In that context, the Five Nivarana are like barriers that prevent us from developing the 5 qualities that are needed to get to the destinations. The destinations are the 8 or 9 absorptions. Samatha, IMO, is like getting into a shelter.
Here is something I came across that might be useful. Someone was discussing the Pali words {vayama and Padhana} and translate as exertion, effort, diligence, striving, struggle, and so on. These words, too, can be off putting. The author explained that those words mean the kind of joyful exercise that is refreshing and invigorating, that increase virya; not the draining kind that wears us out.
Words for power, strength, or energy: