The Five Hindrances
When we examine our
minds, we will inevitably encounter the root forces of greed, hatred and
delusion, which create so much sorrow in the world. In the Christian tradition, these forces are
represented by the Devil, who tempted Jesus in the wilderness. In the Buddhist tradition, these forces are
personified as Mara, the Tempter.
Mara comes in many forms:
-
All things that say, "Let's do this instead".
-
If this doesn't work, Mara comes in a more ferocious
disguise: as an attacker, as anger, irritability, or doubt.
-
If this doesn't work, Mara comes in a more subtle form,
with whispers of pride: "Look how good I am!" "I didn't give in
to the temptation." "I got rid of that anger."
- But we're still taken away from the present
moment!
Depending on our relationship to
these hindrances, they can result in tremendous struggle or valuable fuel for
the growth of insight.
The Five Hindrances
1.
Sense Desire - pleasant sights, sounds, smells,
tastes, bodily sensations, and mind states.
2.
Ill-Will - aversion (including fear, judgment
and boredom), hatred, and anger
3.
Sloth and Torpor - laziness, dullness, lack of
vitality, fogginess, and sleepiness.
4.
Restlessness and Remorse - agitation,
nervousness, anxiety and worry.
5.
Doubt - doubt about ourselves,
our capacities, our teachers, and meditation as a spiritual path: does it
really work?
SENSE DESIRE
Why Is It A
Hindrance?
What's wrong with
desire? Nothing really. But they fool us by tricking us into the
"If Only" mentality: If only I could
have this, look like this, find the right relationship, etc. I would be happy.
Our culture supports
and promotes this attitude - buy this, enjoy that, act like this, look like
that . . .
It's a trap. Even if we get what we want, there is always
the desire for something more, something newer, something better.It's
the desiring mind, which is so strong, that ultimately causes pain and
suffering.
It interferes with our power to
deeply open to the truth, to relate directly and wisely to what is actually
here.
What To
Do About It
1.
Look directly at this mind state and know what
it is: desire is in me (not repeating the word desire, but just knowing
that desire is present).The mere recognition of it may be enough to dispel it.
Sometimes it can be helpful to just watch the flow of thoughts as if standing
on a bridge looking at the water pass below.
2.
Make it the object of meditation. Instead of fighting
or suppressing sense desire, investigate it mindfully.Allow
its energy to teach you its laws - What is this desire? How does it feel in the
body? What parts of the body are affected - gut, breath, eyes?What does it feel like in the heart?In
the mind?When it is present, are we happy or
agitated? Open or closed? Pay meticulous attention to it.
3.
Learning how to meditate on impure objects;
4.
Devoting oneself to the meditation on the impure;
5.
Guarding the sense doors;
6.
Moderation in eating;
7.
Noble friendship;
8.
Suitable conversation
ILL-WILL
Why Is It A
Hindrance?
When it is strong in
our mind, it colors our entire experience - distorting what is actually present.It is usually painful.
With the mind full
of dislike, of wanting to be somewhere other than the present moment, how can
we concentrate and explore the present moment in the spirit of discovery?
What To
Do About It
1.
Look directly at this mind state and know what
it is: anger is in me (not repeating the word anger, but just knowing
that anger is present);
2.
Make it the object of meditation (as above);
3.
Learning how to meditate on lovingkindness;
4.
Devoting oneself to the meditation of lovingkindness;
5.
Considering that one is the owner and heir of one's
actions (kamma);
6.
Frequent reflection on it (in the following way):
Thus one should
consider: "Being angry with another person, what can you do to him? Can
you destroy his virtue and his other good qualities? Have you not come to your
present state by your own actions, and will also go hence according to your own
actions? Anger towards another is just as if someone wishing to hit another
person takes hold of glowing coals, or a heated iron-rod, or of excrement. And,
in the same way, if the other person is angry with you, what can he do to you?
Can he destroy your virtue and your other good qualities? He too has come to
his present state by his own actions and will go hence according to his own
actions. Like an unaccepted gift or like a handful of dirt thrown against the
wind, his anger will fall back on his own head."
7. Noble
friendship;
8. Suitable
conversation.
SLOTH AND TORPOR
Why Is It A
Hindrance?
The mind becomes
unworkable and cloudy.Clarity and wakefulness fade.
It is a big obstacle to mindfulness practice.
What To
Do About It
- Look directly at this mind state and know
what it is: drowsiness is in me (not repeating the word drowsiness, just
knowing that drowsiness is present);
- Make it the object of meditation (as above);
- Knowing that overeating is a cause of it;
- Changing the bodily posture;
- Thinking of the perception of light;
- Staying in the open air;
- Noble friendship;
- Suitable conversation.
RESTLESSNESS AND
REMORSE
Why Is It A
Hindrance?
The mind spins in
circles and flops around like a fish out of water.It
gets caught in the drama of mental formations and jumps from object to object.Concentration becomes scattered and we cannot stay
in the present moment.
What To
Do About It
- Look directly at this mind state and know
what it is: restlessness is in me (not repeating the word restless, but just
knowing that restless is present);
- Make it the object of meditation (as above);
- Knowledge of the Buddhist scriptures (Doctrine and
Discipline);
- Asking questions about them;
- Familiarity with the Vinaya (the Code of Monastic
Discipline, and for lay followers, with the principles of moral conduct);
- Association with those mature in age and experience,
who possess dignity, restraint and calm;
- Noble friendship;
- Suitable conversation.
DOUBT
Why Is It A
Hindrance?
When we believe it
and get caught in it, it stops our practice cold. "Does it really
work?" "Am I wasting my time?" "It's too hard." "I'm
not making any progress." We become paralyzed.
What
To Do About It
- Look directly at this mind state and know
what it is: doubt is in me (not repeating the word doubt, but just
knowing that doubt is present);
- Make it the object of meditation (as above);
- Knowledge of the Buddhist scriptures (Doctrine and
Discipline);
- Asking questions about them;
- Familiarity with the Vinaya (the Code of Monastic
Discipline, and for lay followers, with the principles of moral conduct);
- Firm conviction concerning the Buddha, Dhamma and
Sangha;
- Noble friendship;
- Suitable conversation.
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