The Jhanas and the Five Hindrances
(nivarana)
June 10, 2005
By the
contemplative recluse monk Sotapanna Jhanananda (Jeffrey
S, Brooks)
(copyright 2005 all rights reserved)
The hindrances (nivarana)
to enlightenment (nibbana) are those things that block enlightenment. In
the
translated literature there is some variation
in each hindrances interpretation, but they agree fairly closely on most
of them. The first of the Hindrances is perhaps agreed upon most as
"sensual desire" (kamacchandra, The prefix "kama" refers specifically to
the sexual
apatites and is reflected in the famous Hindu erotic manual the Kama Sutra. The
second hindrance "Ill-will" or aversion (vyapada) is also fairly agreed upon,
The third hindrance, however, has the widest range of interpretations of
any of the five hindrances. Of the four translators that I investigated
they offered "restlessness and ethics," "restlessness and scruples," "restlessness
and remorse" and "worry-and-flurry" for (uddhacca-kukkucca), I decided to
just call it "anxiety," which seems to be what they were all struggling to
get at. The fourth hindrance is also unanimously agreed upon as "sloth and
torpor" (thina-middha). The fifth and final hindrance only had slight variation
among the translators between "doubt" and "skeptical doubt" for (vicikiccha). I find "skeptical doubt" a bit clumsy. "skepticism
and doubt" seems to make more sense of the English language, but I just went
for "doubt," which is included within our concept of skepticism.
The Five
Hindrances (nivarana) to Enlightenment
1
|
kamacchandra |
Sensual desire |
| 2 |
vyapada |
Ill-will or aversion |
| 3 |
uddhacca-kukkucca |
Restlessness
and scruples (anxiety) |
| 4 |
thina-middha |
Sloth and Unconsciousness |
| 5 |
vicikiccha |
Doubt |
You will notice if you look at the five lower
and five higher fetters that the first hindrance "sensual desire" has
been elevated to "sensuous craving" in the fourth lower fetter. The second
hindrance, "Ill-will or aversion" (vyapada), is
the fifth of the lower fetters. And, part of the of the third hindrance,
restlessness (uddhacca), is the fourth of the higher fetters. Thus
the hindrances and the fetters are intimately related. By working
on one we work on the other. And, when we are free of the hindrances
we have effectively removed three of the fetters.
10
Fetters (samyojana) tying beings to the wheel of existence:
5
Lower Fetters (orambhagiya-samyojana) tying beings to the wheel
of existence:
1
|
sakkaya-ditthi |
Narcissism |
2
|
vicikiccha |
Skeptical doubt |
| 3 |
silabbata-paramasa |
Clinging to rules, rights and rituals |
| 4 |
kama-raga |
Desire for sensuality |
| 5 |
vyapada |
Ill-will or aversion |
5
Higher Fetters (uddhambhagiya-samyojana)
1
|
rupa-raga |
Craving for material existence |
2
|
arupa-raga |
Craving for immaterial existence |
3
|
mana |
Conceit |
| 4 |
uddhacca |
Restlessness |
5
|
avija |
Ignorance |
One of the most interesting and telling parts of the discourses related
to the hindrances is in very case that the hindrances are discussed, the
meditative absorption states (jhanas) immediately follow as a consequence
of being released from the hindrances. In the Tevijja Sutta (DN 13.75-79)
the Buddha proposed that being free of the hindrances one would naturally
find oneself as if "released from prison" and would be so glad, or joyful,
(sukha) of that release one would naturally arrive at bliss (piiti) and tranquility
(passaddhi) thus the meditative absorption states
that he called "jhana" are manifested.
75 "...when these
five hindrances are abandoned in himself, he regards it as being without
debt, good health,
release from prison, freedom, a place
of security. Seeing that they have been abandoned within him, he becomes
glad. Glad, he becomes enraptured. Enraptured, his body grows tranquil. His
body tranquil, he is sensitive to bliss (piiti). Feeling bliss (piiti), his
mind becomes absorbed.
"Quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful
mental qualities, he enters and remains in the first absorption (jhana):
bliss (piiti) and joy (sukha) born from withdrawal, accompanied by applied
and sustained attention (vitakka and Vicára). He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very
body with the bliss (piiti) and joy (sukha) born from withdrawal."
Translated by Maurice Walshe, "The Long Discourses of the Buddha (Digha
Nikaya), Wisdom Publishing, Boston, 1987, 1995
The Buddha's standard
formula for the relationship between the hindrances and the meditative
absorption
states (jhanas) is provides in the Devadaha
Sutta (MN 101. 38-42). It would thus seem the meditative absorption
states depend upon the hindrances being "abandoned" prior to the arising
of the meditative absorption states. We can then infer that one who
has arrived at the meditative absorption states is thus by definition at
least momentarily free of the hindrances.
Devadaha Sutta (MN 101. 38-42)
The Fruit Of Right Effort (samma-vayam)
"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."
(Majjhima Nikaya trans.
Bhikkhus Nanamoli & Bodhi, Wisdom, 1995)
It is in the Maha-satipatthana Sutta
(DN 22) that we see the Buddha instructing his students in meditation upon
the hindrances. It appears that he believed that by simply being aware
of the arising and falling away of the hindrances throughout one's day; and
learning of the origins and dissolution of the hindrances, and thus learning
how to diminish them. Ultimately, according to this sutta, one learns
how to live independent of them, and not cling to anything in the world.
Maha-satipatthana Sutta
(DN 22), "the Larger Discourse on the Four Cornerstones of Mindfulness"
[1] The five hindrances
"There is the case
where an aspirant remains focused upon mental qualities with respect to the five hindrances.
And how does an aspirant remain focused upon mental qualities with respect
to the five hindrances? There is the case where, there is sensual
desire present within. An aspirant discerns that 'There is
sensual desire present within me.' Or, there is no sensual desire present within, one discerns that 'There is
no sensual desire present within me.' One discerns how there is the arising
of a lack of sensual desire. And one discerns how there is the abandoning of sensual desire once it has arisen. And one discerns
how there is no further appearance in the future of sensual desire that has
been abandoned. (The same formula is repeated for the remaining hindrances: ill
will, sloth and torpor, anxiety, and uncertainty.)
"In this way one
remains focused internally upon mental qualities, or externally upon mental
qualities,
or both internally and externally upon
mental qualities. Or one remains focused upon the phenomenon of origination
with regard to mental qualities, upon the phenomenon of passing away with
regard to mental qualities, or on the phenomenon of origination and passing
away with regard to mental qualities. Or one has the awareness that 'There
are mental qualities' is maintained to the extent of knowledge and remembrance.
And one abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world. This is
how an aspirant remains focused upon mental qualities with respect to the
five hindrances."
In the Cuulahatthipadopama
sutta (MN 27) the Buddha
inspires the contemplative to actively "dispel"
the hindrances, mindfully cleaning them out of one's mind, by cultivating
wholesome qualities, such as compassionate and light. By cleaning
and dispelling the hindrances from the mind the contemplative actively
prepares the mind for the expected outcome of the meditative absorption
states (jhana).
The Minor Discourse of the Simile
of the Elephant's Footprint.
"Dispelling
covetousness for the world he abides, cleaning the mind of covetousness.
Dispelling anger he abides cleaning
the mind of anger, compassionate for all born lives. Dispelling sloth and
torpor he abides, mindful and aware of a perception of light, mindfully
cleaning sloth and torpor from the mind. Dispelling restlessness and worry
he abides with a mind internally appeased and cleans the mind of restlessness
and worry. Abides with doubts dispelled without doubts of meritorious things
that should be done
"The
bhikkhu having dispelled the five hindrances of the mind, making the
minor defilements weak through wisdom, away from
sensual thoughts and away from de-meritorious things, with thoughts and
thought processes and with joy and pleasantness born of seclusion attained
to abides in the first jhana."
In the Mahaavedalla
sutta (MN 43) we see affirmed that the meditative absorption state
(jhana) is free of the hindrances while retaining the five "jhana" factors: applied
attention, sustained attention, joy, bliss and one-pointedness.
The Longer Discourse of Questions and Answers.
"One
attained to the first jhana dispels five factors and maintains five factors.
Here, friend, the bhikkhu attained
to the first jhana has dispelled the interest for sensuality, anger, sloth
and torpor, restlessness and worry and doubts. He maintains, applied and
sustained attention (vitakka and Vicára), bliss (piiti) joy (sukha), and
one pointedness of mind (ekaggatha). Friend, the first jhana is devoid of these five and endowed
with these five.
The first Five Jhana factors
Vitakka
|
applied or initiating
attention |
| Vicára |
sustained attention |
| Piiti |
bliss |
| Sukha |
joy |
| Ekaggatha |
one-pointedness |
We see in the 3 Kosalasamyutta, 24 (4) (Sagathavagga) by
abandoning the five hindrances one gains the "great fruit" of the aggregates of one who is "beyond training:" virtue,
absorption (jhana), wisdom, liberation and knowledge and vision.
3 Kosalasamyutta, 24 (4) (Sagathavagga)
Archery Book 1 with verses
"So
too, great king, when a person has gone forth from the household life
into homelessness, no matter from what clan, if
he has abandoned five factors and possesses five factors, then what is
given to him is of great fruit. What five factors have been abandoned?
Sensual desire has been abandoned; ill-will has been abandoned; sloth and
torpor have been abandoned; anxiety has been abandoned; doubt has been
abandoned. What five factors does he possess? He possesses
the aggregate of virtue of one beyond training, the aggregate of absorption
(jhana) of one beyond training, the aggregate of wisdom of one beyond training,
the aggregate of liberation of one beyond training, the aggregate of knowledge
and vision of one beyond training. He possesses the five factors. Thus
what is given to one who has abandoned five factors and who possesses five
factors is of great fruit.
(Bodhi, Bhikkhu trans., Samyutta Nikaya Wisdom, 2000)
The Five aggregates of one who is "beyond training:"
| 1 |
Virtue
|
Sila |
| 2 |
absorption
|
Samadhi |
| 3 |
wisdom |
Paññá |
| 4 |
liberation |
Vimokkha. |
| 5 |
knowledge
and vision |
Nanadassana |
In the Bojjhangasamyutta
(SN Chapter II 46) we see the five hindrances are sustained by "nutriment." The
"nutriment" for sensual desire is paying attention to the characteristics
(nimitta) of the
attractive. That means attending to things that are attractive. That
does not mean flowers, but to people who are aluring. The "nutriment"
for ill-will is giving attention to the "sign (nimitta) of the repulsive,"
or
that which repulses or irritates one. The "nutriment" for sloth and
torpor is "discontent, lethargy, lazy stretching, drowsiness after meals,
sluggishness of mind, etc." The "nutriment" for anxiety is the
agitated mind. The "nutriment" for doubt is simply entertaining doubts
and skepticism.
Bojjhangasamyutta (SN Chapter II 46)
Connected Discourses on the Factors of Enlightenments
2 (2) The Body
i. The Nutriments of the Body
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, just as this body, sustained by nutriments, subsists
in dependence on nutriment and does not subsist without nutriment, so too
the five hindrances, sustained by nutriment, subsist in dependence upon nutriment
and do not subsist without nutriment.
"And what, bhikkhus,
is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen sensual desire and the increase
and expansion
of arisen sensual desire? There
is, bhikkhus, paying attention to the characteristics (nimitta) of the attractive:
frequently giving careless attention to it is the nutriment for the arising
of the unarisen sensual desire and for the increase and expansion of arisen
sensual desire.
"And what, bhikkhus,
is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen ill-will and for the increase
and expansion
of arisen ill-will? There is, bhikkhus,
the sign of the repulsive; frequently giving careless attention to it is
the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen ill-will and for the increase
and expansion of arisen ill-will.
"And what, bhikkhus,
is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen sloth and torpor and for the
increase and expansion
of arisen sloth and torpor? There
are, bhikkhus, discontent, lethargy, lazy stretching, drowsiness after meals,
sluggishness of mind; frequently giving careless attention to them is the
nutriment for the arising of the unarisen sloth and torpor and for the increase
and expansion of arisen sloth and torpor.
"And what, bhikkhus,
is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen restlessness and remorse and
for the increase
and expansion of arisen restlessness and
remorse? There is, bhikkhus, unsettledness of mind; frequently giving
careless attention to it is the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen
restlessness and remorse and for the increase and expansion of arisen restlessness
and remorse.
"And what, bhikkhus,
is the nutriment for the arising of unarisen doubt and for the increase
and expansion of
arisen doubt? There are, bhikkhus,
things that are the basis for doubt; frequently giving careless attention
to it is the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen doubt and for the
increase and expansion of arisen doubt.
"Just as this body, bhikkhus,
sustained by nutriments, subsists in dependence on nutriment and does not
subsist without nutriment, so too the five hindrances,
sustained by nutriment, subsist in dependence upon nutriment and do not subsist
without nutriment."
(Bodhi, Bhikkhu trans., Samyutta Nikaya Wisdom, 2000)
In this sutta we also
find out there are "de-nourishments" for the hindrances. The "de-nourishment"
for
sensual desire is the "sign (nimitta) of foulness." This
is paying attention to, or reflecting upon, the impermanence of all things,
especially the physical body. That is whatever or who ever we find
attractive today will one day be old and undesirable later. The "de-nourishment"
for ill-will is the "liberation of the mind through loving-kindness." This
means attending to the practice of cultivating the wholesome states, especially
loving-kindness. The "de-nourishment" for sloth and torpor is frequently
giving careful attention to the "element of aspiration, the element of endeavor,
the element of exertion," which means to be diligent in our contemplative
practices. The "de-nourishment" for anxiety is frequently giving careful
attention to the peacefulness of mind. The "de-nourishment" for doubt is
frequently giving careful attention to the wholesome states, the blameless
states, the superior states, and bright states and learning to recognize
and avoid the unwholesome states, the blameable states, the inferior states,
and the dark states.
VI. Discussions
iii. The de-nourishment of the hindrances
"And what, bhikkhus,
is the de-nourishment that prevents unarisen sensual desire from arising
and arisen sensual desire
increasing and expanding? There
is, bhikkhus, the sign (nimitta) of foulness: frequently giving careful attention
to it is the de-nourishment that prevents unarisen sensual desire from arising
and arisen sensual desire from the increase and expansion.
And what, bhikkhus,
is the de-nourishment that prevents unarisen ill-will from arising and
arisen ill-will from increasing
and expanding? There
is, bhikkhus, liberation of the mind through loving-kindness; frequently
giving careful attention to it is the de-nourishment that prevents the unarisen
ill-will from arising and arisen ill-will from the increase and expansion.
"And what, bhikkhus,
is the de-nourishment that prevents unarisen sloth and torpor from arising
and arisen sloth and
torpor from increasing and expanding? There
are, bhikkhus, the element of aspiration, the element of endeavor, the element
of exertion; frequently giving careful attention to them is the de-nourishment
that prevents the unarisen sloth and torpor from arising and arisen sloth
and torpor from the increase and expansion.
"And what, bhikkhus,
is the de-nourishment that prevents unarisen restlessness and remorse from
arising and arisen
restlessness and remorse from increasing
and expanding? There is, bhikkhus, peacefulness of mind; frequently
giving careful attention to it is the de-nourishment that prevents the unarisen
restlessness and remorse from arising and arisen restlessness and remorse
from the increase and expansion.
"And what, bhikkhus,
is the de-nourishment that prevents unarisen doubt from arising and arisen
doubt from increasing
and expanding? There
are, bhikkhus, wholesome and unwholesome states, blameable and blameless
states, inferior and superior states, dark and bright states with their counterparts;
frequently giving careful attention to it is the de-nourishment that prevents
the unarisen doubt from arising and arisen doubt from the increase and expansion.
"Just as this body, bhikkhus,
sustained by de-nourishments, subsists in dependence on de-nourishment
and does not subsist without de-nourishment,
so too the five hindrances, sustained by de-nourishment, subsist in dependence
upon de-nourishment and do not subsist without de-nourishment."
(Bodhi, Bhikkhu trans., Samyutta Nikaya Wisdom, 2000)
In conclusion the meditative absorption states
depend upon relinquishing the five hindrances Sutta (MN 101. 38-42).
When we are free of the hindrances we have effectively removed three of
the ten fetters. And, when we have successfully entered into meditative
absorption, by definition, we are free of the hindrances, and thus free
of three of the ten fetters. When one is free of the hindrances
one naturally enters meditative absorption (DN
13.75-79). By abandoning the five hindrances
one gains the "great fruit" of the aggregates
of one who is "beyond training:" virtue, absorption (jhana), wisdom, liberation
and knowledge and vision [3 Kosalasamyutta, 24 (4) (Sagathavagga)].
References:
Bojjhangasamyutta (SN Chapter II 46)
Connected Discourses on the Factors of Enlightenments
(Bodhi, Bhikkhu trans., Samyutta Nikaya Wisdom, 2000)
Cuulahatthipadopamasutta (MN
27)
The Minor Discourse of the Simile
Devadaha Sutta (MN 101. 38-42)
The Fruit Of Right Effort (samma-vayam)
(Majjhima Nikaya trans.
Bhikkhus Nanamoli & Bodhi, Wisdom, 1995)
3 Kosalasamyutta, 24 (4) (Sagathavagga)
Archery Book 1 with verses
(Bodhi, Bhikkhu trans., Samyutta Nikaya Wisdom, 2000)
Mahaavedallasutta (MN
43)
The Longer Discourse of Questions and Answers.
Maha-satipatthana Sutta
(DN 22), "the Larger Discourse on the Four Cornerstones of Mindfulness"
Tevijja Sutta (DN 13.75-79)
The Discourse of the Buddha
See also:
DN: 2.68ff., n.121, 22.13,
25.16, 33.2.1(6)
MN: 36, 10.36, n.158, 23.4, 27.18, 43.20, 51.19, 54.6, 99.15, 107.9,
125.21, 151.10; with similes, 39.13
SN: 190-91, 346 n.13; 1546-65, 1568-69, 1584-85, 1590-1603 passim,
1642, 1779-80, 1909-10 n.99, 1912-13 n.113
the GWV P A L
I Language Resource Guide for the Study of
the, Tipitaka, P A L I Language and Literature
Most of these suttas quoted were edited by Jhanananda (06-10-05) for
improving their English, the language of gnosis and cognition, and their
sensitive to the ecstatic message of the historic Buddha
Other relevant suttas:
Anapanasati Sutta
(MN 118), "Mindfulness of the breath"
Kayagata-sati Sutta,
MN 119 "Mindfulness of the Body"
Satipatthana Sutta
(MN 10), "the Four Cornerstones Mindfulness"
Maha-satipatthana Sutta
(DN 22), "the Larger Discourse on the Four Cornerstones of Mindfulness"
May you become enlightened in this very lifetime,
Jhanananda (Jeffrey S, Brooks)
This version (created 06-11-05) may be retrieved at this URL:
http://www.greatwesternvehicle.org/jhana&hindrances.htm
