Breathing Mindfulness Meditation
Volume
7
|
Chapter 30
These Five Hindrances Are Called Obstacles, Hindrances, Coverings-up, Envelopings
Read Chapter 30 of Breathing Mindfulness Meditation: These Five Hindrances Are Called Obstacles, Hindrances, Coverings-up, Envelopings.
Vāsettha, it is just as if this River Aciravatī were full of water so that a crow could drink out of it, and a man should come along wishing to cross over, to get to the other side, to get across, and were to lie down on this bank, covering his head with a shawl.
What do you think, Vāsețțha? Would that man be able to get to the other side?
‘No, Master Teacher Gotama.’
In the same way, Vāsettha, in the noble discipline these five hindrances are called obstacles, hindrances, coverings-up, envelopings.
Which five?
The hindrance of sensual desire, of ill-will, of complacency, of restlessness and worry, of doubt.
These five are called obstacles, hindrances, coverings-up, envelopings.
And these Brāhmins learned in the Three Vedas are caught up, confined in, obstructed, entangled in these five hindrances.
But that such Brāhmins learned in the Three Vedas, who persistently neglect what a Brāhmin should do, and persistently do what a Brāhmin should not do, and who are caught up, confined in, obstructed, entangled in these five hindrances, should attain after death, at the breaking-up of the body, to union with Brahmā (God) that is just not possible.
(Reference: DN 13)
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how Brāhmins who are affected by The Five Hindrances hoping and wishing to be in union with God after death, will be unable to accomplish that goal due to these Five Hindrances.
The Five Hindrances are Eliminated with The Seven Factors of Enlightenment Monks, these five hindrances are makers of blindness, causing lack of vision, causing lack of knowledge, detrimental to wisdom, leading to discontentedness, leading away from Enlightenment. What five? The hindrance of sensual desire is a maker of blindness … The hindrance of ill will … The hindrance of complacency … The hindrance of restlessness and worry … The hindrance of doubt is a maker of blindness … leading away from Enlightenment. These five hindrances are makers of blindness, causing lack of vision, causing lack of knowledge, detrimental to wisdom, leading to discontentedness, leading away from Enlightenment. These Seven Factors of Enlightenment, Monks, are makers of vision, makers of knowledge, promoting the growth of wisdom, free from discontentedness, leading towards Enlightenment. What seven? The Enlightenment factor of mindfulness is a maker of vision … The Enlightenment factor of investigation is a maker of vision … The Enlightenment factor of energy is a maker of vision … The Enlightenment factor of joy is a maker of vision … The Enlightenment factor of tranquility is a maker of vision … The Enlightenment factor of concentration is a maker of vision … The Enlightenment factor of equanimity is a maker of vision … leading towards Enlightenment. These Seven Factors of Enlightenment are makers of vision, makers of knowledge, promoting the growth of wisdom, free from discontentedness, leading towards Enlightenment. (Reference: SN 46.40) |
Learning Resources for Further Exploration
Type | Resource | |
|---|---|---|