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In the Buddhist tradition, the five hindrances (Sinhala: පඤ්ච නීවරණ, romanized: pañca nīvaraṇa; Pali: pañca nīvaraṇāni) are identified as mental factors that hinder progress in meditation and in daily life.[1] In the Theravada tradition, these factors are identified specifically as obstacles to the jhānas (stages of concentration) within meditation practice. Within the Mahayana tradition, the five hindrances are identified as obstacles to samatha (tranquility) meditation. Contemporary Insight Meditation teachers identify the five hindrances as obstacles to mindfulness meditation.
The five hindrances are:[2][3][4][5]
- Sensory desire (kāmacchanda): seeking for pleasure through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling.
- Ill-will (vyāpāda; also spelled byāpāda): feelings of hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness.
- Sloth-and-torpor (thīna-middha): half-hearted action with little or no effort or concentration.
- Restlessness-and-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca): the inability to calm the mind and focus one's energy.
- Doubt (vicikiccha): lack of conviction or trust in one's abilities.
- ^ Fronsdal 2008, The Five Hindrances: Introduction; 2008-10-13.
- ^ Fronsdal (2008), Introduction.
- ^ Traleg Kyabgon (2001), p. 26.
- ^ Wallace (2006), pp. 158–159.
- ^ Brahmavamso (1999).