The Five Hindrances Of Buddhism

 

The Five Hindrances of Buddhism are known obstacles that cause disturbances in the progress on the path to enlightenment. Meditation is the number one tool used to reach Nirvana, and the five hindrances are the roadblocks on the journey. It is a good practice to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

By keeping an eye on the five hindrances, you can recognize when one of them attempts to penetrate your circle. There are many other negative forces out there that you should be aware of. Once you master these five, you can advance your studies and master any other force that can be impeding your progression. So without further adieu, here are the Five Hindrances of Buddhism.

Sensual Desire or Greed

Desire, greed, and lust are elements that occupy your mind and emotions which stunts your growth. Constantly dwelling on materialism and bedroom activities consumes your focus. There are only 24 hours in a day. Every thought and desire needs to be accounted for. You have to find the joy in everyday life and activities that promote growth.

You need to develop the skill of transforming desire, lust, and greed into constructive energy. When you engage in lust, greed, and desire, endorphins get released into the bloodstream, and a high is created that is constantly being chased. Mundane daily activity that promotes growth now becomes unbearable and excruciating. 

Meditation and contemplation is needed to redirect that focus on constructive behavior and self control. Everything is mental. You need to tweek and reconstruct your perspective to the point where studying the dharma and doing your daily chores is as exciting as your primitive desires. You need to analyze the emotions you feel when you are building, and revel in them. 

Ill will and Aversion

Ill will and aversion translate into hate and animosity. These are the attributes of destruction and death. It is hard to be productive when these negative emotions are part of your mental construct. Ill will and aversion transform into revenge and violence. These types of activities create undesirable repercussions like becoming an outcast in your community, attracting other violent and vengeful people to you, and losing the faith of your loved ones. 

When you are consumed in ill will and aversion, you become part of the underbelly of society. The opportunities that are there for those who abide by the rules within the community will pass you by. Success with this type of mentality is short lived. You can only build a strong foundation that can stand the test of time with love and understanding.

Sloth or Torpor

Sloth or torpor equates to laziness and indolence. Sloth is not only one of the five hindrances of Buddhism , it is one of the seven deadly sins of Christianity. All spiritual disciplines condemn this characteristic. Work and activity are two of the main requirements for success on an Earthly plane. Laziness is the main ingredient to poverty and misfortune.

A lot of times laziness is a symptom of a more deep-rooted problem. A person can be suffering from anger or depression, or that person can have a physical health issue that causes that person to be uncharacteristically lazy. These issues need to be addressed so that person can regain their zeal for life.  

Restlessness and Anxiety or Worry

Restlessness and anxiety or worry are caused by the misunderstanding of life and the universe. When you lack the understanding of the universe and life and death, you create a fear that causes anxiety and worry. There is no joy without pain. There is no sunshine without rain. This is the nature of Yin and Yang. You have to weather the storm of hardship with faith and understanding that the pendulum will swing back in your favor as it completes its journey.

Energy can’t be created or destroyed; it just changes form. Restlessness and worry are just signs of lack of understanding of the infinite wisdom of life. Pain and death should not be feared because they are part of the human experience. Instead of being worried about what you think life should be, accept it for what it is and work within its boundaries. 

Doubt

Doubt is a trait of the nonbelievers. When you deal with doubt, you are dealing with uncertainty, and you are straddling the fence. In this state of mind, you will be the weak link in the circles you travel in. 

You see this all the time on the streets. When guys are hanging out and shots ring out, the good guy always gets hit. This is because he is living in two worlds. He is not %100 committed to either side. He wants to do the right thing in the daytime. At night, he wants to be around the elements he can’t let go of.

Doubt causes nervousness and mistakes. Goals can’t be accomplished with doubt. Any foundation built on doubt will be weak. To conquer doubt, you have to build your faith. Meditation and contemplation is required to get you back on the right path. 

Conclusion

The Five Hindrances is a dharma that needs to be studied on a regular basis to keep you on track. You will be surprised at how much these elements pop up in your life. Once you recognize them, you can deal with it accordingly. The more tools you have in your toolbox, the more problems you can solve.

Thanks for checking out this manifesto. Supreme MoonBeam. Peace.