Shaila Catherine: Wisdom Wide and Deep

Notes and quotes from Wisdom Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Samatha and Vipassana by Shaila Catherine.

Five Ways to Investigate Hindrances

Shaila Catherine outlines a systematic approach to investigating the five hindrances (nīvaraṇas), based directly on the Satipatthana method of mindful investigation:

Five Ways to Investigate Hindrances

1. Recognize when a hindrance is present.
2. Recognize when a hindrance is absent.
3. Understand the conditions that cause a hindrance to arise.
4. Understand the conditions that cause a hindrance to cease.
5. Explore how to prevent the hindrance from arising again in the future.

Connection to Satipatthana (Dhammānupassanā)

This five-step process is a direct application of the instructions for contemplating the hindrances in the Satipatthāna Sutta (see MN 10 - Mindfulness Meditation):

पञ्च नीवरणानि (The 5 Hindrances)

कामच्छन्दः (Sensual Desire), व्यापादः (Ill-will), स्त्यानमिद्धम् (Sloth and Torpor), औद्धत्यकौकृत्यम् (Restlessness and Remorse), विचिकित्सा (Doubt).

Sanskrit

कथं च, भिक्षवः, भिक्षुः धर्मेषु धर्मानुपश्यी विहरति? इह… पञ्चसु नीवरणेषु।

Translation

And how, monks, does a monk dwell observing mental qualities in the Five Hindrances?

Sanskrit

सन्तं वा अध्यात्मं कामच्छन्दं… असन्तं वा अध्यात्मं कामच्छन्दं… यथा च अनुत्पन्नस्य… उत्पादो भवति… यथा च उत्पन्नस्य… प्रहाणं भवति… यथा च प्रहीणस्य… आयत्यां अनुत्पादो भवति।

Translation

He knows when sensual desire is present or absent, how unarisen desire arises, how it is abandoned, and how it will not arise again.