The Hindrances to Mental Development - In The Buddha's Words (S3E22)

Sutta 1 - The Hindrances to Mental Development

At Sāvatthī.

Then Saṅgārava the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

“What is the cause, Mister Gotama, what is the reason why sometimes even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed? And why is it that sometimes even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed?”

“Brahmin, there’s a time when your heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire and you don’t truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen. At that time you don’t truly know or see what is good for yourself, good for another, or good for both. Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

Suppose there was a bowl of water that was mixed with dye such as red lac, turmeric, indigo, or rose madder. Even a person with clear eyes checking their own reflection wouldn’t truly know it or see it.

In the same way, when your heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire … Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

Furthermore, when your heart is overcome and mired in ill will … Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

Suppose there was a bowl of water that was heated by fire, boiling and bubbling. Even a person with clear eyes checking their own reflection wouldn’t truly know it or see it.

In the same way, when your heart is overcome and mired in ill will … Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

Furthermore, when your heart is overcome and mired in dullness and drowsiness … Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

Suppose there was a bowl of water overgrown with moss and aquatic plants. Even a person with clear eyes checking their own reflection wouldn’t truly know it or see it.

In the same way, when your heart is overcome and mired in dullness and drowsiness … Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

Furthermore, when your heart is overcome and mired in restlessness and remorse … Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

Suppose there was a bowl of water stirred by the wind, churning, swirling, and rippling. Even a person with clear eyes checking their own reflection wouldn’t truly know it or see it.

In the same way, when your heart is overcome and mired in restlessness and remorse … Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

Furthermore, when your heart is overcome and mired in doubt … Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

Suppose there was a bowl of water that was cloudy, murky, and muddy, hidden in the darkness. Even a person with clear eyes checking their own reflection wouldn’t truly know it or see it.

In the same way, there’s a time when your heart is overcome and mired in doubt and you don’t truly understand the escape from doubt that has arisen. At that time you don’t truly know or see what is good for yourself, good for another, or good for both. Even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed. This is the cause, brahmin, this is the reason why sometimes even hymns that are long-rehearsed don’t spring to mind, let alone those that are not rehearsed.

There’s a time when your heart is not overcome and mired in sensual desire and you truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen. At that time you truly know and see what is good for yourself, good for another, and good for both. Even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed.

Suppose there was a bowl of water that was not mixed with dye such as red lac, turmeric, indigo, or rose madder. A person with clear eyes checking their own reflection would truly know it and see it.

In the same way, when your heart is not overcome and mired in sensual desire … Even hymns that are long-unpracticed spring to mind, let alone those that are practiced.

Furthermore, when your heart is not overcome and mired in ill will … Even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed.

Suppose there is a bowl of water that is not heated by a fire, boiling and bubbling. A person with clear eyes checking their own reflection would truly know it and see it.

In the same way, when your heart is not overcome and mired in ill will … Even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed.

Furthermore, when your heart is not overcome and mired in dullness and drowsiness … Even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed.

Suppose there is a bowl of water that is not overgrown with moss and aquatic plants. A person with clear eyes checking their own reflection would truly know it and see it.

In the same way, when your heart is not overcome and mired in dullness and drowsiness … Even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed.

Furthermore, when your heart is not overcome and mired in restlessness and remorse … Even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed.

Suppose there is a bowl of water that is not stirred by the wind, churning, swirling, and rippling. A person with clear eyes checking their own reflection would truly know it and see it.

In the same way, when your heart is not overcome and mired in restlessness and remorse … Even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed.

Furthermore, when your heart is not overcome and mired in doubt … Even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed.

Suppose there was a bowl of water that was transparent, clear, and unclouded, brought into the light. A person with clear eyes checking their own reflection would truly know it and see it.

In the same way, there’s a time when your heart is not overcome and mired in doubt and you truly understand the escape from doubt that has arisen. At that time you truly know and see what is good for yourself, good for another, and good for both. Even hymns that are long-unrehearsed spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed. This is the cause, brahmin, this is the reason why sometimes even hymns that are long-unrehearsed do spring to mind, let alone those that are rehearsed.

These seven awakening factors are not obstacles, hindrances, or corruptions of the mind. When developed and cultivated they lead to the realization of the fruit of knowledge and freedom. What seven? The awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity. These seven awakening factors are not obstacles, hindrances, or corruptions of the mind. When developed and cultivated they lead to the realization of the fruit of knowledge and freedom.”

When he said this, Saṅgārava said to the Buddha, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! … From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

SN 46:55, abridged, v 121-26

Sutta 2 - The Refinement of the Mind

“Native gold has coarse corruptions: sand, soil, and gravel. A panner or their apprentice pours it into a pan, where they wash, rinse, and clean it. When that’s been eliminated, there are medium corruptions in the native gold: fine grit and coarse sand. The panner washes it again. When that’s been eliminated, there are fine corruptions in the native gold: fine sand and black grime. The panner washes it again. When that’s been eliminated, only golden flecks remain. A goldsmith or their apprentice places the native gold in a crucible where they blow, melt, and smelt it. Still the native gold is not settled and the dross is not totally gone. It’s not pliable, workable, or radiant, but is brittle and not completely ready for working. But the goldsmith keeps on blowing, melting, and smelting it. The native gold becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle, and ready to be worked. Then the goldsmith can successfully create any kind of ornament they want, whether a bracelet, earrings, a necklace, or a golden garland.

In the same way, a mendicant who is committed to the higher mind has coarse corruptions: bad bodily, verbal, and mental conduct. A sincere, capable mendicant gives these up, gets rid of, eliminates, and obliterates them.

When they’ve been given up and eliminated, there are middling corruptions: sensual, malicious, or cruel thoughts. A sincere, capable mendicant gives these up, gets rid of, eliminates, and obliterates them.

When they’ve been given up and eliminated, there are fine corruptions: thoughts of family, country, and status. A sincere, capable mendicant gives these up, gets rid of, eliminates, and obliterates them.

When they’ve been given up and eliminated, only thoughts about the teaching are left. That immersion is not peaceful or sublime or tranquil or unified, but is held in place by forceful suppression.

But there comes a time when that mind is stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. That immersion is peaceful and sublime and tranquil and unified, not held in place by forceful suppression. They extend the mind to realize by insight each and every thing that can be realized by insight; and they are capable of realizing those things, since each and every one is within range.

If they wish: ‘May I wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying myself and becoming one again; materializing and dematerializing; going unobstructed through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with my hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling my body as far as the realm of divinity.’ They are capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range.

If they wish: ‘With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far.’ They are capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range.

If they wish: ‘May I understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having encompassed them with my mind. May I understand mind with greed as “mind with greed”, and mind without greed as “mind without greed”; mind with hate as “mind with hate”, and mind without hate as “mind without hate”; mind with delusion as “mind with delusion”, and mind without delusion as “mind without delusion”; constricted mind as “constricted mind”, and scattered mind as “scattered mind”; expansive mind as “expansive mind”, and unexpansive mind as “unexpansive mind”; mind that is not supreme as “mind that is not supreme”, and mind that is supreme as “mind that is supreme”; mind immersed in samādhi as “mind immersed in samādhi”, and mind not immersed in samādhi as “mind not immersed in samādhi”; freed mind as “freed mind”, and unfreed mind as “unfreed mind”.’ They are capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range.

If they wish: ‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. May I remember: “There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.” May I recollect my many past lives, with features and details.’ They are capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range.

If they wish: ‘With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place—and understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: “These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.” And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. And may I understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.’ They are capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range.

If they wish: ‘May I realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.’ They are capable of realizing these things, since each and every one is within range.”

AN 3:100

Sutta 3 - The Removal of Distracting Thoughts

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Mendicants, a mendicant committed to the higher mind should focus on five subjects from time to time. What five?

Take a mendicant who is focusing on some subject that gives rise to bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion. That mendicant should focus on some other subject connected with the skillful. As they do so, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. It’s like a deft mason or their apprentice who’d knock out or extract a large peg with a finer peg. In the same way, a mendicant … should focus on some other basis of meditation connected with the skillful …

Now, suppose that mendicant is focusing on some other subject connected with the skillful, but bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion keep coming up. They should examine the drawbacks of those thoughts: ‘So these thoughts are unskillful, they’re blameworthy, and they result in suffering.’ As they do so, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. Suppose there was a woman or man who was young, youthful, and fond of adornments. If the carcass of a snake or a dog or a human were hung around their neck, they’d be horrified, repelled, and disgusted. In the same way, a mendicant … should examine the drawbacks of those thoughts …

Now, suppose that mendicant is examining the drawbacks of those thoughts, but bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion keep coming up. They should try to forget and ignore them. As they do so, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. Suppose there was a person with clear eyes, and some undesirable sights came into their range of vision. They’d just close their eyes or look away. In the same way, a mendicant … those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end …

Now, suppose that mendicant is ignoring and forgetting about those thoughts, but bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion keep coming up. They should focus on stopping the formation of thoughts. As they do so, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. Suppose there was a person walking quickly. They’d think: ‘Why am I walking so quickly? Why don’t I slow down?’ So they’d slow down. They’d think: ‘Why am I walking slowly? Why don’t I stand still?’ So they’d stand still. They’d think: ‘Why am I standing still? Why don’t I sit down?’ So they’d sit down. They’d think: ‘Why am I sitting? Why don’t I lie down?’ So they’d lie down. And so that person would shun successively coarser postures and adopt more subtle ones.

In the same way, a mendicant … those thoughts are given up and come to an end …

Now, suppose that mendicant is focusing on stopping the formation of thoughts, but bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion keep coming up. With teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, they should squeeze, squash, and crush mind with mind. As they do so, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. It’s like a strong man who grabs a weaker man by the head or throat or shoulder and squeezes, squashes, and crushes them. In the same way, a mendicant … with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, should squeeze, squash, and crush mind with mind. As they do so, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi.

Now, take the mendicant who is focusing on some subject that gives rise to bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion. They focus on some other subject connected with the skillful … They examine the drawbacks of those thoughts … They try to forget and ignore about those thoughts … They focus on stopping the formation of thoughts … With teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, they squeeze, squash, and crush mind with mind. When they succeed in each of these things, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. This is called a mendicant who is a master of the ways of thought. They will think what they want to think, and they won’t think what they don’t want to think. They’ve cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit have made an end of suffering.”

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

MN 20 - Vitakkasanthana Sutta