RE Information

The FIVE MENTAL HINDRANCES are HIGHLY DISADVANTAGOUS and HINDER us from achieving the goal of Nibbana (unbinding, release, freedom, lasting peace). They are:

1. Kamacchanda - The mental hindrance of SENSUAL DESIRE, that is the desire to please our six senses of eye, ear, nose, toungue, body and mind, with pleasant sight objects (e.g. TV), pleasant sound objects (e.g. music), pleasant smell objects (e.g. perfume), pleasant taste objects (e.g. fine food), pleasant tacticle objects (e.g. someone's touch) and pleasant mental (thought) objects (e.g. memories).

2. Vyapada - The mental hindrance of ANGER, HATRED, BITTERNESS, AVERSION, ILL-WILL.

3. Thina-midha - The mental hindrance of LAZYNESS and LATHARGY.

4. Udacca-Kukkucca - The mental hindrance of RESTLESSNESS, REGRET, FEAR and WORRY. Regret is mental restlessness over past events, Fear and worry is mental restlessness over future, yet un-occurred events.

5. Vicikiccha - The mental hindrance of DOUBT and UNCERTAINTY about the teacher (the Lord Buddha), the teaching (Dhamma), path and the goal, about the disciples (Sangha), about ourselves and any form of doubt that hinders the progression along the path.


The FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF MINDFULNESS (or more simply, four ways that we can be mindful) are highly advantagous. The idea behind being mindful is that the mind is occupied with the activity of being mindful, so that it does not stray onto unskillful (bad) lines of thinking thereby causing unwholesomes mental states to arise. This will ensure that the mind is constantly pure, allowing us the develop qualities that lead toward Nibbana (unbinding).
The Blessed One said this: "This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Unbinding — in other words, the four frames of reference. Which four?

See more in http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are as follows:

1. MINDFULNESS OF BODY is the constant, untiring watchfulness over the body, all it's movements, its changes in position, and so fourth. See below:
[2] "Furthermore, when walking, the monk discerns that he is walking. When standing, he discerns that he is standing. When sitting, he discerns that he is sitting. When lying down, he discerns that he is lying down. Or however his body is disposed, that is how he discerns it.

[3] "Furthermore, when going forward & returning, he makes himself fully alert; when looking toward & looking away... when bending & extending his limbs... when carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe & his bowl... when eating, drinking, chewing, & savoring... when urinating & defecating... when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, & remaining silent, he makes himself fully alert.

"In this way he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or focused externally... unsustained by anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself.

See more in http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html

2. MINDFULNESS OF FEELINGS is the constant, untiring watchfulness when feelings 1. arise, 2. last and 3. pass away. There are three kinds of feelings to constantly watch and be aware of, 1. pleasant feelings, 2. unpleasant feelings and 3. neutral (or neither pleasant nor unpleasant) feelings. See below:
"And how does a monk remain focused on feelings in & of themselves? There is the case where a monk, when feeling a painful feeling, discerns that he is feeling a painful feeling. When feeling a pleasant feeling, he discerns that he is feeling a pleasant feeling. When feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he discerns that he is feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.

See more in http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html

3. MINDFULNESS OF MIND is the constant, untiring watchfulness and awareness of the mind as being in a state of lust/desire/greed (lobha/greed) and also the awareness when the mind is NOT in a state of lust/desire/greed (alobha/non-greed). The constant, untiring watchfulness and awareness of the mind as being in a state of anger/hartred/aversion (dosa) and also the awareness when the mind is NOT in a state of anger/hartred/aversion (adosa/non-hatred). The constant, untiring watchfulness and awareness of the mind as being in a state of delusion/clouded thinking/poor judgement (moha) and also the awareness when the mind is NOT in a state of delusion/clouded thinking/poor judgement (amoha/non-delusion). See below:
"And how does a monk remain focused on the mind in & of itself? There is the case where a monk, when the mind has passion, discerns that the mind has passion. When the mind is without passion, he discerns that the mind is without passion. When the mind has aversion, he discerns that the mind has aversion. When the mind is without aversion, he discerns that the mind is without aversion. When the mind has delusion, he discerns that the mind has delusion. When the mind is without delusion, he discerns that the mind is without delusion.

See more in http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html

4. MINDFULNESS OF MENTAL QUALITIES/PHENOMENA is the constant, untiring watchfulness and awareness of the mental qualities/phenomena in relation to the FIVE HINDRANCES (mentioned at the beginning of this email). That is the constant awareness that 'SENSUAL DESIRE is present in me' when it is, and 'SENSUAL DESIRE is absent in me' when it is not. UNDERSTANDS HOW SENSUAL DESIRE arises, and also UNDERSTANDS HOW SENSUAL DESIRE is abandoned once it has arises. Also UNDERSTANDS HOW there is not further arising of SENSUAL DESIRE in the furture. The same formula is repeated for the remaining four hindrances of 2. anger & ill-will, 3. lazyness and lathargy, 4. restlessness and fear, 5. and doubt. See below:
[1] "There is the case where a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the five hindrances. And how does a monk remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the five hindrances? There is the case where, there being sensual desire present within, a monk discerns that 'There is sensual desire present within me.' Or, there being no sensual desire present within, he discerns that 'There is no sensual desire present within me.' He discerns how there is the arising of unarisen sensual desire. And he discerns how there is the abandoning of sensual desire once it has arisen. And he discerns how there is no further appearance in the future of sensual desire that has been abandoned. (The same formula is repeated for the remaining hindrances: ill will, sloth & drowsiness, restlessness & anxiety, and uncertainty.)