Path to Nibbana: Be aware of Five Hindrances - 4:

Doubt

Battaramulla
Siri Sudassanarama
sadaham senasuna
Ven. Dr. Mirisse Dhammika thero

" Frustration and anger or helplessness may arise when a person in doubt becomes impatient for not having a clear direction to go. But such agitation of the mind only compounds the difficultly."

Venerable Thera Gunaratana likens doubt to being lost in the desert: “It is the feeling of a man stumbling through a desert and arriving at an unmarked crossroad. Which road should he take?

There is no way to tell. So he just stands there vacillating: When one experiences doubt, the mind is “foggy and cloudy”. A student who has doubts about the value of going to school cannot focus his attention on his schoolwork. He will lack confidence and direction. also, meditator is unable to continue his or her way due to lack of confidence.

Frustration and anger or helplessness may arise when a person in doubt becomes impatient for not having a clear direction to go. But such agitation of the mind only compounds the difficultly. Externally imposed directions and actions do not treat the problems in its root. Only clarity of the mind brought about by insight and understanding resolves it. Therefore, the most helpful thing to do is the mindfulness practice that settles down the agitated mind so that it can look into the nature of one’s doubt and indecision more clearly. These five hindrances described above are the distractions of the mind, and pull the mind off balance and create problems for people. The approach one should take to these hindrances is to be mindful of them. These hindrances arise because of the past conditioning of the mind, and by not being carefully and skillfully trained. The mind is unable to engage with the present moment; it jumps all over, keeps running off to fantasies and desires, and is easily distracted and frustrated. The first basic thing to do with such a state of mind is to just become aware of the mental objects without suppressing them or indulging in them. This nonattached awareness is the first step of

mindfulness training. Mindfulness cultivates the capability of recognizing when the hindrances are present. Then the student can try to apprehend, to learn how these particular energies affect the mind and body. Investigating and opening the mind in this way, one becomes better at recognizing these energies earlier and more often, understanding them, and is able to allow them to pass away more easily.