Seth Auberon, Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly; Ven. Nyanaponika, Five Hindrances and Their Conquest: Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and Commentaries; Faith
Think. There are hindrances to meditation. Overcome them and be a ninja. |
Do we need more doubt or more confidence? Think. Decide. Then do. (tonycrabbe) |
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"This year, rise above it"! (AB) |
5. Doubt
A. Nourishing of Doubt
There are things giving rise to skeptical doubt. Frequently giving unwise attention to them is nourishing the arising of doubt that has not yet arisen and the increase and strengthening of doubt that has already arisen. — SN 46:51
B. Denourishing of Doubt
B. Denourishing of Doubt
Stop thinking and DO. (motorcitymoxie.com) |
Of the six things conducive to the abandonment of doubt, the first three and the last two are identical with those given for restlessness and remorse. But the fourth runs as follows:
Firm conviction (confidence, saddha) concerning the Buddha, Dharma, and [Noble] Sangha -- that is, the Teacher, the Teaching, and the successfully Taught.
In addition, the following are helpful in conquering skeptical doubt:- Mindfulness/Wise reflection (sati or "bare attention"/yoniso manasikara), of the Five Factors of Absorption (jhananga);
The sky's going out! Soon all will be dark. |
Whenever a meditator enters the first absorption, there have vanished: sensuous desire, ill-will, tiredness-and-boredom [sloth and torpor], restlessness-and-worry, skeptical doubt.
What is present instead are: initial application [of attention] (vitakka), sustained attention (vicāra), rapture (pīti), happiness (sukha), and concentration (samādhi or ekagata, unification of mind, one-pointedness).
In the second absorption there are present: rapture, joy, and concentration; in the third: joy and concentration; in the fourth: equanimity (upekkhā) and concentration" (Path of Purification, Vis.M. IV).
NOTE: the next four absorptions of the Immaterial or Formless Sphere (jhanas 5 through 8) still belong, properly speaking, to the fourth absorption as they possess the same two constituents. The fourth Fine-Material Sphere absorption is also the base or starting point (pādaka-jhāna) for the attaining of the higher spiritual powers (abhiññā), which should be avoided as a dangerous distraction.
- Wisdom (pañña), one of the Five Spiritual Faculties (indriya, bala);
- Investigation of reality (dhamma-vicaya), one of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment (bojjhanga).
- For more details on these three helpful factors, see The [37] Requisites of Enlightenment (Wheel 171-4, BPS).
Then all was dark; I didn't know what to do. |
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