At one of the on line Sanghas, we are having a very nice, illuminating discussion about the Tiantai Meditation Manual, Maka Shikan. We looked a passage from Cleary's, "Stopping and Seeing." I think the citation he made was from "The Essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight & Dhyana Meditation," a shorter Meditation Manual,by the same author as Maka Shikan. It was about dealing with anger. Right away I wondered about the context. As I suspected, the term being discussed was a Chinese translation of vyapada; and it was in the context of the Five Hindrances.
This is a concept I learned from Theravada Buddhism. The Five Hindrances are mental states which seem to invariably arise when one attempts any sort of Buddhist Meditation. The effect of the Five Hindrances is to block what is known as Access Concentration. Upacara Samadhi or access concentration is a necessary prerequisite for both the Calming-Concentration and Mindfulness Meditations taught in Buddhism.
At first, we are only concerned with these as hindrances or veils that prevent access concentration. In the long run, we are interested in them as the three poisons, the first obstacle, the second devil, or kleshas / mental afflictions that arise from the four woeful realms.We want to un-knot these unwholesome desires; and then cultivate wholesome and liberating desires. Suspending thinking about them is enough to to do concentration meditation, which is rewarding in itself. With mindfulness and insight meditation we want to do more than just suspend them.
I was with Soka Gakkai for more than 24 years, and have remained in touch for another 12. During that time, I was never once aware of the topic of the Five Hindrances even being mentioned. I had not even noticed it in my Mahayana studies. Now, I found out the concept was there all along; albeit under a different name; the Five Veils, Obscurations, or Covers. Evidently, Chih-I taught it as one the essentials for beginnings to learn. He also discussed methods for lifting these veils in his most advanced meditation manuals.
五蓋 [盖] {gogai}: The Five Obstructions or Veils1. 貪欲 {tonyoku}: The Chinese literally means something like coveting. This tends to get conflated with lobha {avarice}; but, in this context, refers specifically to lust, though not just sexual lust. It refers to sensuality in general. 貪欲 means greedy or covetous desire.
Soothill translates this as "
Desire for and love of (the things of this life)." ddb has:
"The longing of desire (Skt. kāma-cchanda; Tib. 'dod pa'i 'dun pa); attachment to desires; (Skt. kāma-rāga; Tib. 'dod pa la 'dod chags); attachment, desire; (Skt. rāga; Tib. 'dod chags). Covetousness, greed; to greedily seek after that which one desires. The mental state of dissatisfaction even after gaining that which one desires. Desire of immeasurable depth. Greed for fame and self-benefit—all of which can be simply called the most basic cause of suffering. One of the three poisons 三毒. [cmuller; source(s): s.hodge]"
I think this covers all the permutations of the first unwholesome root, poison, ot fire -- llike obha {avarice or materialistic greed, desire for acquisition}, kama {lust, desire for pleasure and comfort}, raga {passion, emotional greed, or possessive attachment}.
"[previously we]
discussed the outward arising of desire with respect to the five sense objects. Now we are concerned with the inward arising of desire in the intellectual mind faculty. This refers to instances where the practitioner is seated upright, cultivating dhyana meditation, and his mind generates continuously, one after another, desire-based ideations which cover over the wholesome mind, preventing it from developing." -- from The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation
2. 瞋恚 {shinni} or 瞋怒 {shindo}: Literally, this means to be offended, or angry. The same words are used to translate several Buddhist terms; such as dvesa (hatred{} pratigha {anger. displeasure}, upanaha (malice), krodha {wrath, rage, fury} and kupito (rebelliousness). In this instance, the original is vyapada [enmity}.
"when the practitioner is sitting in dhyana meditation, he might think to himself, "This fellow is now tormenting me. What's more, he torments my relatives and praises my adversaries. Continuing, he might think, "It's been like this in the pasts as well, and it will continue to be so in the future. This amounts to nine-fold torment. Consequently, he might become full of ill will and, based upon that ill will, he might begin to cherish animosity. On account of generating animosity, he might then think to torment the other individual. In this fashion, ill will serves to cover over the mind..." -- from The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation3. 沈 {jin / chin}: Depression, dullness.
4. 掉悔 {chokai}: Agitation or shaken and regret or grief.
5.: 疑 {gi} Suspicion, mistrust, doubt.
Here are the Originals:
Panca Nivaraṇani
1. Kamachanda: Kama translates as lust; chanda means desire. Literally lust-desire; refers to sense desires in general. If we are chanting only to gratify or satiate sensory desires; then we are never going to get past this first hindrance. Moreover, pursuit of creature comforts might result is some joy and bliss; but always leads back to dukkha; to stress, suffering, dissatisfaction, and angst.Note that chanda or desire is neutral. Some desires are afflictions; while others are wholesome / skillful and create merit and / or lead to emancipation / liberation.
Sensual desire is the first item on the many Buddhist lists of obstacles to awakening and spiritual freedom. It is the first of the Five Hindrances. The Pali word for sensual desire is kama-chanda. Chanda simply means desire. Kama is a strong word referring to sense pleasure, sensual passion, and sexual lust. Together they refer to compulsive preoccupation with sensual pleasure and comfort. -- insightmeditationcenter.
Kama-chanda: sensual desires, taking pleasure in sensual objects (sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, ideas) and sensual moods ... -- www.buddhamind.info
Kama-chanda (sensual desire) or sexual lust: indulging in sensual moods, taking pleasure in sensual desires that arise within and lead one to take pleasure in sensual objects — a sign that the heart isn't centered in the proper way. This then leads to patigha: The mind is "struck," sometimes to its satisfaction, sometimes not, ... -- accesstoinsight
2. Vyapada/Byapada: The best translation is probably enmity. There are five or so Indic terms, with specific nuances of meaning, that are generally collapsed into a single Chinese word meaning anger. This one, vyapada, comes from a root meaning resistance. It means ill will, antipathy, enmity, or unfriendliness. Sometimes we hear about Buddhist sects actually cultivating Enmity toward rivals. While that seems obviously wrong, resistance to learning difficult Dharma is also a form of vyapada. In the past, I would sometimes dismiss study as a bunch of useless theory or dogma. My attitude, at those times, was really nothing but sour grapes.
3. Thina-middha: This is, obviously, a compound word. Thina means sloth, laziness, or indolence. Middhi means drowsiness, torpor, listlessness, or mental fog. I know the frame of mind of thina-middhi well, quite well. Boredom, melancholy, sullenness, indifference, or apathy might be decent translations of thina-middhi.
4. Uddhacca-kukkucca: This is another compound word. Uddhacca means to be restless, inattentive, wavering, fidgety, agitated, or distracted. Kukkucca translates as anxiety, worry, or remorse ~~ going cuckoo. It is a good and healthy thing to feel shame and guilt. Lack of shame and guilt are deemed impediments to progress in Buddhist practice. However, dwelling on, or obsessing over, remorse; or guilt tripping, can cause one to descend into sullen, morose, or hopeless moods.
5. Vicikiccha: This is generally translated as suspicious or skeptical doubt. I like cynicism as a translation. Vicikiccha means to feel uncertain, unsafe, lacking in confidence and trust. A certain amount of skepticism is healthy though. The question is how to resolve legitimate doubt?
~~~
I prefer the originals; some of the concepts might be lost in translation. On the other hand, I kind of like the image of the veils. These are not just five mental states that hinder citta bhavana or spiritual cultivation; they are also veils that obscure something. So, food for thought; how does one lift these veils and enter access concentration? Also, what is on the other side?
Link to: Stopping and Seeing: A Comprehensive Course in Buddhist Meditation
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