Hindrances as Observable States, Not Personality
The hindrances are the immediate enemies of samādhi and clarity.
Identify hindrances in real time and apply at least one text-grounded strategy per hindrance.
Core Teachings
Key concepts with source texts
1) sensual desire 2) ill will 3) sloth & torpor 4) restlessness & remorse 5) doubt
Treat them as states that arise dependent on conditions (DO), not as ‘who you are’.
From the Source Texts
""These five hindrances... weaken wisdom.""
Commentary
Your job: detect, name, apply, and verify the change.
Make a hindrance log for 7 days: time, trigger, hindrance, bodily feel, thought-pattern, antidote tried, result after 10 minutes.
Study Materials
Primary sources with guided reading
MN 20 — Vitakkasaṇṭhāna (Stopping Thought)
Use as a practical manual. Don’t just ‘understand’ it—apply it.
SN 46.51 — Āhāra (Nutriment for hindrances & awakening factors)
Shows conditions that feed hindrances vs conditions that feed awakening factors.
Write your thoughts before revealing answers
Consider these points:
- •What conditions reliably precede it (sleep, food, social media, conflict)?
- •What contact and feeling tones trigger it?
- •What happens if you remove one condition for a week?
Your Thoughts
Writing your thoughts first will deepen your understanding
Bridge notes help connect the resources and show how they relate to the learning outcome.
AI-generated notes synthesize the lesson outcome and resource summaries. Human-reviewed before publishing.
Why are hindrances so central according to the discourses?