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Hindered by the Five Hindrances
By Rev. Dhammaruchi
There are Five Hindrances that hamper us in the development of concentration in the Samatha Meditation method. These five are: sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor, worry and restlessness, and doubt.
Nayanaponika Thera says that a person should examine which of the five hindrances are the strongest in one's personal case. When I first met my master, Bhante Chao Chu, he sized up my primary hindrance problem immediately -- worry and restlessness. His constant comment to me was, "Don't worry;" "don't worry;" "don't worry." It took me a long time to understand that he wasn't just saying words; he was pointing out my root hindrance to me.
I went on a three-day, self-meditation retreat in Miami, Missouri, last week. I made it an intention to be mindful of the hindrances while meditating -- particularly worry and restlessness.
What I found interesting was that the hindrances seemed to ebb and flow in and out of one another. At times it became hazy as to which one of the hindrances was present. Anger, which is part of ill-will, seemed to become combined, or intertwined, with sense desire; then the hindrance of sloth and torpor would come to the surface, and I would start to feel like I was going to fall asleep.
I learned a lot about the workings of my mind during that three day retreat. Going on retreat by yourself can be quite an experience. If you are on a self retreat, you only have yourself to deal with. You don't have other people to interact with and take the edge off. I've heard people say many times: "I wouldn't like to go on a self retreat, because I don't like my own company that much." I found out during my own self retreat that there is a real reason why this statement is a valid one.
These five hindrances are always there in our daily lives, and we usually are not consciously aware of it. But they are always there just under the surface, and, because we aren't aware of the constant latent presence of these hindrances, they can sometimes get us into trouble.
Phillip Moffet once said in one of his lectures that working with these hindrances during meditation can be a vehicle to higher consciousness. I agree.
It's pointed out in the Buddha's teachings that Samatha doesn't rid us of these hindrances, it only suppresses them. The only way to root them out and get rid of them completely is through the practice of Vipassana Meditation.
These hindrances are part of our human psyche. As long as we have these hindrances, we will create karma. To complete get rid of them is to completely get rid of karma. It can be done!
This is the promise of Vipassana in the Buddhist Tradition.
-Sadhu
FAVORITE BUDDHIST LINKS
http://www.iobm.org
http://www.labuddhist.com/
http://aztec.asu.edu/worship/buddhist
http://www.maba-usa.org
http://www.geocities.com/sisterdipa
http://www.silentmindopenheart.org
http://showmedharma.org/
NEED A SPEAKER OR A RESOURCE ABOUT BUDDHISM?
If you need a speaker or a resource about Buddhism, you may contact us and we will be happy to assist you by either providing a speaker or directing you to an appropriate resource. Below is more information about the two ministers at VBC. There are also a number of other qualified individuals who are members of VBC/CBD who are willing to share their knowledge and personal experience of Buddhism and meditation practices.
Rev. Dhammaruchi
Chief Minister
Rev. H. B. Dhammaruchi (Rev. William Edwards) first took Buddhist refuge (the rough equivalent of Christian Baptism) in 1985 with the Nichiren Sho Shu Buddhist sect in Etiwanda, California. Then in 1994 he again took refuge, this time with Ven. Master Shing Yun, at the Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, California, where he was given the Dharma name of “Ho Bang.”
In January of 1997 He was ordained as a Buddhist Minister by Ven. Chao Chu and Ven. Havanpola Ratnasara Nayaka Thero of the Buddhist Sangha Council of Southern California. Rev. Dhammaruchi’s master, Ven. Chao Chu, gave him the Dhamma name of “Dhammaruchi.”
Rev. Dhammaruchi worked for his primary teacher, Ven. Chao Chu, abbot of Rosemead Buddhist Monastery, as Ven. Chao Chu’s personal secretary, and editor of the Buddhist magazine “Common Sense: The Buddhist Educational Journal.” Rev. Dhammaruchi directed planning and organization of symposiums and lecture for Rosemead Buddhist Monastery from 1998 to 2000. Between 1997 and 2001 Rev. Edwards performed ministerial duties at the Rosemead Buddhist Monastery such as: conducting the Sunday morning English religious services; assisting Ven. Chao Chu in wedding ceremonies, refuge ceremonies, and funeral services; planning, preparing and executing of annual Vesak observances.
He also worked from 1999 to 2001 for Ven. Chan Kuang, abbess of Fa Kwang Buddhist Temple in Downey, California, as an English teacher and Sunday school teacher.
Rev. Dhammaruchi has authored articles published in the Buddhist periodicals: Common Sense, Turning Wheel (magazine of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship), and The Buddhist Times.
In September of 2001, Rev. Dhammaruchi moved to Jefferson City, Missouri, with his family and founded the Vipassana Buddhist Church/Center for Buddhist Development.
In 2005, he was invited to participate in, and be one of the featured speakers at, the Global Buddhist Conference: Buddhism in a Post-Tsunami Context in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
He is presently a commissioner on the City of Jefferson Human Relations Commission, and president of the Capitol Area Interfaith Alliance (CAIA) in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Rev. Dhammasiri
Associate Minister
Rev. Dhammasiri (Rev. Michael Stephens) started his study of meditation in 1979 at a Hindu Temple in St. Louis. He continued his study of meditation which eventually lead him to the study of Buddhism while serving in the United States Army, in the 1980’s.
After returning to Missouri in the 90’s he continued his practice with various groups in the St. Louis area. While serving in Iraq from 2003 to 2004 he attempted to organize a Buddhist congregation with various units and nationalities in Bhagdad, Iraq. It was during this time that he further dedicated time to his study of Buddhism and his meditation practice while being stationed in a war-torn country.
In 2004 upon returning to Missouri, he moved to Jefferson City and continued his study of Buddhism at the VBC/CBD, where he took refuge under Rev. Dhammaruchi (Rev. Edwards), and was given the dharma name of “Pannamitta”. In 2005. In April of 2007 he was ordained as a Buddhist Minister by Ven. Chao Chu and Ven. Walpola Piyananda of the Buddhist Sangha Council of Southern California. Rev. Dhammaruchi and Ven. Chao Chu, gave him the Dhamma name of “Dhammasiri”. Rev. Dhammasiri duties within the VBC/CBD are as Associate Minister, member of Advisory Committee and church treasurer.
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