Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
VI: Nīvaraṇa Vagga
Sutta 51
Nīvaraṇa Suttaṃ
Obstacles
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Proofed against and modified in accordance with the revised edition at dhammatalks.org
For free distribution only.
[1][pts][bodh] On one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.
There he addressed the monks, "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.
The Blessed One said:
"These five are obstacles,
hindrances that overwhelm awareness
and weaken discernment.
Which five?
"Sensual desire is an obstacle,
a hindrance that overwhelms awareness
and weakens discernment.
Ill will is an obstacle,
a hindrance that overwhelms awareness
and weakens discernment.
Sloth and drowsiness is an obstacle,
a hindrance that overwhelms awareness
and weakens discernment.
Restlessness and anxiety is an obstacle,
a hindrance that overwhelms awareness
and weakens discernment.
Uncertainty is an obstacle,
a hindrance that overwhelms awareness and weakens discernment.
These are the five obstacles,
hindrances that overwhelm awareness
and weaken discernment.
§
And when a monk has not abandoned these five obstacles,
hindrances that overwhelm awareness
and weaken discernment,
when he is without strength
and weak in discernment:
For him to understand what is for his own benefit,
to understand what is for the benefit of others,
to understand what is for the benefit of both,
to realize a superior human state,
a truly noble distinction in knowledge and vision:
that is impossible.
■
"Suppose there were a river,
flowing down from the mountains
— going far,
its current swift,
carrying everything with it —
and a man would open channels leading away from it on both sides,
so that the current in the middle of the river
would be dispersed, diffused, and dissipated;
it wouldn't go far,
its current wouldn't be swift,
and it wouldn't carry everything with it.
■
In the same way,
when a monk has not abandoned these five obstacles,
hindrances that overwhelm awareness
and weaken discernment,
when he is without strength
and weak in discernment
for him to understand what is for his own benefit,
to understand what is for the benefit of others,
to understand what is for the benefit of both,
to realize a superior human state,
a truly noble distinction in knowledge and vision:
that is impossible.
§
"Now, when a monk has abandoned these five obstacles,
hindrances that overwhelm awareness
and weaken discernment,
when he is strong in discernment:
for him to understand what is for his own benefit,
to understand what is for the benefit of others,
to understand what is for the benefit of both,
to realize a superior human state,
a truly noble distinction in knowledge and vision:
that is possible.
■
"Suppose there were a river,
flowing down from the mountains
— going far,
its current swift,
carrying everything with it —
and a man would close the channels leading away from it on both sides,
so that the current in the middle of the river
would be undispersed, undiffused, and undissipated;
it would go far,
its current swift,
carrying everything with it.
■
In the same way,
when a monk has abandoned these five obstacles,
hindrances that overwhelm awareness
and weaken discernment,
when he is strong in discernment:
for him to understand what is for his own benefit,
to understand what is for the benefit of others,
to understand what is for the benefit of both,
to realize a superior human state,
a truly noble distinction in knowledge and vision:
that is possible."
Of Related Interest:
