Dharma Quote of the Week - The Five Impediments

THE EIGHTH SITUPA ON THE
THIRD KARMAPA'S
MAHAMUDRA PRAYER
translated by Lama Sherab Dorje
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Dharma Quote of the Week

Agitation, remorse and regret, lassitude and
sleepiness, longing for the desirable, doubt--
these five are thieves who steal the riches
of virtuous dhyana--so the Muni has said.

The impediments are agitation, regret and remorse, sleepiness and lassitude, longing for the desirable, and doubt--five in all. The agitation caused by thoughts scattering towards various objects and regret for inappropriate actions one has done prevent the mind from abiding serenely. Remorse prevents it from abiding happily. Torpor that occludes the mind, dullness (which is a more overwhelming form of torpor), and compulsion to sleep prevent the mind from resting lucidly. Longing, which is desire for material goods or sentient beings, prevents the mind from resting in an effective way. Doubt about whether or not this is leading to samadhi prevents the mind from resting with sharp focus.

These five can also be condensed into two. Torpor, lassitude and sleep are included in torpor, while the rest are included within agitation, so there are just the two, torpor and agitation. The method for eliminating them is reliance on the individual remedies given in the guidance manuals, or else,

This has nothing whatsoever to be removed;
there isn't the slightest thing to be added on.
Look at perfection perfectly.
When you see the perfect you are totally liberated.

So the main thing is to look at the very essence of torpor and agitation and just rest in that essence without contrivance. That is the most profound [remedy]. This is also absolutely necessary as a basis for higher insight. As Santideva says:

Once you know that serene abiding
with full measure of higher insight
completely destroys afflictive patterns,
then first strive for serene abiding that,
with no attachment to the world,
is accomplished with evident joy.

~ From The Eighth Situpa on the Third Karmapa's Mahamudra Prayer translated by Lama Sherab Dorje, published by Snow Lion Publications

Tags: Dharma Quote of the Week, The Five Impediments, Buddhism, The Eighth Situpa on the Third Karmapa's Mahamudra Prayer, Lama Sherab Dorje, Snow Lion Publications