The Buddha describes the five kinds of hard-heartedness—firstly, a mendicant has doubts about the teacher. they’re uncertain, undecided, and lacking confidence, this being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving, this is the first kind of hard-heartedness, and furthermore, a mendicant has doubts about the teaching, and the saṅgha.

AN 5.205 Hard-heartedness -

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, cetokhilā. Katame pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, ayaṁ paṭhamo cetokhilo.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhamme kaṅkhati …pe… saṅghe kaṅkhati …pe… sikkhāya kaṅkhati …pe… sabrahmacārīsu kupito hoti anattamano āhatacitto khilajāto. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu kupito hoti anattamano āhatacitto khilajāto, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, ayaṁ pañcamo cetokhilo. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca cetokhilā”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, cetokhilā.

“Mendicants, there are these five kinds of hard-heartedness.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati.

Firstly, a mendicant has doubts about the Teacher. They’re uncertain, undecided, and lacking confidence.

Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.

This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving.

Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, ayaṁ paṭhamo cetokhilo.

This is the first kind of hard-heartedness.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhamme kaṅkhati …pe…

Furthermore, a mendicant has doubts about the teaching …

saṅghe kaṅkhati …pe…

the Saṅgha …

sikkhāya kaṅkhati …pe…

the training …

sabrahmacārīsu kupito hoti anattamano āhatacitto khilajāto.

A mendicant is angry and upset with their spiritual companions, resentful and closed off.

Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu kupito hoti anattamano āhatacitto khilajāto, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.

This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving.

Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, ayaṁ pañcamo cetokhilo.

This is the fifth kind of hard-heartedness.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca cetokhilā”ti.

These are the five kinds of hard-heartedness.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Qualities:

Aversion

Aversion

A rejecting mental quality rooted in perception, where one instinctively turns away from or resists unpleasant experiences or objects; it manifests as a tendency to push away discomfort, obstructing patience and acceptance.

Also known as: animosity, hate, hostility, fault-finding mindset, upset
Pāli: dosa, paṭighasaññā, vera
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Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Right effort

Right effort

Energy and resolve directed toward preventing unwholesome states from arising, abandoning arisen unwholesome states, cultivating wholesome states, and maintaining arisen wholesome states; persistent application of the mind aligned with the path.

Also known as: right endeavor, right striving
Pāli: sammāvāyāma, padhāna
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Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
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Last updated on July 27, 2026