Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There, he addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus.”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“Pañcime, bhikkhave, āvaraṇā nīvaraṇā cetaso ajjhāruhā paññāya dubbalīkaraṇā. Katame pañca? Kāmacchando, bhikkhave, āvaraṇo nīvaraṇo cetaso ajjhāruho paññāya dubbalīkaraṇo. Byāpādo, bhikkhave, āvaraṇo nīvaraṇo cetaso ajjhāruho paññāya dubbalīkaraṇo. Thinamiddhaṁ, bhikkhave, āvaraṇaṁ nīvaraṇaṁ cetaso ajjhāruhaṁ paññāya dubbalīkaraṇaṁ. Uddhaccakukkuccaṁ, bhikkhave, āvaraṇaṁ nīvaraṇaṁ cetaso ajjhāruhaṁ paññāya dubbalīkaraṇaṁ. Vicikicchā, bhikkhave, āvaraṇā nīvaraṇā cetaso ajjhāruhā paññāya dubbalīkaraṇā. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca āvaraṇā nīvaraṇā cetaso ajjhāruhā paññāya dubbalīkaraṇā.
“|Bhikkhus,::::| there are these five obstructions and hindrances which overwhelm the mind and weaken wisdom. What are the five? 1.) |Sensual desire::interest in sensual pleasure, sensual impulse [kāmacchanda]| is an obstruction and a hindrance which overwhelms the mind and weakens wisdom. 2.) |Ill will::intentional act of mentally opposing or rejecting others; an intentional construct fueled by aversion, directed against kindness or compassion. It manifests as hostility of will, impeding goodwill and fostering internal or external conflict. [byāpāda]| is an obstruction and a hindrance which overwhelms the mind and weakens wisdom. 3.) |Dullness and drowsiness::lack of mental clarity or alertness, mental sluggishness, lethargy, sleepiness lit. stiffness (of mind/body due to tiredness) [thinamiddha]| is an obstruction and a hindrance which overwhelms the mind and weakens wisdom. 4.) |Restlessness and worry::agitation and edginess, distraction, fidgeting, fiddling, uneasiness [uddhaccakukkucca]| is an obstruction and a hindrance which overwhelms the mind and weakens wisdom. 5.) |Doubt::uncertainty, indecision, lack of conviction [vicikicchā]| is an obstruction and a hindrance which overwhelms the mind and weakens wisdom. These|, bhikkhus,::::| are the five obstructions and hindrances which overwhelm the mind and weaken wisdom.
So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ime pañca āvaraṇe nīvaraṇe cetaso ajjhāruhe paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe appahāya, abalāya paññāya dubbalāya attatthaṁ vā ñassati paratthaṁ vā ñassati ubhayatthaṁ vā ñassati uttari vā manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ sacchikarissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
|Bhikkhus,::::| without abandoning these five obstructions and hindrances which overwhelm the mind and weaken wisdom, it is impossible for a bhikkhu with feeble, weakened wisdom to understand their own welfare, the welfare of others, or the welfare of both, or to realize a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble person.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, nadī pabbateyyā dūraṅgamā sīghasotā hārahārinī. Tassā puriso ubhato naṅgalamukhāni vivareyya. Evañhi so, bhikkhave, majjhe nadiyā soto vikkhitto visaṭo byādiṇṇo neva dūraṅgamo assa na sīghasoto na hārahārī.
Suppose, |bhikkhus,::::| there is a mountain river flowing far, with a swift current, carrying away everything in its path. If a person were to open channels on both sides of it, then, |bhikkhus,::::| the mid-current of that river, being diverted, dispersed, and dissipated, would not flow far, nor have a swift current, nor carry away everything in its path.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu ime pañca āvaraṇe nīvaraṇe cetaso ajjhāruhe paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe appahāya, abalāya paññāya dubbalāya attatthaṁ vā ñassati paratthaṁ vā ñassati ubhayatthaṁ vā ñassati uttari vā manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ sacchikarissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
In the same way, |bhikkhus,::::| without abandoning these five obstructions and hindrances which overwhelm the mind and weaken wisdom, it is impossible for a bhikkhu with feeble, weakened wisdom to understand their own welfare, the welfare of others, or the welfare of both, or to realize a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble person.
So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ime pañca āvaraṇe nīvaraṇe cetaso ajjhāruhe paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe pahāya, balavatiyā paññāya attatthaṁ vā ñassati paratthaṁ vā ñassati ubhayatthaṁ vā ñassati uttari vā manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ sacchikarissatīti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
|Bhikkhus,::::| having abandoned these five obstructions and hindrances which overwhelm the mind and weaken wisdom, it is possible for a bhikkhu with |strong::powerful; lit. having strength quality [balavant]| wisdom to understand their own welfare, the welfare of others, or the welfare of both, or to realize a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble person.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, nadī pabbateyyā dūraṅgamā sīghasotā hārahārinī. Tassā puriso ubhato naṅgalamukhāni pidaheyya. Evañhi so, bhikkhave, majjhe nadiyā soto avikkhitto avisaṭo abyādiṇṇo dūraṅgamo ceva assa sīghasoto ca hārahārī ca.
Suppose, |bhikkhus,::::| there is a mountain river flowing far, with a swift current, carrying away everything in its path. If a person were to close up the channels on both sides of it, then, |bhikkhus,::::| the mid-current of that river, being undiverted, undispersed, and undissipated, would flow far, have a swift current, and carry away everything in its path.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu ime pañca āvaraṇe nīvaraṇe cetaso ajjhāruhe paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe pahāya, balavatiyā paññāya attatthaṁ vā ñassati paratthaṁ vā ñassati ubhayatthaṁ vā ñassati uttari vā manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ sacchikarissatīti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī”ti.
In the same way, |bhikkhus,::::| having abandoned these five obstructions and hindrances which overwhelm the mind and weaken wisdom, it is possible for a bhikkhu with strong wisdom to understand their own welfare, the welfare of others, or the welfare of both, or to realize a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble person.”