The Buddha teaches on the five hindrances and the seven awakening factors regarding hindrances, showing how hindrances are fueled and awakening factors are nourished through application of mind.

SN 46.40 Hindrances

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, nīvaraṇā andhakaraṇā acakkhukaraṇā aññāṇakaraṇā paññānirodhikā vighātapakkhiyā anibbānasaṁvattanikā. Katame pañca? Kāmacchandanīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave, andhakaraṇaṁ acakkhukaraṇaṁ aññāṇakaraṇaṁ paññānirodhikaṁ vighātapakkhiyaṁ anibbānasaṁvattanikaṁ. Byāpādanīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… thinamiddhanīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… uddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… vicikicchānīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave, andhakaraṇaṁ acakkhukaraṇaṁ aññāṇakaraṇaṁ paññānirodhikaṁ vighātapakkhiyaṁ anibbānasaṁvattanikaṁ. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca nīvaraṇā andhakaraṇā acakkhukaraṇā aññāṇakaraṇā paññānirodhikā vighātapakkhiyā anibbānasaṁvattanikā.

Sattime, bhikkhave, bojjhaṅgā cakkhukaraṇā ñāṇakaraṇā paññābuddhiyā avighātapakkhiyā nibbānasaṁvattanikā. Katame satta? Satisambojjhaṅgo, bhikkhave, cakkhukaraṇo ñāṇakaraṇo paññābuddhiyo avighātapakkhiyo nibbānasaṁvattaniko …pe… upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo, bhikkhave, cakkhukaraṇo ñāṇakaraṇo paññābuddhiyo avighātapakkhiyo nibbānasaṁvattaniko. Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta bojjhaṅgā cakkhukaraṇā ñāṇakaraṇā paññābuddhiyā avighātapakkhiyā nibbānasaṁvattanikā”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Nīvaraṇavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve kusalā kilesā ca,
Dve yoniso ca buddhi ca;
Āvaraṇā nīvaraṇā rukkhaṁ,
Nīvaraṇañca te dasāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, nīvaraṇā andhakaraṇā acakkhukaraṇā aññāṇakaraṇā paññānirodhikā vighātapakkhiyā anibbānasaṁvattanikā.

“Mendicants, these five hindrances are destroyers of sight, vision, and knowledge. They block wisdom, they’re on the side of distress, and they don’t lead to extinguishment.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Kāmacchandanīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave, andhakaraṇaṁ acakkhukaraṇaṁ aññāṇakaraṇaṁ paññānirodhikaṁ vighātapakkhiyaṁ anibbānasaṁvattanikaṁ.

Sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.

Byāpādanīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…

thinamiddhanīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…

uddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…

vicikicchānīvaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave, andhakaraṇaṁ acakkhukaraṇaṁ aññāṇakaraṇaṁ paññānirodhikaṁ vighātapakkhiyaṁ anibbānasaṁvattanikaṁ.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca nīvaraṇā andhakaraṇā acakkhukaraṇā aññāṇakaraṇā paññānirodhikā vighātapakkhiyā anibbānasaṁvattanikā.

These five hindrances are destroyers of sight, vision, and knowledge. They block wisdom, they’re on the side of distress, and they don’t lead to extinguishment.

Sattime, bhikkhave, bojjhaṅgā cakkhukaraṇā ñāṇakaraṇā paññābuddhiyā avighātapakkhiyā nibbānasaṁvattanikā.

These seven awakening factors are creators of vision and knowledge. They grow wisdom, they’re on the side of solace, and they lead to extinguishment.

Katame satta?

What seven?

Satisambojjhaṅgo, bhikkhave, cakkhukaraṇo ñāṇakaraṇo paññābuddhiyo avighātapakkhiyo nibbānasaṁvattaniko …pe… upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo, bhikkhave, cakkhukaraṇo ñāṇakaraṇo paññābuddhiyo avighātapakkhiyo nibbānasaṁvattaniko.

The awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta bojjhaṅgā cakkhukaraṇā ñāṇakaraṇā paññābuddhiyā avighātapakkhiyā nibbānasaṁvattanikā”ti.

These seven awakening factors are creators of vision and knowledge. They grow wisdom, they’re on the side of solace, and they lead to extinguishment.”

Dasamaṁ.

Nīvaraṇavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve kusalā kilesā ca,

Dve yoniso ca buddhi ca;

Āvaraṇā nīvaraṇā rukkhaṁ,

Nīvaraṇañca te dasāti.

Qualities:

Anxiety

Anxiety

A fluttering, unsettled state of mind, worried about past or future and unsure what is right to do. It keeps the mind circling around concerns without resolution, weakening confidence and obscuring calm discernment.

Also known as: agitation, confusion about what is right and wrong, distress, fickleness, fidgetiness, edginess, restlessness, wavering, worry
Pāli: kukkucca, uddhacca, darathaja
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Equanimity

Equanimity

A state of mental poise and balance, characterized by non-reactivity and composure in the face of agreeable or disagreeable experiences.

Also known as: mental poise, mental balance, equipose, non-reactivity, composure
Pāli: upekkha
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Vision

Vision

The corrective clarity that clearly sees into the true nature of things as they actually are.

Also known as: knowledge and vision, seeing clearly, seeing things as they are, seeing the truth, seeing the dhamma
Pāli: dassana, ñāṇadassana, yathābhūtañāṇadassana
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026