Doubt is one of the Five Hindrances that the Buddha discusses in the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness found in the Foundation of Mindfulness Sutta also known as Satipatthana Sutta. The word Patthana is translated most commonly as Foundation, but the word Patthana, is made up of the words “pa and thana”, meaning a “system of relations”. Sati is translated as Mindfulness but the Pali language definition for Sati has the characteristic of memory. That’s why I like the definition of Sati as; that quality of mind that keeps the object of mind before (or in front of) the mind. So that when the mind wanders, it is Sati that brings our awareness back to the object of mind. Sati is a process – a verb not a noun.
SO SATIPATTHANA IS THE SYSTEM OF RELATIONS (THE METHOD OR FOUNDATION) THAT KEEPS THE OBJECT OF MIND IN FRONT OF THE MIND.
In the Fourth Foundation we are asked to consider whether certain mind objects (Dharmas) are impediments or whether they are aids to freedom from grasping at the “world”. The five mind objects are:
1 Hindrances: sense desire, aversion, sloth and torpor, restlessness and doubt0
2. Aggregates of Clinging: form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness
3. Sense bases (all six- the five senses and thought as a sixth sense)
4. Seven Factors of Awakening: mindfulness, investigation, tranquility, energy, joy, concentration and equanimity
5. Four Noble Truths: Suffering, its cause, its cessation and the path to cessation.
BUDDHA TAUGHT DHARMA. When the Buddha taught he never said “This is what you should believe in” He taught about dharma, a word with many definitions but one that encompasses all the others is the followiing; the nature of things as they are right now. And if we understand the nature of things as they are right now (the Dharma) we can also see that unsatisfactoriness/suffering (related to Impermanence,causes and conditions, and the nature of Illness, old age, not getting what we want, getting what we don’t want, etc) exists.
We can also see (from our own experience) the origin of Suffering as craving.
We can see the Cessation of Suffering (thru cessation of craving). And we can see the Path to the cessation of suffering that the Buddha pointed out.
When we examine the Fourth Foundation of mindfulness we begin by contemplating the five hindrances. This doubt I am experiencing is a hindrance to my freedom. I am aware when doubt is no longer present. I am aware there are conditions that give rise to doubt, and conditions that lead to abandonment of doubt and conditions that prevent doubt from arising. And the same with the other Hindrances of sense desire, aversion, sloth and torpor, and restlessness, worry and regret. These conclusions are drawn from our own direct experience not from academic study or reading suttas ( although reading about the Dharma is beneficial).
Here are the five contemplations on the hindrance of doubt in the Foundation of Mindfulness Sutta:
1. When there is Doubt present a person is aware “There is Doubt in me”
What is Doubt?
• It’s indecision. We can’t make up our minds so we don’t do anything. It’s doubt about the truth of teachings such as:
Buddha lived 2500 yrs ago!
What about this No Self Stuff?
What about Karma?
What about a belief in rebirth?
My life is too hectic right now. I need to wait until I get things straightened out before I jump on this spiritual bandwagon?
Things are going really well now. I don’t need a spiritual practice.
What good is sitting here staring at my navel when things are so bad around the world? This is a waste of time.
All of these are forms of doubt. It’s doubt about our own capabilities to overcome our conditioned patterns of behavior. It’s doubt that we can have disappointments, pain, sickness, and still see all this from a point of stillness and open heart. I admit it may sound impossible but it’s not. Doubt is like a deer looking into the headlights. Going nowhere- just standing and looking. If doubt leads to investigation of the truth at least it’s going somewhere. But when doubt just leads to a standstill it is a hindrance to any progress on a spiritual path.
• DOUBT CAN BE VERY CONVINCING. When we’re caught up in doubt we often start a thinking process that convinces us that doubt makes perfect sense. It’s very logical. Thoughts like “This spiritual growth stuff is a lot of baloney. I don’t need to meditate or contemplate. We’re just sitting here staring at our navels, what a waste of time!” Our thinking mind is more than willing to get involved in the whole process of doubt.
2. When there is no doubt present a person is aware “There is no Doubt in me” What is the quality of mind when doubt is absent? What does this feel like from your own experience and compare it to the feeling when doubt is present. Watch doubts appear and then watch when doubt disappears. Doubt arises in our mind and obscures the clarity. Consider this teaching from the book Flight of the Garuda in the Tibetan tradition.
When you have meditated many thoughts arise,
You don’t need to feel depressed thinking “I can’t meditate”
The mind is empty whether it moves or is still.
Since all that arises is the continuity of awareness,
Rest freely in the unfabricated innately free state.
Without negating or affirming, accepting or rejecting
such (doubting) thoughts will certainly be spontaneously freed.
3. What are conditions that give rise to doubt?
LACK OF MINDFULNESS. Examine the thoughts that give rise to doubt. What are they? Pay attention to them. We often get completely carried away by these thoughts. There is a continuous train of thoughts that are linked together that have as their destination- doubt.
MISPERCEPTION OF WHAT IS SKILLFUL AND WHAT IS UNSKILLFUL- REFLECT ON SILA (morality). If we don’t have a moral compass about what is ethical and what is unethical then how can spiritual growth occur? Mindfulness of our actions must occur within the spectrum of ethics. If it doesn’t then there is confusion and doubt naturally arises. And we get stuck! And this is where doubt takes up residence.
4. What are conditions leading to the abandonment of doubt? and 5. What are the conditions that prevent future arising of doubt? ANSWERS TO BOTH OF THESE ARE THE SAME! SEEING CLEARLY WHAT IS SKILLFUL AND WHAT IS UNSKILLFUL. Mindfulness of morality; right speech, right action, and right livelihood. If we aren’t aware of these, doubt will arise.
INVESTIGATION. Investigation into what is skillful from our own experience. Being mindful of our own unskillful actions to see that they are unskillful.
There is a sutta where the Buddha gave a new teaching and then when he finished he asked Shariputra (his wisest monk) “Have you heard this teaching before” Shariputra says “No I haven’t This is a new teaching not heard before” “That is correct Shariputra” “Do you believe it to be true?” And Shariputra answers “No not yet!” The Buddha asks “Why not yet?” “Because I have not yet had time to investigate this for myself” “Very good Shariputra, very good!” responded the Buddha”
In another sutta regarding doubt there was a wandering ascetic who was experiencing doubt and sought the Buddha’s help.
“Now at that time Subhadda the Wanderer was staying at Kusinara …. And he said “I have heard the elder wanderers, teacher of teachers, saying that only once in a long, long time do Tathgatas, worthy ones, rightly self awakened ones- appear in the world. Now there is doubt that has arisen in me, but I have faith that he could teach me the Dharma in such a way that I might abandon that doubt“So he went to the venerable Ananda “ and said “I have heard the elder wanderers, teacher of teachers, saying that only once in a long, long time do Tathgatas, worthy ones, rightly self awakened ones- appear in the world. Now there is doubt that has arisen in me, but I have faith that he could teach me the Dharma in such a way that I might abandon that doubt. It would be good if you would let me see him”“ Ananda answers. “Enough, friend. Do not bother the blessed one for he is tired .“ This happens two more times and the Buddha intercedes and says “Whatever he asks me will be for the sake of knowledge and not be bothersome.”So Subhadda asks “Venerable sir these priests and contemplatives, each with his group of believers (and he then lists the numerous teachers each claiming to be teaching the truth) “Do they all have direct knowledge, or do some of them have direct knowledge and some of them not?”And the Buddha responds “In any doctrine and discipline where the Noble Eightfold Path is not found, no contemplative with ….any level of awakening will be found… and in any doctrine and discipline where the Noble Eightfold Path is found, contemplatives with ….any level of awakening will be found” “ Subhadda then says “ Magnificent, lord, magnificent. In many ways the Blessed one has made the dharma clear- just as if one were to place upright what has been overturned, to reveal what has been hidden, to point the way to one who is lost, or to set a lamp in the darkness.
So here the Buddha is saying that it is the teaching that is the teacher. We should investigate this and see for ourselves in our own direct experience whether any teaching can point the way to awakening. Does it contain the teachings of wisdom (right view and right intention), ethics (right speech, action and livelihood) and concentration (right effort, concentration, and mindfulness)? If it does then it is a true path to awakening.
In summary,in order to dispel doubt it’s not about faith and it’s not about belief. It’s about seeing for yourself through your own investigation and direct experience what is skillful action and what is not. It is seeing the ethics of our actions from our own experience. And through this investigation our own wisdom arises. And this wisdom gives rise to confidence. And with wisdom and confidence doubt disappears on its own. Teachers only point the way. The Buddha was telling Subhadda this and he’s telling us that very same thing 2500 years later. May you be well, happy and peaceful.
Floyd
