The five hindrances — sensual desire, ill will, sloth & torpor, restlessness & worry, and doubt — hinder progress in meditation and in our daily lives. These five shroud: clarity of mind, the capacity of mindfulness, wisdom, and concentration. This wikipedia table states how each are suppressed and during what stages of enlightenment they are eradicated:
| method of suppression | path of eradication | |
| sensual desire | first jhana based on bodily foulness | nonreturning or arahantship[c] |
| ill will | first jhana based on metta | nonreturning |
| sloth and torpor | perception of light | arahantship |
| restlessness and worry | serenity | arahantship and nonreturning |
| doubt | defining of phenomena (dhammavavatthāna) | stream-entry |
SN 46:55 contains the following similes:
Sensual Desire/Lust
Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water mixed with orange, yellow, indigo or crimson dye, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded with sensual lust, overcome with sensual lust…
Ill-will
Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water heated over a fire, bubbling and boiling, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded by ill-will, overcome with ill-will …
Lethargy, Drowsiness, Sloth, Torpor
Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water covered with algae and water plants, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded by lethargy and drowsiness, overcome with lethargy and drowsiness …
Restlessness, Remorse, Worry
Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water stirred by the wind, agitated, swirling, producing wavelets, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded by restlessness and remorse, overcome by restlessness and remorse …
Doubt
Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water that is stirred up, turbid and muddy, placed in the dark, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded by doubt, overcome with doubt …
The above quotes come via: Working with the Five Hindrances by Ajahn Thiradhammo https://forestsangha.org/system/resources/W1siZiIsIjIwMTYvMDEvMDgvMzMyeGhkZ3BqZl9Xb3JraW5nX3dpdGhfdGhlX0ZpdmVfSGluZHJhbmNlc19BamFobl9UaGlyYWRoYW1tby5wZGYiXV0/Working%20with%20the%20Five%20Hindrances%20-%20Ajahn%20Thiradhammo.pdf
Further metaphors for the hindrances
Sensory Desires: Taking Out a Loan
Ill Will or Aversion: Sickness
Sloth or Torpor: Imprisonment
Restlessness: Slavery
Doubt: Lost in a Desert
Reminded of these similes via: https://medium.com/mind-cafe/buddha-describes-5-hindrances-that-may-stop-us-from-living-up-to-our-full-potential-42bcd7b21a30
Antidotes
- vitakka (“applied thought,” “coarse examination”) counteracts sloth-torpor (lethargy and drowsiness)
- vicāra (“sustained thought,” “precise investigation”) counteracts doubt (uncertainty)
- pīti (rapture, well-being) counteracts ill-will (malice)
- sukha (non-sensual pleasure) counteracts restlessness-worry (excitation and anxiety)
- ekaggatā (one-pointedness, single-pointed attention) counteracts sensory desire
Other resources:
The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest — https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html
Integrating Presence 