Doubt (vicikiccha)
Unskillful qualities / Five Hindrances / Doubt
Part of key topic Unskillful Qualities
Also a subtag of Fetters
See also: Faith
35 excerpts, 3:04:22 total duration

All excerpts (35) Most relevant (22) Questions about (14) Answers involving (14) Stories (2) Quotes (6) Readings (1)

Metta Retreat, Session 2 – Sep. 10, 2008

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9. “Could you talk more about working with the hindrance of doubt?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Doubt ] // [Fear] [Aversion] [Sensual desire] [Mindfulness of body] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Right Speech] [Delusion]

Simile: A dish of muddy water placed in a dark cupboard (SN 46.55). [Doubt ] [Similes]


Metta Retreat, Session 3 – Sep. 11, 2008

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14. “When doubt is mentioned under the hindrances, is it mainly referring to doubt about the Buddha’s teachings? Are there other implications?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Doubt] [Hindrances] [Dhamma] // [Everyday life] [Mindfulness of mind] [Investigation of states] [Mindfulness of body] [Suffering] [Perfectionism]


Calming the Busy Mind, Session 2 – Aug. 11, 2013

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1. Comment: Even though I’ve seen the fruit of awareness in and of itself many times, the doubt is still so deeply embedded that there is not that place of letting go. [Knowing itself] [Doubt] [Clinging] [Relinquishment] [Tranquility] [Proliferation]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Faith]

Reference: “Goal-Oriented and Source-Oriented Practice,” Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Pasanno, August 10, 2013.


Thai Forest Tradition, Session 1 – Jun. 14, 2014

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13. “Ajahn Mun spent a lot of time teaching the devas. Can you share any thoughts on this relevant to Western culture?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mun] [Teaching Dhamma] [Deva ] [Doubt] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Culture/West] // [Faith] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Nature of the cosmos]

Reference: Venerable Ācariya Mun Bhūridatta Thera: A Spiritual Biography by Ajahn Mahā Boowa


On Pilgrimage and Tudong, Session 4 – Apr. 25, 2015

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13. “After the initial impulse and intention to go tudong, once it’s going to happen, is there an upwelling of uncertainty?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Doubt] [Tudong] // [Renunciation] [Impermanence] [Clinging] [Learning] [Ajahn Chah]

Story: Chao Khun Nor stayed in his kuti and ate the same thing every day. [Chao Khun Nor] [History/Thai Buddhism]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 4 – Nov. 24, 2015

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8. “Could you talk about how to manage doubt when it arises?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Doubt ] // [Mindfulness of body] [Continuity of mindfulness]

Quote: “It’s the continuity of mindfulness and clarity that we build up that’s going to alleviate the doubt as opposed to any particular clever answer.” [Doubt ] [Clear comprehension]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 4 – Nov. 22, 2016

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7. “As I get deeper insights how conditioned the mind is, there is a sense of burden being released but also a doubt began to arise: If the mind is conditioned, how is it even possible to arrive at the Unconditioned? Does free will even exist or am I just pushed around by kilesas? If the trick is to recognize that there is no free will, how can I sincerely believe that when I’m making choices to practice and do wholesome deeds, they really matter and it’s not my delusion? Please dispel my doubts!” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Nature of mind ] [Doubt] [Unconditioned] [Delusion] // [Four Noble Truths] [Self-identity view] [Questions] [Conditionality]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 8 – Nov. 26, 2016

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18. “Do you have any doubts in the Dhamma’s promise that the result of accomplished practice is total liberation from suffering?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Doubt] [Dhamma] [Liberation] [Cessation of Suffering]


Practice in a Global Context – Aug. 12, 2017

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8. “How to work with suspicion skillfully? Is it a combination of looking at the factsas well as your gut feeling?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Doubt] [Intuition] [Politics and society] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Right Effort] [Mindfulness of body]


The Teaching and the Training, Session 3 – Mar. 19, 2018

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8. “I appreciate your saying “The trancendance of doubt isn’t getting the answers to your doubt, it’s being comfortable with the doubt.”” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Doubt]


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9. “When the suttas describe a practitioner as “having gone beyond doubt,” (e.g. DN 3) what do they mean?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Doubt] [Sutta] // [Four Noble Truths] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah]

Story: An Ajahn Chah monk accused of a heavy offense. [Vinaya]


Abhayagiri Kaṭhina 2021, Session 1 – Nov. 3, 2021

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2. “I have a family and family responsibilities. How do I know I’m on the path and making right effort?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Family] [Right Effort] [Doubt] // [Four Noble Truths] [Culture/West] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Direct experience]


Interreligious Retreat-Seminar on Dhamma and Non-duality, Session 1 – Nov. 24, 2023

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3. “Have you ever regretted choosing the monastic life? Has your mother ever thought you made a wrong choice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Doubt] [Parents] // [Gratitude] [Retirement] [Energy] [Mentoring] [Christianity] [Abhayagiri]

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Reflections on leadership. [Leadership ] [Ajahn Chah] [Abbot] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Discernment]

Quote: “You can’t lead just by telling people what to do and they are going to obey. Forget it!” [Leadership ]

Quote: “Everybody else is a mirror for oneself if one is willing to learn in teaching or leading others.” [Leadership ] [Learning]


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5. “What would be your advice when young monks are wavering in their decsion?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life/Motivation ] [Doubt] // [Fear] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Delusion] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Mindfulness of body]

Recurrent refrain in the Suttas: “I know you, Māra,” e. g. SN 4.1, SN 4.5. [Māra] [Sutta] [Knowing itself]