Most important is to read what has been written carefully,to read the lines,to read in between the lines and to read beyond the lines and to contemplate,ponder……

The 5 obstacles which render wholesome learning impossible. Uttaradhyana Sutra 11th Chapter explains the 5 obstacles.Sutra coming from the word ‘suth’ means ‘yarn’. As the yarn has several filaments similarly sutra has several meanings. It is important to comprehend all the meanings of the sutra at the same time. One more meaning of the word ‘sutra’ is that which has been spoken without plan. In other words which is not a product of the thought. Since, because Asutra means planning and sutra means unplanned.

1. Egoism 2. Passion 3. Carelessness or negligence 4.Illness 5. Idleness

1. Egoism is when the ” I ” and ” ME ” exists, such mind will either agree/disagree, evaluate, imagine, judge, measure, approximate to what is right according to him in the process of learning and hence unable to comprehend.
2. Passion- Passion of anger, pride, deceit, greed.
3. Carelessness / Negligence- Not being attentive.
4. Illness- Maybe physical or mental. Hence, not in a state of equanimity.
5. Idleness- Absence of interest or Ruchi.

All these 5 jointly or severally becomes obstacle to right observation and learning. Learning is a process of comprehension and renunciation i.e. learning without accumulation (parigraha). Hence, not memorizing or mugging. Here learning maybe subjectively or objectively. Learning or state of knowing is the inherent quality of the substance, the living thing. When one is unable to comprehend a subject, one or more of the five above causes has to be invariably present. Now to ponder…

Pudgal(matter) is one of the dravya(substance) out of the six also called astikaya which means realities can be expanded in meaning as puran, galan, which means conjunction, dis-junction. Its characteristic is of varna(colour), rasa(taste), gandh(smell), fasa(touch). Also it is characterized by sound, light, darkness(does not mean absence of light but presence of dark particles), luster(of jewels), shade, sunshine. Undergoes modification as singleness(ekathva), separateness(prithaktva) has a form, number. Shortest duration of pudgal in particular form is one samaya(indivisible part of time) and longest is anant(immeasurable). With regard to it as a substance it is without a beginning and without an end. With regards to its modification in particular it has a beginning and an end. Modification is 5 with regard to colour, taste, smell, touch and form. Modification in colour are black, blue, red, yellow and white(the base colours). Modification in smell is sweet smelling and foul smelling substances. Modification of taste is bitter, pungent, astringent, sour and sweet. Modifications with regard to touch is hard, soft, heavy, light, cold, hot, smooth and rough. With regard to modifications in form it is globular, circular, triangular, square and long. There are many sub-divisions with regard to each….Now ponder.

s.k.menon