Abstract:
Transgression of precepts, all aspects of immoral conduct, vices, wrong livelihood
(micchājīva), irregularities in practice etc. are behavioural impediments to meditation.
Three kinds of wrong conduct – wrong conduct in body (kāya-duccaritaṃ), in speech (vacīduccaritaṃ)
and in thought (mano-duccaritaṃ) as mentioned in the Sang ti Sutta cause major
behavioural impediments to mental development. As elaborated in the Sāleyyaka Sutta, one is
made impure by bodily actions in three ways and by verbal actions in four ways. It is
extremely arduous for one who is impure by evil behaviour to concentrate his or her mind
because the basic mental strength or purity of the mind that is required for the initiation of
concentration is absent and even the inclination for meditation may not arise in the mind
which is not receptive and malleable for unification of mind (cittassa ekaggatā), the central
requisite for meditation. All sorts of behavioral impediments occur due to the extreme
noxious trio–intense greed, ill-will and delusion (abhijjā, vyāpāda and micchādiṭṭhi) which
nourish the five hindrances (pañcanīvaraṇa), the most inimical impediments to meditation.
Thus, the mind tainted by detrimental behavior impedes psychological strength such as nonremorse,
joy and rapture, etc., is psychologically disturbed and inwardly agitated, cannot
reinforce the outward suppression of harmful mental factors and suppress the inward malign
mental factors that impede concentration and mindfulness.
Moral restraint and moral purity which establishes sound outward conditions which are
conducive to inward progress avoids inimical behavoural impediments to mental
development. As a whole, the absence of behavioural impediments enhances the purification
of morality endowed with psychological strength, helps practitioner remain psychologically
undisturbed and inwardly calm and maintain concentration during the practice.
