12.2. Five Wildernesses and Five Shackles in the Heart

The term cetokhila that is translated by Bhikkhu Ñāñamoli & Bhikkhu Bodhi as ‘wilderness in the heart’, in fact it means rigidity, rubbish, or a stump in the mind; and to be used to imply opinionated people. There are five wildernesses in the heart as stated in the Cetokhila Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 16).

In these five, the first four cases are those in which a bhikkhu is doubtful, uncertain, undecided, and unconfident about:

(i) the Teacher,

(ii) the Dhamma,

(iii) the Saṅgha, and

(iv) the training.

(v) And the last case is a case in which a bhikkhu is angry and displeased with his companions in the holy life, resentful and callous towards them.

Because of such doubts and hate, his mind does not incline to ardour, devotion, perseverance, and striving. They are thus called the five wildernesses in the heart that a bhikkhu has not abandoned. In contrast, if a bhikkhu does not have thus doubts and hate then his mind incline to ardour, devotion, perseverance, and striving. He so is said to have been abandoned the five wildernesses in his heart (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 16.3-7; 15-9).

The five shackles in the heart as presented in the Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 16 are really five varieties of greed. In these five, the first three cases are to indicate a bhikkhu who is not free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever, and craving for: (i) sensual pleasures; (ii) the body; and (iii) form. The fourth case (iv) is a case in which a bhikkhu eats as much as he likes until his belly is full and indulges in the pleasures of sleeping, lolling, and drowsing. The last case (v) is a case in which a bhikkhu lives the holy life aspiring to some order of gods; it means he wishes by virtue of the holy life which he is being, he can become a great god or some lesser god. Because of such valueless greed, he cannot incline his mind to ardour, devotion, perseverance, and striving in the path. They are therefore called the five shackles in the heart that a bhikkhu has not cut off. On the contrary, if a bhikkhu free from lust, desire, and craving for sensual pleasures, for the body, for form; he eats moderately; and he lives the holy life not for wish to become a god. Because of all these, his mind incline to ardour, devotion, perseverance, and striving in the path and he so is said to have been cut off the five shackles in his heart (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 16.8-12; 20-4).

In short, a bhikkhu who has abandoned the five wildernesses and severed these five shackles in the heart, is said to be possible to come to growth, increase, and fulfillment in the Buddha’s dhamma and discipline (Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta number 16.13-4; 25). Beside ten above factors, a bhikkhu is advised to develop the four bases for spiritual power (iddhipāda) consisting in concentration those are: (i) zeal and determined striving; (ii) energy and determined striving; (iii) purity of mind and determined striving; and (iv) investigation and determined striving; and one added factor (v) is enthusiasm. A bhikkhu who possesses such fifteen factors (that is, the abandoning of the five wildernesses and the five shackles of the heart, the development of the four bases for spiritual power, and enthusiasm) has capable of breaking out, of getting enlightenment, and of attaining the supreme security form bondage (anuttara yogakkhema), the Arahantship.