4.2. The Five Faculties (Introduction)

[Full title: The Five Faculties (pañcindriyani; Sanskrit: indriya)—Introduction]

There are the five faculties (pañcindriya, Skt. indriya); namely

1. faculty of faith or confidence (saddhindriya, S. śraddā),
2. faculty of effort or energy (vīriyindriya, S. vīrya),
3. faculty of mindfulness (satindriya, S. smṛti),
4. faculty of concentration (samādhindriya, S. samādhi) and
5. faculty of wisdom (paññindriya, S. prajñā).

Saddhā is faith in the perfect enlightenment of the Buddha and the efficacy of the path he discover. Vīriya is effort or energy which is four kinds; i.e. an attempt at originating kusala, at cultivating kusala that has already originated, at preventing akusala from originating and at putting an end to akusala to akusala that has already originated. This fourfold vīriya, otherwise called sammā-padhāna, is identical with sammā-vāyama of the eightfold path. Sati is mindfulness and awareness in contemplating on body, feelings, mind and dhamma, it is also called satipaṭṭhāna and is identical with sammā-sati of the eightfold path. Samādhi is concentration of mind associated with wholesome consciousness which eventually may reach the absorptions (jhāna). This is identical with sammā-samādhi of the eightfold path. Paññā is wisdom, insight to the four noble truths, and is identical with sammā-diṭṭhi of the eightfold path. All these are types of wholesome consciousness (kusala-citta). They are called indriya because they master their opposites, that is, they keep them under control. Faith brings lack of faith or doubt (vicikicchā) under control; effort controls indolence (kosajja), mindfulness controls heedlessness (pamāda), concentration controls agitation (uddhacca) and wisdom controls ignorance (avijjhā).^[1]

These five faculties may be considered the individuals’ potentiallities in the spiritual sphere. It is these potentialities that form the object of Buddha’s particular knowledge called indriyaparopariyattañāṇa. It is said that the Buddha understands, by this knowledge, the extent to which these spiritual faculties of individuals are developed or degenerated.^[2]

The Indriyavibhaṅga Sutta in Saṃyutta Nikāya explained five faculties under the following:

“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? There are the faculties of faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom.

Now what, Bhikkhus, is the faculty of faith?

“Herein, Bhikkhus, the noble disciple has faith. He has faith in the Enlightenment of the Tathāgata thus:’The Lord is such since he is Arahant, fully Enlightened, perfect in understanding and conduct, sublime, knower of the worlds, unsurpassed leader of men to be tamed, the Teacher of devas and men, enlightened, the Lord.’ This, Bhikkhus, is called the faculty of faith.

“Now what, Bhikkhus, is the faculty of effort or energy?

“Herein, Bhikkhus, the noble disciple lives with effort aroused for getting rid of unskilled states and perfecting skilled states, strenuous and energetic, not giving up the effort with regard to skilled states. This, Bhikkhus, is called the faculty of effort.

“Now what, Bhikkhus, is the faculty of mindfulness?

“Herein, Bhikkhus, the noble disciple is mindful, possessing excellent mindfulness and prudence, remembering and recollecting what was done and said long ago. This, Bhikkhus, is called the faculty of mindfulness.

“Now what, Bhikkhus, is the faculty of concentration?

“Herein, Bhikkhus, the noble disciple, by making relinquishment [of attachment] the object of thought, obtains concentration, obtains unification of mind. This, Bhikkhus, is called the faculty of concentration.

“Now what, Bhikkhus, is the faculty of wisdom?

“Herein, Bhikkhus, the noble disciple is wise, possessing the wisdom [that sees] the rising and passing away [of phenomena], noble, penetrating, leading to the complete ending of suffering. This, Bhikkhus, is called the faculty of wisdom.”^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vibh-A, p. 125

[2]:

MA II, p. 29

[3]:

SN 48:9/V, p. 197