Remorse (kukkucca) and restlessness (uddhacca) are two akusala cetasika (unwholesome mental factors) that are rooted in dosa (anger or ill-will) and moha (delusion or ignorance) respectively. The two are paired together as one of the five hindrances as uddhacca-kukkucca.
For your general knowledge of Abhidhamma, there are fourteen akusala cetasika (unwholesome mental factors):
(A) Four mental factors headed by moha (delusion)
(1) moha = delusion, ignorance
(2) ahirika = shamelessness (to do unwholesome activities)
(3) anottappa = fearlessness of wrongdoing
(4) uddhacca = restlessness
(B) Three mental factors headed by lobha (greed)
(5) lobha = greed
(6) diṭṭhi = wrong view
(7) māna = conceit
(C) Four mental factors headed by dosa (ill-will)
(8) dosa = patigha = hatred, anger, aversion
(9) issā = envy, jealousy
(10) macchariya = stinginess, selfishness
(11) kukkucca = worry, remorse
(D) Three immoral mental factors
(12) thīna = sloth
(13) middha = torpor
(14) vicikicchā = sceptical doubt, perplexity
The presence of remorse and restlessness, both classified as unwholesome, indicates the emergence of negative unwholesome mental states, and one can only yield unfavourable outcomes from indulging in such mental states means. Remorse and restlessness are the hindrances most meditators encounter when they are in the beginning stages of meditation, during the stage of absorption concentration development or even sometimes in early vipassanā stages. Out of the two, restlessness seems to be the most common. This is primarily because throughout our lives, from young age till now, we have been constantly exposed to various sensual stimuli (kāma-rāga) through our six sense bases: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. We have become accustomed to these sensual desires and have often been swayed by the desires they evoke, which intensify our greed, anger, and delusion. As a result, we have neglected the practice of mindfulness and being fully present in the current moment for a significant portion of our lives. Therefore, when we meditate, conditioned by the habit of seeking sensual desires, we may feel the urge to indulge in entertainment, media consumption, mindless scrolling, or any activity that allows us to avoid being present with ourselves with our meditation object in the present moment. This leads to the arising of restlessness, which significantly hampers our meditation progress. In this post, I would like to offer you a couple of techniques to deal with these hindrances.
How do I deal with restlessness?
Restlessness occurs when we our mindfulness (sati) faculty is not trained wisely and skilfully enough to pay undivided attention onto our object of meditation. Therefore, we must train ourselves to cultivate mindfulness faculty so that we can meditate with ease. To do that, we must practice the act of not paying attention without participation to anything that is not related to the object of meditation. You might wonder why I am emphasising this point repeatedly. The reason is simple: it is the most effective way to counteract restlessness and regain mindfulness with your meditation object.
Buddha said specifically in Uddhacca Sutta (AN 6.116) that a person must cultivate three things to combat restlessness: "develop serenity to give up restlessness, restraint to give up lack of restraint, and diligence to give up negligence." So based on this sutta, to combat restlessness, we must pay attention to our object of meditation only and nothing other than that. The more we can pay attention to it, the serenity, bliss and peacefulness associated with mindfulness will eliminate restlessness.
However, achieving this goal can be hard for some people especially if you haven't achieved concentration yet or in the early stages of concentration development, and so, we additionally need to train ourselves to develop "restraint to give up lack of restraint", meaning we have to 'guard' (restrain) our six sense bases (or doors) with extreme mindfulness (sati) and wisdom (paññā). We refrain from allowing sensual desires to persuade us into indulging in unwholesome thoughts or actions during meditation. The indulgence in such desires is caused by the lack of restraint, so this deliberate practice of 'guarding' our sense doors is essentially 'the act of not paying attention'. For example, when we hear enticing music, we don't become distracted; when we smell good food, we don't follow it; and when pleasant memories arise, we don't get caught up in them. During meditation, the mind is often the source of disturbances, such as memories, unnecessary thoughts, analyses, and fantasies.
By diligently guarding our sense bases, particularly the mind (during meditation), with unwavering mindfulness and wisdom, we learn to skilfully and wisely let go of these distractions without engaging with them. The more skilfully we can do, the better our meditation sessions and concentration will become.
Thirdly, we must cultivate the 'diligence to give up negligence', meaning we have to try our best to be diligent in cultivating the 'act of not paying attention' in order to combat negligence. Negligence here means being restless, lost in your thoughts, ignorant, and ultimately, not being present in this current moment. During our meditation practice, our primary objective is to establish a deep connection with our chosen meditation object. To achieve this, we must diligently cultivate the act of not paying attention to distractions and skilfully redirect our focus back to the meditation object.
So, we must diligently cultivate the 'act of not paying attention' and practice coming back to our meditation object as skilfully, mindfully and rapidly as we can in order to be present with our ānāpāna, kasiṇa or metta meditation object and immerse in it. This way we can only allow wholesome deeds to arise, be mindful and present, and filter out unwholesome ones, leading to better results with our meditation.
So far I have written about methods that can be employed to eliminate restlessness during our formal meditation sessions. However, practicing in such manner alone and only when sitting is not enough. Our everyday actions, the activities we participate in everyday, and our conduct and morality translate into our practice. For individuals who constantly indulge in sensual desires without a break, their minds become constantly bombarded by these cravings. They have grown accustomed to being swayed by these desires led by ignorance, which makes meditation a challenging task. Their minds long and yearn for indulgence in these desires, making it difficult to focus and be present in the practice. This problem arises from the inability to cultivate self-restraint and diligence, and to relinquish negligence in favour of mindful awareness of the present moment, or in brief, the inability to guard the six sense bases.
Hence, it becomes crucial to incorporate mindfulness into our everyday lives. Whether we are walking, talking, cooking, sweeping, typing, breathing, sitting, lying down, eating or even in the toilet, we should strive to be fully aware of these actions. By consciously acknowledging and being present in our daily activities, we effectively train our minds to return to the present moment, to know one object at a time only and filter out restlessness. This practice enables us to gradually develop the necessary mental discipline and redirect our attention towards the present moment and combat restlessness.
The reason we need to bring our minds back to the present moment is because restlessness (uddhacca) is rooted in delusion or ignornance (moha). When restlessness arises, our sense of reality and the tasks at hand become obscured, leading us to engage in indulgent behaviours rather than focusing on what truly needs to be done in this present moment. Therefore, this restlessness, fueled by ignorance (moha), gives rise to unwholesome thoughts and actions (kamma). Knowing this, we have to practice being mindful in every moment of our lives to break the chain of our minds from the grip of moha (ignorance and delusion). Therefore, the more frequently we can break of the chain of restlessness in daily life, the better our meditation will get as the mind is constantly trained to be present in the current moment with one object or activity at a time only. This approach aligns with the teachings of the Buddha, as outlined in the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, which emphasises the practice of mindfulness in daily life.
It is also worthy to mention here what moha (ignornace) does and why we have to practice to break from from its influence. Moha conceals our ability to see the Four Noble Truths, understand kamma and the effects, ultimate reality of things, know the characteristics and reality of things, and causes unwise attention. Here, I would like to emphasise on the point that moha causes unwise attention. Unwise attention always accompanies unwholesome actions, as it is inherently linked to ignorance. Unwholesome deeds can only manifest when our attention is unwise. These actions bear no fruitful results for ourselves; they contribute to our own detriment. Conversely, when we are mindful with wise attention, only fruitful results arise. In the presence of mindfulness, unwise attention is absent. Therefore, it becomes essential to cultivate mindfulness in every moment, preventing ignorance from gaining a foothold over us.
On another note, it is also important to skilfully understand that not all thoughts arising in the mind arise from restlessness and ignorance. Some of our thoughts arise from wholesome intentions. Contemplating what needs to be done, planning for the future, and making thoughtful decisions are acts of "vitakka" or pondering. This form of thinking, when devoid of unwholesome mental factors, is not restlessness but a constructive or wholesome cognitive process. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognise the fine line between wholesome pondering and unwholesome restlessness. Wholesome pondering involves considering our actions without being tainted by greed (lobha), ill-will (dosa), and ignorance (moha). It entails cultivating right thinking (samma-sankappa) rooted in wholesomeness, which means nurturing thoughts that align with the abandonment of wrong intentions such as greed-driven desires (kama sankappa), ill-will or anger (vyapada sankappa), and cruelty (vihimsa sankappa), which contradict the five precepts. Ultimately, wholesome pondering involves knowing what to do and what not to do as wholesome mind moments are not rooted in ignorance but with wisdom.
So, we should cultivate thoughts of metta (loving-kindness) to counter ill will, karuna (compassion) to counter cruelty and harm, mudita (sympathetic joy) to counter envy and jealousy, and uppekkha (equanimity) to counter sensual desires and greed. Additionally, we establish mindfulness in all four postures to eliminate restlessness, guard our sense doors to be present in the moment, reflect on the qualities of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, cultivate renunciation from sensual pleasures, reflect on the inevitability of death to develop a sense of urgency in the practice, and develop the attainment of jhāna or access concentration, and, ultimately, the fruition state. By skilfully navigating our thoughts and cultivating these wholesome qualities, we can create a harmonious and focused mind, guiding us towards wholesome thinking.
How do I deal with remorse?
Here, for now, I will only mention how one can combat remorse that is associated with meditation. Restlessness and remorse are grouped together because remorse arises as a result of restlessness. When we get entangled in unnecessary thoughts that are unwholesome, anger, greed or delusion arise that leads us to engage in remorse or worry. Usually meditators encounter remorse or worry relating to their meditation practice and progress.
In Abhidhamma, it is mentioned that the characteristic and function of remorse or worry (kukkucca) as an unwholesome mental factor is the causing of sorrow about what has and what has not been done. This sorrow may stem from regret over unwholesome actions that have been committed or a sense of dissatisfaction regarding wholesome actions that have not been undertaken. Additionally, it can lead to sorrowful thoughts that the wholesome actions performed were insufficient or that more wholesome actions should have been carried out.
During meditation, it is crucial not to give attention to any arising worries. Instead, cultivate the practice of "not paying attention with participation." As soon as you become aware of worry arising, swiftly let it go and return your focus to your chosen object of meditation. If you tend to worry frequently about your practice and progress even outside of formal meditation sessions, you can work on cultivating faith in the practice, your progress, and yourself.
It is helpful to cultivate faith in the practice by reflecting on the qualities of the Buddha and the Dhamma. You may also rely upon the suttas and the Venerables and lay people mentioned in the discourses who have practiced in accordance to Buddha's teachings, seen the Four Noble Truths, been purified of their defilements and attained Parinibbāna. You may also rely upon your teachers who have practiced and realised the Four Noble Truths themselves, and acquire wisdom, knowledge, motivation and support from them to foster confidence and faith in yourself.
In the commentaries, it is stated that having remorse is similar to being enslaved. When a person experiences remorse, they become enslaved by unwholesome thoughts that prevent them from finding contentment with their own actions. This mental state compels individuals to engage in unproductive and unskillful behaviours.
Remorse sometimes happen to lay meditators who are regularly engaging in daily practice when they encounter situations when they have to take part in instead of meditating, or when they feel that they are sitting for a session only instead of two, or when they are sitting for an hour instead or two, or when they are sick and feel that they slipping away in the practice, or when they feel that their practice is rather stagnant, or when they feel they need to make major life changes or renounce to see significant progress, etc. There can be countless reasons. Here, what I would suggest if you encounter such remorse or worry -
1/
Firstly, reflect whether you have been putting in consistent and balanced effort, dedication, time and patience in to the practice. If not, put in more (but balanced) effort, dedication, time and patience into it. Remember, there are no shortcuts or quick-fix techniques on the noble eightfold path that can instantly grant you concentration or significant progress. The work must be done by you. You must put in the work for yourself. The Buddha, the practice, the teacher are there to guide you only: you must walk the path and strive towards the destination on your own. So, if you feel remorse because are lacking the effort, dedication, time and patience, now is the time to take initiatives to improve yourself. It is never too late. Talk with your teacher to gain wisdom and guidance. The hardest thing anyone can do is to take that first step into improving yourself. Hence, may this message serve as motivation for you to do so.
From this point forward, let go of any thoughts that may generate remorse and instead embark on diligent and consistent practice without fixating on the outcome. Remember, it is the consistent application of effort, dedication, time, and patience in your practice that should take precedence, rather than obsessing over specific outcomes. Prioritise the journey itself, and the desired results will naturally unfold in due course.
2/
If you have been putting in balanced and consistent effort, dedication, time and patience, I would simply say: do not worry. Because you are where you need to be right now. The Dhamma is invaluable and priceless and so is the practice. The fact that you are already engaging in this practice means that your paramī and kamma is very strong enough to push you into the right direction, and to connect with people that will provide you with unwavering support to see the Noble Truths for yourself. Do not concern yourself with what you have renounced, you need to renounce or what future plans you may need to deepen your practice. Disregard any judgments from your peers. Instead, maintain a strong belief that the path will lead you to where you need to be. Simply remain consistent in your practice and, in due time, your wisdom will illuminate the steps you must take to deepen your practice. When that time comes, take the initiative. Until then, just practice consistently but with dedication and perseverance.
Instil determination and resolution that you will practice no matter what. Only with such determination can you achieve what is needed to be achieve because the faculty of viriya (or right effort: samma vāyama), when properly nurtured and rightly employed, serves as the foundation for higher attainments, as it arises from a sense of urgency (saṃvega). Let me emphasise once again here: continue practicing diligently without focusing on the outcome. Your attention should be on the effort, dedication, time, and patience you invest in the practice itself, rather than any specific outcome. The only thing that truly matters is to practice. The desired outcomes will naturally manifest in due course.
I invite everyone reading this post to take a time to reflect thoughtfully about the options I presented to you and apply it wisely in your daily life and practice.
May you realise the four noble truths in this lifetime.