{{Short description|Doubt in Buddhism as a hindrance}} {{CS1 config|mode=cs1}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Buddhist term | fontsize=100% | title=vicikitsa | pi= vicikicchā | sa= विचिकित्सा (vicikitsā) | en= doubt<br />indecision<br />skepticism<br />indecisive wavering | vi= Hoài nghi | ja = 疑 | ja-Latn = gi | km=វិចិកិច្ឆា | km-Latn=vichek-kech-chha | bo= ཐེ་ཚོམ་ | bo-Latn=Wylie: the tshom; <br />THL: tétsom | th = วิจิกิจฉา | th-Latn = wichikitcha |zh=疑|id=keraguan}}{{Cetasika|unwholesome}} '''Vicikitsa''' (Sanskrit, also ''vicikitsā''; Pali: ''vicikicchā''; Tibetan Wylie: ''the tshom'') is a Buddhist term that is translated as "doubt" or "indecision". It is defined as being of two minds about the meaning of the Four Noble Truths; it functions as a basis for not becoming involved with unwholesome activities.{{sfn|Guenther|Kawamura|1975|at=Kindle Locations 786–787}}{{sfn|Kunsang|2004|p=26}}
Vicikitsa is identified as: * One of the five hindrances that impede meditation * One of the six root unwholesome mental factors within the Mahayana Abhidharma teachings * One of the fourteen unwholesome mental factors within the Theravada Abhidhamma teachings * One of the ten fetters in the Theravada tradition
== Explanations == === Theravada === Nina van Gorkom explains: {{Blockquote|text=The reality of vicikicchā is not the same as what we mean by doubt in conventional language. Vicikicchā is not doubt about someone's name or about the weather. Vicikicchā is doubt about ''realities'', about nāma and rūpa, about cause and result, about the four noble Truths, about the "Dependent Origination".{{sfn|van Gorkom|2010|p=149}}}}
The Atthasālinī (II, Part IX, Chapter III, 259) defines vicikicchā as follows: {{Blockquote|text=...It has shifting about as characteristic, mental wavering as function, indecision or uncertainty in grasp as manifestation, unsystematic thought (unwise attention) as proximate cause, and it should be regarded as a danger to attainment.{{sfn|van Gorkom|2010|p=149}}}}
=== Mahayana === The Abhidharma-samuccaya states: {{Blockquote|text=What is vicikitsa? It is to be in two minds about the truth, and its function is to serve as a basis for not becoming involved with positive things.{{sfn|Guenther|Kawamura|1975|at=Kindle Locations 786–787}}}}
Herbert Guenther explains: {{Blockquote|text=Indecision [''vicikitsa''] is the mental event in which one oscillates between two extremes concerning the four truths and the relationship between one's action and its result. This indecision creates obstacles for everything positive and in particular for the vision of the truth.{{sfn|Guenther|Kawamura|1975|at=Kindle Locations 786–787}}}}
Alexander Berzin explains: {{Blockquote|text=Indecisive wavering (''the-tshoms'', doubt) is entertaining two minds about what is true – in other words, wavering between accepting or rejecting what is true. What is true refers to such facts as the four noble truths and behavioral cause and effect. Moreover, the wavering may tend more to the side of what is true, more to the side of what is false, or be evenly divided between the two. Indecisive wavering functions as a basis for not engaging with what is constructive.{{sfn|Berzin|2021}}}}
Chogyam Trungpa states that ''vicikitsa'' (''doubt'') means "you do not trust any possible alternatives and do not want advice or any way out". This includes doubting the teachings, the teacher, and the dharma, as well as the norms of everyday existence.{{sfn|Chögyam Trungpa|2009|pp=47–48}}
== See also == * Kleshas (Buddhism) * Mental factors (Buddhism) * Vīmaṃsaka Sutta
== References == {{reflist}}
== Sources == * {{cite web | last=Berzin | first=Alexander | date=12 November 2021 | orig-year=2015 | url=http://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/science-of-mind/mind-mental-factors/primary-minds-and-the-51-mental-factors | title=Primary Minds and the 51 Mental Factors | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240420231721/http://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/science-of-mind/mind-mental-factors/primary-minds-and-the-51-mental-factors | archive-date=20 April 2024}} * {{cite book | author=Chögyam Trungpa | date=2009 | title=The Truth of Suffering and the Path of Liberation | publisher=Shambhala}} * {{cite book | author-link=Daniel Goleman | last=Goleman | first=Daniel | date=2008 | title=Destructive Emotions: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama | publisher=Bantam | edition=Kindle}} * {{cite book | author-link=Herbert V. Guenther | last=Guenther | first=Herbert V. | first2=Leslie S. | last2=Kawamura | date=1975 | title=Mind in Buddhist Psychology: A Translation of Ye-shes rgyal-mtshan's 'The Necklace of Clear Understanding' | publisher=Dharma Publishing | edition=Kindle}} * {{cite book | translator-link=Erik Pema Kunsang | translator-last=Kunsang | translator-first=Erik Pema | date=2004 | title=Gateway to Knowledge | volume=1 | publisher=North Atlantic Books}} * {{cite book | first=Nina | last=van Gorkom | date=13 August 2010 | chapter=Vicikicchā | pages=149–151 | title=Cetasikas | edition=2nd | publication-place=London | publisher=Zolag | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/Cetasikas/page/n156}}
== External links == {{Wikiquote}} * [http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/about/glossary/glossary.html#xindecisive_20wavering Berzin Archives glossary entry for "doubt (indecisive wavering)"] * [http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/the_tshom Ranjung Yeshe wiki entry for ''the tshom''] * [http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Doubt Rigpa wiki entry for "doubt"]
Category:Unwholesome factors in Buddhism Category:Sanskrit words and phrases Category:Faith in Buddhism