The Five Faculties
by Lucinda Green, Ph.D.

            The Buddha spoke of the need to develop the five faculties of faith (saddha), energy (virya), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (panna) as a means towards liberation
            In a variety of discourses given by the Buddha, development of the five faculties was given as part of a longer list, which included the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness as subjects essential for contemplation and practice for those on the path to awakening.
            Faith (see "The Place of Faith in Buddhist Practice" ) means having confidence in what one has discovered to be true, through investigation and meditation. One develops faith in the Triple Gem. Each of us can come to realization of universal truths by our own efforts; we do so in community and with the guidance of wise ones who have gone before and shown us the way.
            Through the practice we directly experience the true nature of all phenomena as marked by the three characteristics of anicca, (impermanence), dukkha, (unsatisfactoriness) and anatta, (the insubstantiality of all phenomena) and gain confidence in the veracity of the teachings.
            We also gain confidence by allowing our attention to reside within the present moment.  By so doing we increase our ability to see life more clearly and respond appropriately.  By reacting to situations from our past conditioning and future fears, we tend to fuel the fires of dukkha.  We become part of the problem rather than agents of solutions; increase as opposed to decrease suffering. 
            Faith is both a stabilizing and energizing influence.
            Energy requires the application of one's effort with persistent determination. To increase energy while meditating become aware of what is in the foreground of your attention, i.e. your primary object of attention.  For instance if you are doing the sweeping practice you may be highly focused on a sensation or particular area of your body. If you are so highly concentrated that you lose energy and slip over into sloth and torpor, shift your attention to a broader object, such as your entire sitting posture.  Apply this guideline any time you become overfocused on the primary object, whatever the object may be. Hold the entirety of your sitting posture in the light of your attention.  Once re-energized, shift back to the primary object.  This conscious shifting of attention brings an increase in energy.
            Mindfulness involves being aware of all physical and mental activities and movements. Mindfulness has the characteristic of being unwavering.
            Concentration necessitates the mind to stay one-pointed on an object and has the characteristic of nondistraction.
            Wisdom comes as a result of insight.  With the application of mindfulness, development of concentration , sustained energy and confidence in one's practice, insight arises.  Wisdom is the application and expression of insight.
            The Buddha emphasized the need for balance of these five faculties.  One needs to balance energy with concentration, and faith with wisdom.  Excess energy gives rise to agitation and restlessness.  Lack of energy brings sleepiness and lack of motivation.   Faith needs to be grounded in wisdom.
            One way to arouse any of the five faculties is to recall a time when you were deep in the heart of concentration, (or whatever faculty you are needing to cultivate to bring yourself into harmony). Bring the awareness of that time into the present moment. Recall it through all of your senses, including your mind.  See it, sense it, feel it.  Notice your overall state of mind. Apply the sense experience of this memory to the present moment and continue to cultivate it in the present.         
            Meditators need to be on the lookout for excesses and lacks in confidence, energy, concentration and wisdom; balance them with one another. The Buddha said, however that one can never have too much mindfulness!
            The Buddha compared mindfulness to a type of seasoning which is used in every dish.  The mind has mindfulness as its refuge.
            May all beings have happiness and the cause of happiness.

            And remember:
            He or she who is free from obsessions
            Eating simply,
            Clear headed and focused on liberation
            Like a migrating bird
            Leaves no trace of a track in the sky
                             (From the Dhammapada)

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