Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c16.220

c16.220

**Obstacles to Samādhi.** These are the nine distractions of mind (*chitta-vikshepāḥ*) which are hindrances (*antarāyāḥ*) to concentration. They are (1) *Vyādhi*, Sickness. It is defined as a disorder in the humours of the body (*dhātu* = *vāyu*, wind; *pitta*, and *śleshmā*, bile and phlegm), or in the secretions (*rasa*), or in the organs (*karaṇa* = *indriya*). *Dhātu* is so called because it *sustains* (*dhāraṇa*) the body. A *rasa* is a special kind of mutation (*pariṇāma*) undergone by nourishment eaten or drunk. A disorder is a state of defect or excess in these.