Buddhism is known for its numerous lists: the three trainings, the four foundations of mindfulness, the five skandhas, the eightfold path, the twelve-fold dependent origination, the 37 limbs of awakening, and so on. These lists are often presented in a static way, offering an overview of different aspects of life. For example, the four foundations are usually described as four areas of our experience to be mindful of, and the five skandhas are a way to dissect the idea of a unified self.
One such list is the five spiritual faculties: faith, vigor, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. Typically, these are presented as five qualities we need to develop to achieve enlightenment. Scriptures often introduce them as essential faculties for spiritual awakening.
The Buddha seemed more interested in understanding how things work rather than just providing overviews. His teaching on dependent origination, for instance, explains how each condition leads to another, eventually leading to freedom and joy. With this perspective in mind, Buddhist lists can be seen as dynamic systems where elements work together.
When researching for this article, I came across an early text called “The Discourse on the Analysis of Topics” (Arthaviniscaya Sutra). Although it’s a commentarial text written by monks centuries after the Buddha’s death, it presents the five spiritual faculties as a dynamic series, each building on the previous one, contributing step-by-step to the development of qualities needed for awakening.
Here’s an overview of how this works:
In a recent class at a local Buddhist center, I explained how the five spiritual faculties could work together moment by moment to help us move from unskillful to skillful states of mind, transforming states of suffering into ones filled with peace, calm, and joy.
Take anger as an example. These faculties can function simultaneously, so we can address them in any order.
Mindfulness involves observing our experience. It’s the starting point because, without mindfulness, no practice can happen. Mindfulness allows us to recognize that we are angry, shifting from simply being angry to being aware of our anger.
Wisdom in this context is not an enlightened state we achieve at the end of the path but understanding basic spiritual truths. Mindfulness tells us anger is present, and wisdom tells us that anger will likely lead to suffering. Wisdom also knows there are better alternatives to anger, such as curiosity, patience, and kindness.
Faith in Buddhism is more like confidence and clarity rather than blind belief. It’s about believing that letting go of anger in favor of alternatives will benefit us both in the short and long terms. As we observe our actions and see their outcomes, our faith in our practice strengthens.
Vigor, or energy, is about taking action. With confidence that non-anger is preferable, we act by letting go of angry thoughts or by embracing curiosity, patience, and kindness.
Concentration, or samadhi, is about the mind being unified around one purpose. It doesn’t mean a narrow focus but rather an absence of internal conflict and continuity of mindfulness. In dealing with anger, concentration helps us sustain efforts to respond skillfully despite parts of the mind that resist.
While the five faculties also work in the long term by reducing inner conflict and creating harmony in the mind, they function moment by moment with every act of skillful change we make. They support each other, becoming stronger each time we address unhelpful or destructive habits. This continuous practice helps us cultivate the habits that liberate us from suffering, aligning with the scriptures’ teachings on developing these faculties for enlightenment.