Answer by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena for Is being skeptical bad?

In the mundane world:

• Doubt on One's Ability
  • You might not undertake beneficial action because of lack of confidence
• Doubt in a Teacher or Doctor
  • You will not learn what is been taught or take the treatment given
• Doubt Something Will Work
  • If you have doubts on if something will work or has a chance to succeed you will not attempt it
• If you doubt something works for you specifically
  • You have confidence something will work but doubtful if it will benefit you. Say you are doubtful a certain fitness routine works on you due to some reason you will avoid such routine or not follow through with earnest
• You have doubt something will work in current times
  • If you think something worked in the past but not any more you might not follow through with it in earnest
  • You are too old or too young to do something

Similarly when practicing meditation. You have to have confidence in:

• Teacher
• The technique
• The benefits to be reaped
• One's ability to execute and come out successful
• It will work for you
• It will work in currently and also regardless of one's age

In essence being skeptical in any endeavour diminishes your ability to accomplish the end goal.

More broadly speaking with respect to all the hindrances including doubt. What needs to be done is to starve the hindrances and feed the awakening factors. [(Nīvaraṇa Bojjhaṅga) Ahara Sutta] Since hindrances weekend wisdom and the awakening factors enhances wisdom. [Āvaraṇa Nīvaraṇa Sutta]. The hindrances are also dependently arise based on the unwholesome roots. [(Akusala,mūla) Añña,titthiya Sutta]. Couple of way to overcome them are given in [Nīvarana,pahana Vagga], [(Satipaṭṭhāna) Nīvaraṇa Sutta], etc.

The reason for doubt is unwise attention. [Nīvarana,pahana Vagga] With unwise attention you begin to believe something not inline with reality and start doubting the teacher, teaching, benefits of the pratice.

Also see:

• Vicikicchā by Piya Tan,
• The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest: Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries compiled and translated by Nyanaponika Thera,
• The Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pali Canon translated and Explained by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff) - on awakening factors which you should strengthen

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