Vicikiccha

Vicikicchā: 'sceptical doubt', is one of the 5 mental hindrances nivarana, and one of the 3 mental chains samyojana, which disappear for ever at Stream-entry, the first stage of Nobility see: ariya-puggala As a fetter, it refers to sceptical doubt about the Master the Buddha, the Teaching, the Sangha, and the training; about things past and future, and conditionality Dhs 1004; cf. A. X, 71.

It also applies to uncertainty whether things are advantageous or not, to be practised or not, of high or low value, etc. According to Vis.M XIV, 177, vicikicchā is the lack of desire to think things out i.e. to come to a conclusion; vigata-cikicchā desiderative to Ö cit to think; it has the nature of wavering, and its manifestation is indecision and a divided attitude; its proximate cause is unwise attention to matters of doubt. It is associated with one of the 2 classes of disadvantageous consciousness rooted in confusion Tab. I, No. 32. - See also kankha

References

Maha Thera Nyanatiloka. Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, Buddhist Publication Society, first edition 1952.