also: そこひ
internal hindrance (Buddhism)
Only with reading ないしょう
Buddhist term for an inner obstacle or defilement that hinders enlightenment. Restricted to the reading ないしょう.
In Buddhism, worldly desires are considered one type of internal hindrance.
visual disorder from within the eye (e.g., glaucoma, amaurosis)
Historical medical term for any visual impairment caused by an internal eye problem, such as glaucoma or amaurosis. Now largely replaced by modern disease names. The reading そこひ is archaic; ないしょう is also used for this sense.
See also: 上翳
In the past, glaucoma was also called そこひ.
Descriptions of 'internal eye disorders' can be found in classical medical texts.
Standard kanji form for the Buddhist term and the medical term when read ないしょう.
Kana spelling for the historical reading そこひ, used for the eye-disorder sense.
Historical kanji form for the eye-disorder sense, read そこひ. Rare in modern use.
The kanji 内 (inside) and 障 (obstacle, hindrance) combine to mean 'internal hindrance'. The Buddhist sense is a direct translation of a Sanskrit term. The medical sense derives from the idea of an obstruction inside the eye. The reading そこひ is of uncertain origin, possibly a native Japanese word later assigned these kanji.