The Teachings if Ajahn Suchart"
7 August 2024
Question: While reciting ‘Budho’, I found that thoughts would come in and sometimes the thoughts could be in the foreground and the ‘Budho’ is going to the background. Than Ajahn mentioned that we need to get close to the ‘Budho,’ how do we do that?
Than Ajahn: Just be intimate with ‘Budho,’ and try to stay away from the thoughts. The thoughts can come in but you don’t try to talk with your thoughts. You go back to your ‘Budho, Budho’ as if you’re dancing with ‘Budho’ and someone wants to come in and dance with you, and then you say, ‘No. I want to keep on dancing with ‘Budho, Buddho’.’ So you have to ignore the thoughts that try to interfere with your ‘Budho, Budho’.
It might be a little bit difficult at first because your concentration may be not strong enough, so you might be pulled away by your thoughts.
You have to be conscious whether you are talking to your thoughts or you’re reciting your ‘Budho’. If you’re reciting ‘Budho’ and your thoughts try to compete with it, then you just have to ignore your thoughts. Like when you’re singing in a choir; other people might be singing in different tones, and you stay with your tones and leave other people sing their tones.
So, you just stick with ‘Budho, Budho’ and try to disregard the thoughts that are coming in. If you give your attention to the thoughts, it means you’ve left ‘Budho’. So, this is how you have to be intimate with ‘Budho’. Just stick with ‘Budho.’ You know that the thoughts are coming in but you don’t try to respond to the thoughts. Leave the thoughts alone.
Or if you’re doing something, force your mind to watch what you’re doing, to concentrate on what you’re doing.
If you’re eating, just keep eating; don’t let your thoughts interfere with your eating. If you cannot use ‘Budho’ alone, maybe you can use ‘Budho’ along with watching what you’re doing at the same time, and this may push the thoughts to the background.
You cannot avoid the thoughts because they have been overwhelming your mind all the time.
When you start reciting ‘Budho’, you’re fighting with a very strong opponent that keeps on coming at you all the time. So, don’t be discouraged.
Don’t be mad at your thoughts. Accept that this is your defense. The thoughts want to control your mind and you want to take over the mind with your ‘Budho’. You just have to be persistent with ‘Budho, Budho, Budho.’
It’s like a tug-of-war between two sides. If one gives up, the other side wins. If you give up ‘Budho’, then your thoughts will dominate your mind. But if you keep reciting ‘Budho, Budho,’ then your thoughts cannot be dominant in your mind, it cannot take over the mind, even though your reciting of Budho cannot take full control of your mind yet, but at least, it’s resisting being controlled by your thoughts. And sooner or later, one day, your thoughts will stop attacking your mind, and all that is left is ‘Budho’. And you have a sense of peace and easiness. There is no more struggling with your thoughts. This is the result when your mind becomes under the control of mindfulness.
Then, the mind will be steady, calm, and at ease.
So, this is something you have to try to get to.
Once you get to this point, you will appreciate the effort that you’ve put in and it will give you encouragement to be more mindful.
You’ll see the benefits of being mindful. It can bring you peace of mind and happiness even when you haven’t yet meditated. And if you meditate, you’ll find that your mind becomes quieter, more still, and happier. But you first need to get this mindfulness going in the mind.
Alright?
Layperson: Thank you very much, Ajahn.
“Dhamma in English, May 18, 2021.”
By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
YouTube: Dhamma in English.
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