The Third Step in the Mental Discipline: Control of Thoughts

The inner control of thoughts is a further development once the poise of the witness consciousness has been attained. As the seeker observes the thoughts, he can also determine their effect in the being, and see if they lead to uplifting, widening, and harmonizing results, or whether they shrink the being back down into the ego-consciousness with all of its turmoil, disruptions and limitations. For the yogic practitioner the issue is not one of an artificial external moral or ethical code, but rather, the consciousness-impact of the thoughts that are permitted to act within the being.

Sri Aurobindo related the way he was introduced to the idea of observing and rejecting the thoughts that tried to enter, and indicated that at the end of 3 days he was able to achieve silence of the mind, which in turn opened up the receptivity to higher states of receptivity and awareness. He was asked to see that the thoughts came from outside and as they tried to enter, he should reject them. This somewhat strenuous approach is not suited for everyone, and most teachers recommend simply observing without reacting and letting them glide through without being grabbed on and followed. Either way, the active or the passive means, can lead to the end result of bringing quiet, silent receptivity to the mind. The Mother recommends an approach here in her discussion of the Dhammapada verses relating to the achievement of a state of happiness rather than suffering.

In the book Commentaries on the Dhammapada, The Mother provides insight into a number of verses from this classical Buddhist text. The Dhammapada states: ” ‘He has insulted me, he has beaten me, he has humiliated me, he has robbed me.‘ Those who do not nourish thoughts such as these foster no hatred.”

The Mother observes: “This is the counterpart of what we read the other day. But note that this concerns only thoughts that generate resentment. It is because rancour, along with jealousy, is one of the most widespread causes of human misery. … But how to avoid rancour? A large and generous heart is certainly the best means, but that is not within the reach of all. Controlling one’s thought may be of more general use.”

“Thought-control is the third step of our mental discipline. Once the enlightened judge of our consciousness has distinguished between useful and harmful thoughts, the inner guard will come and allow to pass only approved thoughts, strictly refusing admission to all undesirable elements. … With a commanding gesture the guard will refuse entry to every bad thought and push it back as far as possible. … It is this movement of admission and refusal that we call thought-control and this will be the subject of our meditation tonight.”

Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, Living Within: The Yoga Approach to Psychological Health and Growth, Disturbances of Mind, Unruly and Perturbing Thoughts, pp. 35-43

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Discernment of Good and Bad Thoughts

When we initially reflect on “what is a good thought” and “what is a bad thought”, the first ideas that arise almost inevitably harken back to whatever cultural, moral or ethical code prevails within the society of the time, whether this is based on religion or developed cultural understandings and taboos. This, however, is not the sense in which either the Dhammapada, or the Mother commenting on the Dhammapada, looks at the question of “good” or “bad” thoughts. In many cases, the dictates of the social norm in a particular society, group or religion are quite limited, and vary from one time or place to another.

A deeper understanding of “good” and “bad” thoughts comes from deep reflection on the impact upon the consciousness that results. Good thoughts are those that bring about serenity, wideness, and universality, that are uplifting and move the individual beyond the limits of the desire-soul and the ego-personality, so that consciousness can grow, and concepts such as oneness and compassion can uplift the soul. Bad thoughts are those that draw the individual in upon himself, weaken the will, breed animosity and increase the force of desire, and thereby hold the individual back in the evolutionary growth of consciousness.

In the book Commentaries on the Dhammapada, The Mother provides insight into a number of verses from this classical Buddhist text. The Dhammapada states: ” ‘He has insulted me, he has beaten me, he has humiliated me, he has robbed me.‘ Those who nourish thoughts such as these never appease their hatred.”

The Mother writes: “The Dhammapada tells us first of all that bad thoughts bring about suffering and good thoughts bring about happiness. Now it gives examples of what bad thoughts are and tells us how to avoid suffering. Here is the first example, I repeat: ‘He has insulted me, he has beaten me, he has humiliated me, he has robbed me’; and it adds: ‘Those who nourish thoughts such as these never appease their hatred.’ “

“We have begun our mental discipline, basing ourselves on the successive stages of mental development and we have seen that this discipline consists of four consecutive movements, which we have described in this way, as you surely remember: to observe, to watch over, to control and to master; and in the course of the last lesson we have learnt — I hope — to separate ourselves from our thoughts so as to be able to observe them as an attentive spectator.”

“Today we have to learn how to watch over these thoughts. First you look at them and then you watch over them. Learn to look at them as an enlightened judge so that you may distinguish between the good and the bad, between thoughts that are useful and those that are harmful, between constructive thoughts that lead to victory and defeatist thoughts which turn us away from it. It is this power of discernment that we must acquire now; that will be the subject of our meditation tonight.”

“As I have told you, the Dhammapada will give us examples, but examples are only examples. We must ourselves learn how to distinguish thoughts that are good from those that are not, and for that you must observe, as I have said, like an enlightened judge — that is to say, as impartially as possible; it is one of the most indispensable conditions.”

Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, Living Within: The Yoga Approach to Psychological Health and Growth, Disturbances of Mind, Unruly and Perturbing Thoughts, pp. 35-43

The Need and Method for Observing One’s Thoughts

Avoidance of suffering may be considered as a ‘negative’ status. Achievement of happiness is the positive pole of this continuum. Both states are rooted in the mind and the standpoint that the individual takes. When the scriptures speak of “evil thoughts” or “purified thoughts” this is not directly intended to be a moral judgment; rather it is a statement of the energetic source and impact of the thoughts that are entertained and held in the mind. Those that are based in the ego-personality and the desire-soul, that bring disturbance, enhance suffering and cause pain are ‘evil’ thoughts. Those that are serene, widening and uplifting, and that are based in the universal consciousness are considered to be ‘purified’ thoughts. The one state brings suffering, the other brings happiness. Neither of these states is dependent on the outer circumstances, but on the inward response to those circumstances.

The key, therefore, to achieving happiness is in obtaining mastery over one’s thoughts, with the first step being the observation of those thoughts.

In the book Commentaries on the Dhammapada, The Mother provides insight into a number of verses from this classical Buddhist text. The Dhammapada states: “Mind predominates. Everything proceeds from mind. In all things the primordial element is mind. If a man speaks or acts with a purified mind, happiness accompanies him as closely as his inseparable shadow.”

The Mother notes: “This is the counterpart of what we read last time. The Dhammapada contrasts a purified mind with an evil mind. We have already said that there are four successive stages for the purification of the mind. A purified mind is naturally a mind that does not admit any wrong thought, and we have seen that the complete mastery of thought which is required to gain this result is the last achievement in the four stages I have spoken of. The first is: to observe one’s mind.”

“Do not believe that it is such an easy thing, for to observe your thoughts, you must first of all separate yourself from them. In the ordinary state, the ordinary man does not distinguish himself from his thoughts. He does not even know that he thinks. He thinks by habit. And if he is asked all of a sudden, ‘What are you thinking of?’, he knows nothing about it. That is to say, ninety-five times out of a hundred he will answer, ‘I do not know.’ There is a complete identification between the movement of thought and the consciousness of the being.”

“To observe the thought, the first movement then is to step back and look at it, to separate yourself from your thoughts so that the movement of the consciousness and that of thought may not be confused. Thus when we say that one must observe one’s thoughts, do not believe that it is simple; it is the first step, I suggest that this evening in our meditation we take up this first exercise which consists in standing back from one’s thought and looking at it.”

Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, Living Within: The Yoga Approach to Psychological Health and Growth, Disturbances of Mind, Unruly and Perturbing Thoughts, pp. 35-43

Four Steps to Avoid Suffering

Many people suppose that it is impossible to avoid suffering, as it is an inherent aspect of life on earth. Their strategies for dealing with suffering may vary, but they all believe that suffering is inevitable.

When we consider, therefore, the idea of avoiding suffering, we are either met with a large degree of skepticism about the possibility, or else, with imaginary ideas about what this entails. People think that one can be rich, respected, have everything the heart desires, live in a perfect circumstance and there would not be suffering. Eventually they find out that these external circumstances do not, in fact, eliminate suffering at all. As the Buddha pointed out in his 4 noble truths, suffering is attached to life in the body, through illness, frustrated desire, old age and death.

What sages and seers have discovered, however, is that, while it is not possible to avoid the fate of the body in life, and all forms of external suffering which attend the bodily life, it is possible to remove the subjective suffering. This comes from tuning and aligning the mind and heart to the larger reality that is not attached to the ego-personality and the desire-soul that is never satisfied.

Eventually the sages have pointed out that the focus of the mind and thought, the filter we apply and the affinities we accept, create the psychological reality we experience. The example of the ‘evil mind’ found in the Dhammapada is illustrative. This is not a ‘moral judgment’ but rather a statement of the focus of the mind on forces and actions that bring about an increase in distress or suffering, for oneself or others, as everyone participates as parts of the universal manifestation. When one engages in greed, lust, envy, jealousy or any of the other deformations of the mind, suffering ensues. Focusing on harmony, good will, compassion and other forms of manifestation of love and unification bring about peace, calm and a mind that need not suffer regardless of the outer circumstances to which one is subjected.

In the book Commentaries on the Dhammapada, The Mother provides insight into a number of verses from this classical Buddhist text. The Dhammapada states: “If a man speaks or acts with an evil mind, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of the bullock that pulls the cart.”

The Mother comments: “That is to say, ordinary human life, such as it is in the present world, is ruled by the mind; therefore the most important thing is to control one’s mind; so we shall follow a graded or ‘conjugate’ discipline, to use the Dhammapada’s expression, in order to develop and control our minds. … There are four movements which are usually consecutive, but which in the end may be simultaneous: to observe one’s thoughts is the first, to watch over one’s thoughts is the second, to control one’s thoughts is the third and to master one’s thoughts is the fourth. To observe, to watch over, to control, to master. All that to get rid of an evil mind, for we are told that the man who acts or speaks with an evil mind is followed by suffering as closely as the wheel follows the hoof of the bullock that ploughs or draws the cart.”

Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, Living Within: The Yoga Approach to Psychological Health and Growth, Disturbances of Mind, Unruly and Perturbing Thoughts, pp. 35-43