Question 70: THE MIND IS CONSTANTLY THINKING. HOW CAN WE STOP THINKING WITHOUT HARMING OUR BRAIN?

Question 70: THE MIND IS CONSTANTLY THINKING. HOW CAN WE STOP THINKING WITHOUT HARMING OURBRAIN?Answer: The brain is always active, processing necessary thoughts. When there'snothing specific to focus on, the mind wanders, and we call these randomthoughts WANDERING THOUGHTS. To stop thinking, we must actively choose'suitable thoughts' for the mind to concentrate on. By dwelling on these Suitable Thoughts, the mind will gradually cease its wandering. This is the GOLDEN FORMULAfor stilling the mind.Imagine a plot of land overgrown with weeds. To clear the land, we plant suitableplants that grow strong and tall, shading the entire area. The weeds,unable to thrive in the shade, will wither and stop growing.Originally,these suitable thoughts will create mindfulness but not immediately stopwandering thoughts. As mindfulness deepens, it's like a shadow covering theentire area, and the wandering thoughtsgradually cease, just as the weeds no longer grow. This is calledentering a meditative state.Different Meditation traditions offervarious Subjects for contemplation, reflection, and inquiry to stimulate mindfulness. Unlike schools, unlikeSubjects. While all approacheshave their merits, it is safer and moreauthentic to focus on thesubjects taught by the Buddha.Remember, there are three stages to pass through: Virtuous Mind,Mindful Mind, Tranquil Mind.Those who rush into seeking a meditative state without cultivatingthese stages are mistaken. The VirtuousMind is rooted in abyssalmorality. The MindfulMind is a state ofpresent-moment awareness. The Tranquil Mind is of the meditative state. Eachstage requires a long period ofpractice. Only after passing throughthe Tranquil Mind stage can one enterthe Enlightened Mind one.