The second stage is included so that one may know the purpose of doing the practice, which is:
1. To drop thoughts, and to stop thinking about external objects.
2. To put one’s attention upon a single spot and to group together, seeing, remembering, thinking and knowing, so that they are all within this spot and are not allowed to disperse.
3.To have Wisdom (Panna) as one’s guide.
4. To develop Mindfulness (Sati), which is the “rope” that binds the Citta to the sphere of the Heart Base.
5. To develop clear Comprehension(Sampajjanna) of the body, which is the “fence” that encloses the Citta.
6. To develop Diligence and Effort (Viriya) which is the “goad” that goads the Citta, to prevent it moving the body about restlessly.
Training the Citta is not easy. Many people use rosary heads to count, but when they stop counting, the Citta starts discursive thinking again. This is due to the habitual tendencies of the Citta, and it means that it has not had sufficient training, for if one only trains it from time to time, one cannot stop discursive thoughts.
Training the Citta is like training a wild elephant, which has been caught in order to use it for work. It is not easy to do this, so the trainer will probably tether the elephant to a post and give it little food, until it is weakened. One who trains an elephant must use a goad to beat it, and must have a tame elephant to teach it. When the elephant tries to escape and finds that it cannot, it will then submit. When it has been skilfully trained, it may be used for work wherever necessary and there is no longer any need to restrain or tether it as it will remain of it’s own accord.
If one has trained the Citta well, it will lead to happiness, which means that if one wishes to stop thoughts, then one can stop them; or if one wishes to think, then one can do so; but one will prevent the arising of thoughts of lust, hate, anger and delusion.
As for the person who has not trained his Citta, he cannot prevent thoughts from arising. Such a person may get angry, and he cannot appease his anger except by using strong words, taking revenge, or striking the object of his wrath. This is because his heart does not have any refuge or method of self control.
Training the Citta in Samadhi
When the person who is training the Citta has a means of self control, which means that he has developed the four Dhamma Virtues1 that have already been mentioned, then the Citta will remain unshakeable. In other words, it will lie down calmly near to the post to which it is bound. For, the Citta is like a young calf; external objects are like the mother cow; wisdom (Panna) is like the herdsman; mindfulness (Sati) is like the rope which binds the young calf; clear comprehension (Sampajjanna) is like the fence which encloses it, and effort (Viriya) is like the goad. If the rope breaks, the calf will try to run away; but if the fence does not break and if the goad is used, then it still cannot. If, however, the rope and the fence break, and the goad is not used, then the calf will escape and look for it’s mother.
If wisdom is strong, and mindfulness is set up firmly, then the fence and the gate are in good order and the calf will eventually lie down beside the post to which it is tethered.
If the Citta, which is the calf, still does not stop thinking, what further should be done? If it likes to think, try letting it think and try watching it. But in order to do this, one must just put one’s attention on the heart base. If we deliberately try to make it think, thoughts will cease. If we are mindful, it will also stop. If it likes to think, then let it think by defining the thirty two parts of the body; in the forward order, then in the reverse order, and continue backwards and forwards through them in this way. If we develop these types of thoughts, they are of much benefit.
Another person may wish to use a preparatory (Parikamma) verbal repeti tion such as Buddho, Buddho,...
Or, again, one may fix the Citta on one’s in and out breathing which will lead to the heart base. Fixing the mind on in and out breathing and putting one’s attention up on the heart base should both be done together.
Awareness of in and out breathing may be done when one is still and peaceful, in a quiet place. But putting one’s attention on the heart base may be done all the time; while standing, walking, sitting, and lying down.
When the Citta has stopped thinking, it is happy and contented, because it has stopped doing work.
All of us have Cittas that are constantly doing work; which means that they see forms, hear sounds, smell odours, savour tastes, and feel bodily sensations. They also receive. mental objects (Dhammaramman& #3642;a) and investigate objects (Vicaran aramman& #3642;a). Our Cittas indulge in objects and cling to objects; they work with out ceasing and are therefore painful and tormenting. This is like our bodies which become quite exhausted when we do a lot of work. But how is it that the mind likes thinking and the body likes doing it’s work? The mind thinks all day long. The body also works all day long, exposed to sun and wind. It is odd when one thinks of it, how people sit in Samadhi practice for thirty minutes to an hour, then they start to perspire. After all, they are seated in the shade and they are not using energy as they would in doing manual work.
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