Can Thoughts Be Ended By Thoughts?

2 years ago By Yogi Anoop

Can Thoughts Be Ended By Thoughts?

Although it may seem that thoughts can never be ended by other thoughts, no matter how much one thinks to end thoughts, they cannot be ended. It is similar to how violence cannot be ended by more violence. If violence is being used to end violence, then it is just another form of violence.

To understand this, another example can be used. Like how one cannot extinguish fire by using another fire. Water cannot end water.

Similarly, it is not possible to end a thought by using another thought. This process cannot lead to the end of thoughts. To end one thought, another thought would have to be used, and then another thought would have to be brought in to end that thought. In this way, there will always be some thought left in the end.

That's why non-violence is used instead of violence to end violence permanently.

Although different people use different methods to become thoughtless, such as involving themselves in actions to the extent that their minds become calm, or surrendering themselves to devotion to the Lord to the point of thoughtlessness. Although surrender is a type of thought, it makes the mind light and peaceful. It becomes thoughtless.

Some seekers also contemplate on a single thought for a long time, which frees them from unnecessary thoughts and after some time of contemplation, they attain the state of thoughtlessness.

Some seekers also achieve the state of thoughtlessness through the practice of asanas and pranayama. However, it should be noted that all these efforts towards achieving the state of thoughtlessness do not provide completeness.

If studied with subtlety, in all these means, somewhere or the other, the support of a single idea has been taken to attain emptiness of thought. That is to say, emptiness of thought was attained through the support of ideas. However, it is not possible to attain a thoughtless state completely through ideas.

Therefore, I always say that to end thought, the support of non-thinking should be taken. Just as water is used to extinguish fire. Non-thinking here refers to being a witness with oneself. When a person starts to witness themselves, thoughts can be easily stopped. Here, the meaning of being a witness is from the state of absence, not from any emotion or thought. The process of thinking is not used in the witness state.

That is why in Jnana Yoga, this state is called the highest and final state.

If one practices staying in this "witness" under the protection of a spiritual guru, then the mind can definitely be brought into a state of complete peace. The use of peace should be made instead of using the mind to kill the mind. In my own experience, the mind of an ordinary person becomes so accustomed to the process of thinking that they do not understand the meaning of staying in the witness. Most practitioners are practicing the process of thinking even in the state of the witness. Therefore, it is necessary to repeatedly practice meditation by staying in contact with experienced spiritual gurus, so that one can go beyond thoughts.

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