The monkey mind.

Question:(Unedited) I am a buddhist in the Theravada tradition aswel and i have started and stopped meditation numerous time but just can't seem to keep it up. Do have any suggestions on how i can start meditation up and stay intersted with it. It would also be great if you could recomend a online book i should read from the list on buddhanet about buddhist meditation.

Thanks from b.


My comment:
Hi B,

Thank you for asking me.

If we need to be interested in order to meditate, then we got a problem. The reason for meditation (Buddhist Meditation) is not to satisfy our interest. The purpose of meditation is to tame the wandering mind and then to train it to listen to us. If we have this mission in mind, then we will make extra effort to sit and still the mind. It takes discipline and determination. That's why we can say that the very act of sitting and meditating is an achievement in itself. Ordinary people without any knowledge of meditation cannot even sit still for 5 minutes. Their minds are continuously wandering seeking sensual gratification. The moment their minds are not being gratified they feel bored. This is what we call the monkey mind.

The answer to your question is to view meditation in the right perspective and you will persevere in your effort whether you are "interested" in it or not. Treat it like cultivating good habits. Bad habits are easy to follow but difficult to bear. Good habits are difficult to follow but easy to bear.


May I strongly recommend this book by Ajahn Sumedho "Mindfulness: The Path to the Deathless" @

http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/deathless.pdf

Ajahn Sumedho is the most senior American monk from the Ajahn Chah's lineage. He is now based in England. Ajahn Chah was one of the most respected "forest" monk in Thailand.

There is this site in Western Australia where Ajahn Brahmawamso resides. He is an English monk and is a very popular speaker. He is also the disciple of Ajahn Chah. You can listen to his talk through this site:
Buddhist Society of Western Australia @
Web site: http://www.bswa.org/