What means "to drain"?

The cultivation of calm or tranquility and the development of concentration
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sm2019
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 11:14 am

What means "to drain"?

Post by sm2019 »

From my observation, if your mind is prone to thinking, following your breath alone would not cut it. You should start to reciting "Buddho"; if even that doesn't work, you can start with chanting. Keep chanting to drain your mental energy to a certain extent so that it will stop prolifering, and then you can either recite "Buddho" or your breathing. - Ajahn Suchart, Essential Teachings

In your opinion what means "to drain" in this context?
Srilankaputra
Posts: 1210
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2018 3:56 am
Location: Sri Lanka

Re: What means "to drain"?

Post by Srilankaputra »

There is the case where evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion — arise in a monk while he is referring to and attending to a particular theme. He should attend to another theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful.

When he is attending to this other theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful, then those evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion — are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.

Just as a skilled carpenter or his apprentice would use a small peg to knock out, drive out, and pull out a large one; in the same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion — arise in a monk while he is referring to and attending to a particular theme, he should attend to another theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful. When he is attending to this other theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful, then those evil, unskillful thoughts — imbued with desire, aversion, or delusion — are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

Wish you all success in all your endeavours. Goodbye!
Nobodyisspecial
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat May 08, 2021 1:43 am

Re: What means "to drain"?

Post by Nobodyisspecial »

Hi sm2019,

Here is my contribution to the conversation. "To drain" means to clear the mind.

Breath meditation can work for you, by bringing you back from thinking to being in the present moment where right concentration is possible without conceptual thought.

Reciting "Buddho" and chanting helps with acquiring jhana and making it known to the omniscient Buddha in paranibbana you are seeking arhartship.

This is my understanding and interpretation.
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