We are all driven by our thoughts (continued)

Have you ever reflected on “How the thoughts arise in your mind”? The thoughts cannot arise from nothing? They cannot also arise all by themselves. Some agency must be there in you, which is capable of generating these thoughts. Thoughts are the effect – and they must necessarily be caused by an agency, which exists in your mind.

Vedaanta (Hindu Philosophy) says that Maayaa (which is the primordial Sakti or power associated with the Hindu Supreme God, Brahman) is this agency, which generates all thoughts in you. Maayaa exists in every mind in the form of three Gunas (which are also known as Gunas of Prakriti) – and they are called Sattva**, Rajas** and Tamas**.

These three Gunas (attributes or qualities), which exist in every mind generate all thoughts. Gunas are Prakriti (Maayaa) - and you have no control over Prakriti (Maayaa). Prakriti keeps on generating thoughts and since you have little control over Prakriti - you will have virtually no control over your thoughts too. On the other hand, Prakriti (Maayaa) constantly tries to control you through your thoughts.

Thoughts are the engines that drive all your actions including your speech (which is also a Karma (action)). Thoughts themselves are Karma. Thus, all your Karma is determined by your thinking. Clearly therefore, you have to be very diligent and choosy in associating yourself with your thoughts. Never come under the sway of thoughts that prompt you to perform bad or evil actions. If you choose to associate yourself with such thoughts, you become a helpless and hapless victim of their consequences, which, most certainly, are going to be inimical to your interests. If you refuse, however, to associate yourself with such thoughts, they will go away quietly - without causing any damage or grief to you.

Thus, thoughts may be powerful, but you also have the power not to associate yourself with them. By not associating with these thoughts, you take away the power from those powerful thoughts. It is like removing the fangs of a cobra, the poisonous snake. And this is the greatest secret for happiness in life.

No one can come in contact with us without getting influenced to a more or less degree by the state of our minds; every one comes under the power of our thoughts when they interact with us. Our thoughts are such a mighty factor in our daily living that one single thought in the early morning can fill our whole day – either with sunshine and joy or gloom and depression. (Swami Paramananda)

This power of thought varies from mind to mind. Just as one sun appears in varying strengths when it shines through clear or clouded glass, so does the power of thought varies in its effulgence when it shines in some minds than in others. (Swami Paramananda)

The next thought is on “Right thinking”.

** More about these Gunas (qualities or attributes) in the later thoughts.