Page 61 - Extinguishment of self, in search of dhamma

The principle is that try not to relate about things external, about things faraway. Relate only our natural conditions. How is our walking meditation? How are our sensations? How thoughts emerge and cease? These are the phenomena that we must relate.
When I ask: How are the thoughts? “There are numerous thoughts!” This is not the correct reply. When I ask: How are the thoughts right now? “Oh, there are plenty of fun thoughts. Today I think about this and about that, but only thinking good thoughts.” If you want to say that all of your thoughts are wholesome, is that okay? Yes. But, if you want to say that you only think good thoughts, you should nd out why this is so. You should also contemplate how these good thoughts affect your state of mind.
If you say that your mind is currently very resplendent, that your mind is very happy—leading to only good thoughts emerging. If you say this, then these thoughts are not an obstacle (Translator’s note: To dhamma practice). But, you should observe that when the mind is wholesome, and when you only think good thoughts—how is your state of mind? The more powerful the wholesomeness, the more the mind becomes more ful lled, more resplendent, more refreshed. This is the way to observe. If your thoughts lead to less de lement, those thoughts are not a problem. But, some practitioners may be concerned that when the mind is clear, when the mind is happy, a lot of thoughts will
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