Do Not Chase Your Thoughts or Cling to the Buddha's Name: You Are Already Buddha
Many people find spiritual practice difficult. They think they need to learn many principles and do all kinds of exercises, but the simplest and most fundamental method is right there in every thought that arises. Today, I'll explain the heart of spiritual practice in plain, practical language. No beating around the bush: you'll understand it as soon as you hear it, and benefit as soon as you put it into practice.
As we go about our daily lives, our minds are never still. All kinds of thoughts pop up: memories of the past, worries about the future, happiness, frustration, and all sorts of random ideas, one after another. Most people follow each thought as soon as it appears. They think about this and that until their minds grow more confused and more troubled. That's what it means to be led around by your thoughts. The mind never settles.
True spiritual practice is nothing more than noticing your thoughts without following them.
Whenever a thought arises, whether good or bad, kind or evil, simply notice it gently and think, “Oh, a thought has arisen.” That's enough. You don't need to pay it any mind, follow it further, resent it, or drive it away. And you certainly don't need to get caught up in it or let it trouble you. Let it come while you carry on with what you're doing. It's like watching passersby from the roadside: you stay where you are, neither following them nor trying to make them stay. Let them come and go as they please. Pay them no mind, and that's exactly right.
Someone might ask, “Then what is chanting the Buddha's name for?” Chanting is also a method, a skillful means to gather and steady the mind. When your thoughts are scattered, recite “Amitabha Buddha” and bring your wandering mind back, giving it something to rest on instead of letting it chase delusions. But remember: chanting the Buddha's name is a method, not the goal.
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