Mind is like an unruly bull. Put in tether, it tugs and tugs and tugs - breaks loose and runs riot. One has to master the art of reining it in. Otherwise there is the risk of getting carried away by it. A wrong grasp of the rope leaves one with a bruised back.
The all-compassionate and supremely - wise Buddha-the `Incomparable Tamer' - gives us as many as five methods to be applied in such a situation. The order of their arrangement is psychologically important. Only when the first method fails, the second has to be applied and when that too fails, the third and so forth. The range of methods shows his breadth of compassion and the particular arrangement, the depth of his wisdom. Each method is exemplified with a simile as a practical illustration easy to remember.
• When in attending to some kind of mental object, one finds that evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, aversion and delusion arise, one should attend, instead of it, to a wholesome object of thought. As one goes on attending to such an alternative object, those evil unwholesome thoughts will be abandoned and the mind becomes steady, restful, one-pointed and concentrated.
Simile : Just as a skilled carpenter or a carpenter's apprentice would knock out, beat out and remove a coarser peg by means of a fine one-
• If inspite of this attempt those evil unwholesome thoughts keep on arising, the danger of such thoughts should be carefully examined : `These thoughts are in this way unwholesome. They are in this way faulty. They have such and such painful consequences'. By this method also those evil unwholesome thoughts will be dispelled and the mind made steady, restful, one-pointed and concentrated.
Simile : Just as a young woman or a young man, fond of adornment would be repelled, ashamed and disgusted with a carcass of a snake, a carcass of a dog or a carcass of a human being hung around the neck -
• If those evil unwholesome thoughts still continue to arise, one should assume an attitude of unmindfulness and inattention.
Simile: Just as a man with eyes, not wishing to see material shapes that come within his range of vision, would close his eyes or look away -
• If these still persist, one should pay attention to the adjustment of those thought- preparations.
Simile: Supposing to a man who is walking quickly, it occurs: `Now, why do I walk quickly? What if I were to walk slowly?' Then he walks slowly. But then it occurs to him: `why do I walk slowly? Should I not be standing?' So he stands. Then again it occurs to him: `Now why am I standing? I might as well sit down.' So he sits down. It occurs to him then: `Now, why am I sitting? Should I not be lying down?' So he lies down. Just as that man avoids the grosser posture and assumes a subtler one -
• But if those evil unwholesome thoughts still keep on arising, then one should clench one's teeth, press the tongue against the palate and pull up, squeeze and put down the mind with the mind.
Simile: Even as a strong man would grab a weak man by the head or shoulders and pull him up, squeeze and put him down -
Whoever can train his mind to become steady, restful, one - pointed and concentrated by means of these five methods, is a master of the rambling ways of thought. Whatever thought he wishes to think - that he will think. Whatever thought he does not wish to think - that he will not think. He has cut off craving, unhooked the fetters and by fully understanding conceit, has put an end to suffering.