Is This So-Called "Monkey Mind"? - Dharma Q&A On Meditation

[With English interpretation] Ven. Pomnyun Sunim answers a question during one of his Sunday Meditation sessions. Learn Vipassana Meditation from a Zen Master, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. "We meditate not to make money or attain fame but to find our way to true happiness and freedom, or nirvana and liberation." by Ven. Pomnyun Sunim.

Transcript

Why is this? Is this the habit called the monkey mind? It was easy when there was pain in the leg, For example, The attention goes there. It seemed that tonight it was easier to go back to the breath. But when a thought becomes like a chatter, It was harder to be aware of it quickly and to get out of it. Why is this? Is this the habit called the monkey mind? Why is this? Is this the habit called the monkey mind? Why is this? Is this the habit called the monkey mind? Why is this? Is this the habit called the monkey mind? Why is this? Is this the habit called the monkey mind? Because our mental acuity runs on these types of things. Because our mental acuity runs on these types of things. We are not aware of it. So do not even try to get rid of it intentionally, All these natural phenomena, All natural distractions that happen to you. Why is this? Because we are not aware of it. What you are practicing in meditation is you are trying to maintain that focus on your breath in spite of these distractions which are natural. Say you are crossing some vocifer to a noisy place into an objective, Into a goal. As you walk through a noisy market and you have all these merchants yelling at you to buy their wares, They even grab at you to try to pull them into their stores. And you might be led by them into their store to look at their merchants. Or you may go on your wares and not be distracted by the merchants. But if you engage in these types of interactions, Whether yay or nay, It's very difficult to go through their noisy market. So when they are trying to grab at you and get your attention to buy their stuff, That's what they do. These are tradespeople, They are merchants. But it's up to you to just walk through them, Not be distracted, Whatever they say, Whether they grab you or not. You just go on your way. You may not be distracted nor resist. So basically in other words, You are letting them do what they naturally do while at the same time you do what you want to do. Basically your perspective in gage meditation should be whatever external distractions or internal distractions that may happen, Let them happen naturally while you maintain your own focus on your way.

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