Why Thought is not what you think it is

Truth lies in knowing that Though is different from thinking

My reading preferences have come full circle. First it used to be science. The very first science book I was so engrossed with was the Tamil translation of one of Issac Asimov’s books on physics. I was a school student then. From my thirties and till recently, it was mostly spiritual books. Among the noteworthy reads was Sri Ramana Maharishi’s ‘Vasanamirtham’ (a compilation of his dialogues with his disciples).

However, as I gained a few spiritual understanding, my ‘bondage’ with spiritual books has ended. Now I am back to science books - I also read any other well-written books as long as the subject concerns the material world or management. ?

Still, I bought a spiritual book: Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen, last week. I was attracted by its title - and the theme of the book seemed to resonate with what I believe to be true as to how the mind functions. I have also started reading it - and I am half way through.?

One of the key observations of the book is that there is something called ‘Thought’ and there is something called ‘Thinking’. The author explains that Thought (yes, T in caps) is a noun. Because, it comes on its own - without our conscious efforts. But thinking is a verb. It is what we voluntarily produce. Usually, a Thought comes first, and then we may start thinking - for or against the original Thought.?

Let me give an example. Suppose, someone sees a money purse lying on the road. There was nobody around. Immediately, a Thought occurs to this person: “let me keep it”. This Thought comes involuntarily. Like a reflex. Now, if the person does not like the idea, she may start thinking: “How can I even think of keeping someone else’s money?”, “Doesn’t this show how lowly my mind is?”, “Will God forgive me?”, etc. But one does not have to punish oneself with the thinking, just because a Thought has crept in on its own.

Understanding the difference between Thought and thinking is at the core of enlightenment as well. An Enlightened person does not fight with the Thought. Instead, she will just take care of her thinking and actions. Let the original Thought be of any quality - let it fall inside or outside our moral boundaries, ethical considerations, reasoning, decency or whatever. We have no control over what Thought would come next. Our only job is to take care of our thinking and conduct our actions in adherence to ethics or morality.?

Coming back to the book, it is so far so good. As its blurb claims, the book offers “a completely new paradigm and understanding of” how mind works by clearly distinguishing Thought and thinking. This understanding can end our own inner struggles.