Unclear Thinking Stems from a Lack of Meditative Concentration

Everyone should diligently train their thinking, ensuring it does not deviate too far from the right direction. If thinking is unclear, it is certainly due to a lack of meditative concentration (dhyana), and one must then strive to cultivate meditative concentration. If meditative concentration cannot be cultivated well, examine whether the deficiency stems from insufficient merit (punya), inadequate observance of precepts (sila), deeply ingrained habitual tendencies, or physical hindrances.

Many people lack sufficient meditative concentration; with inadequate concentration power, their thinking cannot keep pace, and they become unable to deeply comprehend (adhimoksha) many Dharma teachings, finding them incomprehensible. Gradually, their practice falls behind, lagging behind others. Everyone should diligently seek out their own crucial sticking points, identify their own shortcomings and deficiencies. After identifying them, they must find ways to improve. Looking inward to examine oneself, identifying gaps and filling omissions, is itself a form of diligent effort (virya).

With even a slight deficiency in concentration power, insight meditation (vipassana) cannot be executed properly, and whatever is said will lack evidential support, not necessarily representing the true reality. Therefore, as long as one's power of insight meditation is not sufficiently developed, one should not assert one's own views with certainty.