Try to Avoid Being Startled During Meditation

Question: When I am meditating or walking while contemplating the Dharma, and suddenly I hear a loud sound outside or some noise that disturbs me, why do I feel so uncomfortable—my heart panics and beats faster, and sometimes I get goosebumps all over my body, as if I am especially frightened?

Answer: If, while in meditative concentration, the mind is very calm and very focused, with the mind not turning outward toward objects, then when a relatively loud sound suddenly appears and the mind is unprepared, one will be startled. Therefore, when meditating, one should choose a place and time free from disturbance by others, so as to avoid being frightened, for fright can easily cause problems. This is because the manas is directly frightened; the manas controls the physical body, so the physical body will exhibit abnormal reactions. If the abnormality is too severe, the physical body may develop problems, leading to mental disturbance as well. If only the mind consciousness is frightened, there is nothing to worry about, because the mind consciousness cannot control the physical body. Being frightened only at the level of the mind consciousness indicates that the concentration is shallow, or that there is no concentration at all.