The Necessity of Cultivating Good Habits

Question: When it's time for fixed meditation, I feel like sitting down to meditate. Is this a sign of being accustomed to meditation?

Answer: Meditating at fixed times and places over a long period develops a habit. Once a habit is formed, the mind can become empty despite noisy or distracting surroundings. Habit is the inertia of the manas (the thinking mind). The manas tends to be attached; when something is done frequently, it follows routine without requiring deliberate thought. Habit has both negative and positive aspects. We should utilize habit well by cultivating good habits, which allows us to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

It is highly worthwhile to invest time and effort in cultivating good habits. Just as manufacturing requires investing time, effort, and cost to create molds for mass production—a process demanding significant dedication and time—once the molds are made, subsequent production saves immense time and cost. This is what "achieving twice the result with half the effort" means, saving at least fourfold to countless times the time and cost, making it exceptionally valuable. The habit-forming stage is arduous, marked by successes and failures, progress and setbacks, making it difficult to persevere. At such times, having someone to urge and supervise is necessary, and partnering with others for mutual encouragement makes it easier. What good habits need to be cultivated?