Why Do We Sometimes Grab the Wrong Thing When Deep in Thought?

When contemplating a question, the mind may become intensely focused on pondering the issue, with only a minimal portion of attention directed toward the object one intends to grasp. Consequently, it becomes impossible to correctly discern whether the chosen object is truly what one desires. The body consciousness possesses very poor discernment regarding objects; it must collaborate with the mind consciousness to differentiate them. Once the mind consciousness scatters, one will grasp the wrong object. Therefore, lack of concentration and single-mindedness leads to mistakes. However, a well-trained individual with strong concentration power can see in all directions and hear in all directions, coordinating all aspects of affairs skillfully and performing them well. Thus, concentration, meditative absorption, and concentration power are extremely important.

With concentration power, the contemplative function of the mind becomes clear and lucid, giving rise to wisdom. This enables one to handle affairs in an orderly and well-organized manner. This applies to both the wisdom pertaining to worldly dharmas and the wisdom pertaining to transcendental dharmas. In the Buddha Dharma, to contemplate a doctrinal principle clearly, attention must be exceptionally focused and single-pointed, free from distracting thoughts. Only after concentrated contemplation can one comprehend the profound meaning within the Dharma principle and understand the true meaning within the sutras. Hence, focused attention is crucial, and concentration power is the key and prerequisite for the arising of wisdom. Very few exceptionally well-trained individuals can multitask effectively, handling several matters simultaneously, because their concentration power is exceptionally strong. Conversely, some individuals cannot even handle one task well because their mind consciousness is too scattered, lacking any concentration power. As a result, their thinking becomes disordered and shallow, and thus they fail to accomplish anything properly.