Practitioners Should Be Accustomed to Introspecting Their Own Minds

Thoughts themselves are functions of the conscious mind; they are mental factors (caittas). Discovering a thought means the conscious mind discovering a mental factor—this is introspection. Intelligent people should all be accustomed to introspection, yet without realizing that this is precisely introspection. Those accustomed to introspection all have self-discipline; they are able to examine themselves, supervise themselves, manage themselves, and grow by themselves—everything is done spontaneously and consciously, without needing others to watch over or supervise them. Such people are suited to be leaders; at the very least, they do not need to be led by others.

Buddhist practitioners should be people of awakening, and all the more should they constantly introspect themselves and look back into their own minds, examining themselves three times daily. Only in this way can they gradually correct their faults and renew themselves, subduing afflictions.

In that case, whether there are more thoughts of the Buddha or more scattered thoughts in one's mind should be very clear. Introspection takes no great effort; the key lies in habit. Once a good habit is formed, it will follow naturally and effortlessly.

If one is not accustomed to introspecting oneself, one will not discover the aspects of one's bodily, verbal, and mental actions that are not in accord with the Dharma, and then one will be unable to correct oneself, change oneself, and improve oneself.