Acharya Prashant explains that thinking is indeed important in life, but its importance is limited to the point where it becomes a self-dissolving mechanism. The activities of the mind occur at three levels. The lowest level is the 'inability to think,' which is classically called 'Avichaar' (non-thought). In this state, one is almost like a stone, lacking the power of contemplation. This is the lowest state of the mind. Above this comes the stage of 'random thought,' which is where most people live. In this state, thoughts are random and just keep flowing. The speaker gives an example of how seeing a black color can randomly trigger a memory of a road, which then leads to thoughts of home, family, and childhood, forming a random cycle without any logic or destination. He mentions that Freud called this the 'principle of random association.' This is the second state of the mind. The third state is 'pure thinking' or 'conscious thinking.' This is different from random thought. For instance, when you are solving a differential equation, you have to think consciously. However, if you have noticed, when you are deeply engrossed in solving it, a moment comes when you are solving but not actively 'thinking.' The process begins with conscious thinking, but as you delve deeper, it slowly dissolves and transforms into understanding. These are the three types of thought. Beyond these three is the fourth state, which is not thinking but 'understanding,' also referred to as 'Nirvichaar' (thoughtlessness). Therefore, a thought is good and beneficial only if it ultimately transforms into understanding. When thought becomes understanding, it ceases to exist, and the state of 'Nirvichaar' arrives. However, most people spend their days in random thought, which never culminates in understanding; it just keeps running. Using an analogy, he explains that random thought is like wandering aimlessly inside a room for a lifetime. Conscious thinking, on the other hand, is like moving purposefully within the room to find the door, reach it, and get out. The state outside the door is understanding.
