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Use thought, don’t be used by thought || Acharya Prashant (2016)
Acharya Prashant
1.8K views
8 years ago
Thought
Understanding
Commitment
Awareness
Consciousness
Kabir Saheb
Ashtavakra
Surrender
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the common struggle of repeatedly falling into old patterns and the resulting sense of hollowness. He explains that these falls are not accidental but are aligned with one's own hidden intentions and desires. He points out that people often suffer because their internal intentions do not match the external words they hear or the convictions they claim to have. He emphasizes the importance of being honestly committed to one's actions and choices, whether it is a job or a relationship. If one chooses to be in a situation, they should be fully there rather than constantly cribbing or feeling that life is unfair. The speaker further explores the nature of thought, describing it as inherently fickle, unstable, and anchorless. He asserts that a life based on thought will always be unpredictable and insecure because thoughts constantly change and move into their opposites. He distinguishes between relationships based on thought, which are calculated and predictable, and those based on simple love. He clarifies that even the thoughts of a saint like Kabir Saheb are fleeting, but the difference is that a saint is not a servant to their thoughts. Finally, Acharya Prashant challenges the conventional belief that thought is a tool for understanding. He argues that understanding pre-exists thought and that the true function of thought is merely to articulate or give language to what is already known. Understanding is described as a state of pure surrender that has neither a subject nor an object. He encourages the listener to see thinking as a form of play or 'good fun' rather than a vehicle to reach the truth. He concludes by stating that everyone already possesses essential knowing, and therefore, there is no need to feel inferior to any authority or scholarship.