許多人慣於追憶過往的痛苦，或人生中所犯的錯誤，不斷 在心中反覆重播，不斷追憶、想著別人對他的評述。我們 應該了解這些情況並非這輩子才出現的，而是過去無數生 世都曾經歷這類不好的緣境。它們只是惡業的一種狀況，現在已經結束，無法再做些什麼來加以改變。

有關未來的想法，許多人都會想著各種未來的計畫。與其 思索未來，反而應該了解未來只是自己業力或福德等等的 果報，我們本身並沒什麼偉大的力量能影響未來的情況。 我們應該將思索未來的念頭拋諸腦後。

某些時候，我們可能會經驗到心中沒有任何念頭生起的狀 態。此時，我們不應執著於無生起，而只要單純地安住在那個狀態。即使在止的狀態中，也會生起其他形式的念頭，它們會自然生起，但是不需壓抑，反而必須在它們生起的 那一刻，認出它們。

通常我們易於受到剎那生起的念頭所吸引，加以攀執並有 所耽著。而後，那個念頭又生起另一個念頭，於是一個又 一個的念頭就這樣生起。在止的修持中，我們需要安住於 自心本性，但是當念頭生起時，不應抓住它們、不要涉入 其中，而是將它們完全放下。反覆如此修持一段期間之後，這些讓心搖擺的念頭將得以減少，我們在止的修持方面便 獲得某種程度的穩定。

Many people have the habit of recalling past sufferings, things that have gone wrong in their lifetime: playing this over and over again in the mind, recalling them again and again, thinking of things another person has said about them. We should realize that these circumstances are not isolated to this present lifetime, but that we have experienced other such negative circumstances for countless lifetimes in the past. They are nothing more than the condition of negative karma. They are over now, and there is nothing that can be done to change them.

Regarding thoughts of the future, many people are involved in making mental plans for what they will do. Instead of engaging in these kinds of thoughts, we should recognize that the future is nothing more than the fruition of my karma or merit and so forth. I myself have no great power to influence the circumstances of the future. One should also leave behind these kinds of thoughts.

We will experience periods of time when thoughts are not arising in the mind. At that time we should not be attached to the non-arising, but just remain in that state. Even in that state of calm abiding, other thought forms will begin to arise. They will arise naturally; they are nothing to be suppressed. Yet, at the same time we need to recognize them the moment they do arise.

Our general tendency is that the moment a thought arises we are attracted to it. We cling to it, we are attached to it. Then that thought gives rise to another, and another, and another after that. Within the practice of calm abiding we need to rest in the nature of mind, but when thoughts arise we should not hold onto them, not engage them, but just completely leave them behind. By doing that again and again over a period of time, these thoughts that make our mind waver will decrease. We will attain a degree of stability in our practice of tranquil abiding.