Why is it important to train the mind?

It is the law of nature that ‘the mind is the forerunner of all conditioned things’. Therefore, it is impossible to purify the mind unless we first understand the above five laws of nature and try to implement them in our day-to-day living. However, we must not stop at this; otherwise it will be forced suppression of the negative emotion, which keeps arising. When we implement these five laws in our lives, the immediate effect is that the mind becomes a little calm, and then it becomes easier to simultaneously focus the mind. These conditions are conducive to train the mind towards concentration.

You will see by experience that if you have taken an intoxicant, it is impossible to focus the mind to a concentrated state. In an intoxicated state, the individual tends to commit adultery, which may result in telling lies or stealing or harming someone. Someone who kills or harms others will see that without anger one cannot commit such an act. Without greed one cannot commit an act of stealing. When someone has fear of some wrong doing then one might speak a lie or become violent. When passion overflows, people tend to commit an act of sexual misconduct. Therefore all these states of mind like fear, greed, passion, and anger, when they surface, first harms the person who generates them. How can such states of mind bring peace and happiness? The person will be the first victim of his own negativity, radiating negative vibrations in the surrounding as well as harming others who come in contact with him.