08. Set Your Mood Right
By Luang Pu Thate Desaraṅsī
Date: 1983
Let us establish our mindfulness and mood well. Establishing the mood well means to establish it in what is proper. The mood we are to use, the mood we are to establish mindfulness upon, we must set it correctly. Any mood that wanders about, a mood that seeks out unwholesomeness – that is a bad mood. Any mood that is firmly established on the kammaṭṭhāna (meditation subject) – that is our correct mood. Kammaṭṭhāna is entirely correct. Once the mood is set straight, we make our mind straight, make the mind firm, make the mind neutral, make the mind equanimous. That is called having the right mood. That is called establishing a good mood. We must let go in every way.
As long as we are still alive, there will inevitably be unwholesome and unlovely moods that brush against us. We see with the eyes, hear with the ears, smell with the nose, etc. These six sense bases are constantly disturbing us. These six sense bases wander towards what is unwholesome. It is the nature of the world; it is like that. We must establish our mood well, set our mood straight, thinking: "At this time, I will engage in the practice of the Buddha's teaching." Set it straight; don't let it wander off onto the wrong path, onto the improper path. Because we are making effort, we must try in every way. Only then can it be said that we have come to make effort. Sometimes we come to make effort in name only. What is effort? We don't understand effort. The effort we strive with is simply this: striving to set the mood straight. The mind is inclined towards lowly things; the mind leans towards what is unwholesome and unlovely. Therefore, we must train, we must cultivate. We must practice developing concentration, which is effort, to make it straightforward.
Let us consider the nature of a monk. We are monks and novices, meaning samaṇa (contemplative), which translates as 'one who is peaceful.' Peaceful from all moods, not turbulent in body, speech, or mind. If we incline towards the wrong path, incline towards what is unwholesome, incline towards base, lowly things, that is not our proper way. Constantly remind yourself: that is not a samaṇa, that is not a monk. If one is a samaṇa, a monk, then the mind is firm, it goes straight towards the Dhamma, it is firmly directed towards the Dhamma. We come to practice meditation to cultivate this very thing; we don't need to cultivate anything else far away. When we establish our mood well, then it will happen by itself. When it's set correctly, then everything happens by itself, gradually unfolding in sequence.
If we set the mood incorrectly, then everything also happens by itself. If it's wrong from the start, it will be wrong the whole time. All sorts of unwholesome moods appear in the mind. There's not a single good thing about it. If the mood is set well, then it gradually becomes calm and cool. Mindfulness is in control; we are self-aware at all times. Train this mindfulness to be stable and enduring. In our lifetime, it's not long. Having come this far, this is called a life of cultivation and training. Up to now, strive to cultivate it all the way to the far shore. It would be a shame if we let go of the cultivation we've done. Don't abandon it or let it go; that's not right. Know what is gain, know what is loss. Understand this point.
The gain is this: cultivating, establishing mindfulness to be straight and firm, cultivating the mind to be firm with mindfulness in constant control. Have we set our mood straight now? Constantly reflect on this. Is our mindfulness able to control it at all times now? We establish mindfulness and mood to be firm, then control the mind, training and cultivating. Just this much: training and cultivating just this much. Has it reached the right time? Has it attained calm? Has it attained concentration? Is it Dhamma? Is there an opportunity to see Dhamma, whether slowly or quickly? Is it progressing smoothly? This is seeing the gain, seeing the arising and existence within ourselves.
If we fail to establish mindfulness and mind, if we cultivate the mind and set the mood poorly or not straight, then it will fluctuate wildly among various things. Establishing mindfulness to control it won't work; it's futile, happening at all times, all the time. That's not acceptable. That doesn't work. Therefore, we should be mindful of ourselves, constantly striving to examine, train, and cultivate. If things are progressing towards growth, then we will see Dhamma arise right there. If no Dhamma arises there, but only futility, that means it's futile; it's declined. We must try again, do it anew. Train this point to understand it. How much have we gained? How much has it grown and become proficient? Where? Be aware of this point until we see the point of gain, the good point. See the point of gain, see the point of loss. If there is gain, it will grow and flourish; Dhamma will appear. If there is loss, it becomes futile. That means it's a loss. No need to contemplate anything else far away. No need to cultivate anywhere else far away. Just this much is enough.