Mind Precedes All Things: The Science of Thought in the Dhammapada
N. Singh · ·4 min read
Translated from the original Hindi · मूल हिंदी लेख पढ़ें
When you consult an astrologer, he says: “You are going through Shani’s saade saati (a troublesome seven-and-a-half-year transit of Saturn), your Rahu is malefic, wear a ring with such-and-such gemstone or have this ritual performed, and everything will be fine!”
For centuries, humankind has been looking for the cause of its suffering outside—in the stars, in the planets, in the black magic of neighbours, or in some imaginary curse.
Yet 2,500 years ago, when Tathagata Buddha began his scripture, the ‘Dhammapada’, in the very first line he struck such a hammer blow to this greatest delusion of the world that the entire wall of superstition came crashing down.
The first two verses (gathas) of the Dhammapada declare:
Mano pubbangama dhamma manosettha manomaya.
Manasa ce padutthena bhasati va karoti va.
Tato nam dukkhamanveti cakkam’va vahato padam. (Gatha-1)Meaning: Mind precedes all mental states (dhamma). Mind is supreme; everything is fashioned by the mind. If someone speaks or acts with a tainted, defiled mind, suffering follows him just as the cart’s wheel follows the hoof of the draught ox.
And the second verse says:
Manasa ce pasannena bhasati va karoti va.
Tato nam sukhamanveti chaya’va anapayini. (Gatha-2)Meaning: If someone speaks or acts with a pure, peaceful, and joyful mind, happiness follows him like his ever-present shadow that never departs.
Modern Psychology and Tathagata’s Philosophy
In the second volume of his book ‘Buddha Dhamma Aur Bharat’, author Nathuni Singh presents such an essential philosophical exposition of this first aphorism of the Dhammapada that it outshines even modern neuroscience and psychotherapy (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy).
The Buddha says that there is no heaven or hell out there in the world.
- When a surge of jealousy, anger, lust, greed, and arrogance rises in your mind, you are burning in hell that very instant. Your blood pressure shoots up, your heart races, and toxic hormones begin to surge through your body.
- And when forgiveness, loving-kindness (maitri), compassion, and non-attachment dwell in your mind, you experience the supreme tranquillity of heaven that very moment.
Therefore, before stepping into any temple, mosque, or holy river, examine your own mind. If there is defilement within, then even after a hundred dips in the sacred Ganga, you will emerge just as much a sinner as you went in!
A Bitter Truth from the Book
“The Buddha’s dhamma (path of righteous truth) is not a belief system; it is pure mind science. The Buddha freed humanity from being mere puppets of an invisible God. He declared—you are the maker of your own destiny. ‘Atta deepo bhava’ (Be a light unto yourself). The cause of your misery is nobody else, but your own blind craving and ignorance. And the day you learn to observe your own mind (vipassana [insight meditation]), that very day the chain of all your suffering will shatter.”
— ‘Buddha Dhamma Aur Bharat’ (Part-2, Philosophical Exposition)
What Is the Real Solution?
- Witnessing your thoughts (Mindfulness): Whenever anger or restlessness strikes, do not react impulsively. Take a deep breath and observe the thought arising within you merely as a detached witness, without wrestling with it.
- Restraint of speech: Before speaking, test your words upon the touchstone of your mind—is what I am about to say true? Is it necessary? Is it imbued with compassion? If not, remain silent.
- Daily meditation practice: Sit quietly for at least 20 minutes every day and observe your incoming and outgoing breath (anapanasati [mindfulness of breathing]), so that the wandering of the mind may be stilled.
A Thought-Provoking Question (The Book’s Message)
If a fan in your home stops working, do you smash a coconut against an electric pole, or do you fix the fan’s motor? Then, when your life and mind are in turmoil, why do you not repair your own mind instead of getting lost in outward hypocrisy?
To understand this revolutionary psychological insight of the Dhammapada, be sure to read this volume of the book ‘Buddha Dhamma Aur Bharat’.
Mano pubbangama dhamma manosettha manomaya—mind precedes all mental states; mind is supreme, everything is fashioned by the mind. If one speaks or acts with an impure mind, suffering follows in one's wake just as the wheel follows the hoof of the draught ox.