Draft Talk On Zazen, Part III

It might not be possible to prevent natural thoughts from arising spontaneously in the mind. However, even if this is possible, it is not what we are trying to do in zazen. Thoughts have to arise so that we can practice nonattachment to them. But it is possible:

to think that the purpose of zazen is to prevent thoughts from arising;

to continue to think this even when we have received instruction and have been told that it is not the case;

to practice meditation while misunderstanding it;

to think that we are failing to meditate because thoughts arise;

to realize that we have been mistaken about the purpose of meditation yet still to feel as if spontaneous thoughts are failures to meditate.

Maybe continued practice brings better understanding.