Agony and Ecstasy

48
or just the sociological arguments to convince oneself by soothing
one’s conscience that capital punishment should be maintained as a
deterrent for grave crime.
When it becomes clear that the devious ways of the process of
thought are based on deeper and hidden motives, it is obviously
imperative to clear thinking that the mind be free from all conditioning
of past customs and tradition. Only an open mind can be
free. And only a free mind can see things independently as they are,
without judging as to what should be. In direct thinking there is understanding
and the freedom of direct action with insight. Perhaps
the greatest hindrance to the ecstasy of living free is the limitation
put on the mind by thought. And so, discursive thinking, analytical
thinking, logical thinking provide pleasures which are not of
the physical senses, and which, therefore, surmount the hindrances
(nīvaraṇa) with the ecstatic pleasures of satisfaction in the conquest
by the mind; but in that very conquest lies also its binding power.
The rapture of discovery, of revelation, of surmounting matter by
thought, can be very intense indeed, to the point of total forgetfulness
and unawareness of physical needs and surroundings. That,
however, is a breaking away from relationship into isolation, which
becomes all the more harmful, because isolation is a kind of escape
from relationship; and that kind of self-seeking is an attempt to
escape from conflict. But as the conflict is just that opposition in
relationship, an escape into mental isolation of a trance-like existence
can only increase the opposition without solving the conflict.
This will result m an intensified search for greater comfort in fuller
ecstasy, and thus lead into the second trance of sustained application.
(vicāra).
Sustained Application
Sustained application of thought (vicāra) is necessary at this stage,
for complacency with the progress made so far can easily lead to