HOW TO STOP OVERTHINKING | Buddhist Story

Summary

This video script narrates a tale of a Buddhist monk's journey to self-realization through the mundane task of grinding rice, illustrating that meditation and mindfulness can be achieved in everyday activities. It addresses the issue of overthinking, offering strategies to overcome it, such as focusing on the present, positive thinking, and managing emotions. The script also shares insightful stories to inspire self-belief and the pursuit of one's true potential, encouraging viewers to challenge their perspectives and embrace a more balanced approach to life.

Takeaways

• 🧘‍♂️ The story of the Buddhist monk illustrates how focusing on a single task can lead to self-realization and a reduction in overthinking.
• 📚 The senior disciple's written lines about meditation and the mind being like a dusty mirror were rejected by the master, highlighting the importance of personal experience over book knowledge.
• 🍚 The rice grinder's enlightenment came from being fully absorbed in his task, showing that meditation can be achieved through immersion in any activity.
• 🌱 The master's successor was chosen for his understanding that the mind is an illusion, emphasizing the importance of transcending the mental constructs that cause overthinking.
• 🔓 The lock-breaking expert's failure to escape the box submerged in water teaches us that overthinking can complicate simple solutions.
• 🤔 Overthinking often stems from worrying about the past or future, excessive stress, fear, lack of confidence, and a preponderance of negative thoughts.
• 🌟 To overcome overthinking, acknowledge it, focus on positive thinking, practice yoga and meditation, live in the present, write down worries, control emotions, engage in creative activities, and accept oneself.
• 💎 The story of the blue stone teaches that our self-worth is not determined by others' opinions but by our own belief in our value.
• 🐸 The tale of the frogs in the pit shows that believing in oneself and perseverance can overcome seemingly impossible situations.
• 🦅 The eagle raised among chickens never realized its potential, reminding us not to let others' limitations define our own abilities and to recognize our true potential.

Q & A

What is the main issue the video aims to address?

The video aims to address the issue of overthinking, which causes anxiety, racing heart, and constant distraction due to excessive thinking and negative thoughts.

What is the significance of the story about the Buddhist monk?

The story of the Buddhist monk illustrates the path to self-realization and finding relief from the troubles of overthinking through dedicated practice and immersion in a single task, in this case, grinding rice.

How does the young man's task of grinding rice lead to his enlightenment?

The young man's task of grinding rice leads to his enlightenment by allowing him to focus solely on the task, which over time reduces his thoughts and eventually leads to a state of thoughtlessness and self-realization.

What is the message conveyed by the rice grinder's lines on the wall?

The message conveyed by the rice grinder's lines is that the mind is an illusion and there is no separate entity of the mind or a mirror of the mind for dust (thoughts) to settle on, implying that when the mind is understood to be non-existent, one knows the truth.

Why does the master instruct the rice grinder to leave the monastery after appointing him as the successor?

The master instructs the rice grinder to leave because the other scholars, who consider themselves superior, might harm him out of jealousy and inability to accept that a simple rice grinder has attained higher enlightenment.

What are the main causes of overthinking mentioned in the video?

The main causes of overthinking mentioned are worrying too much about the past or future, excessive stress from work, constant fear, lack of confidence, and negative thoughts outweighing positive ones.

What steps are suggested to overcome overthinking?

The steps suggested to overcome overthinking include acknowledging the tendency to overthink, focusing on positive thinking, practicing yoga, meditation, and exercise, living in the present moment, writing down what's bothering you, controlling emotions, engaging in creative activities, accepting your best self, and keeping your mind calm.

What is the moral of the story about the blue stone?

The moral of the story about the blue stone is that our value is not determined by what others think of us; we are as valuable as we believe ourselves to be.

What lesson can be learned from the story of the frog and the pit?

The lesson from the story is to believe in oneself and keep trying no matter what others say, as demonstrated by the deaf frog that continued to jump and eventually escaped the pit.

How does the story of the eagle and the chicken relate to overcoming overthinking?

The story of the eagle and the chicken relates to overcoming overthinking by showing the importance of not letting others' limitations define us and believing in our own abilities, even if we have been led to believe otherwise.

Outlines

00:00

📿 The Path to Enlightenment Through Menial Tasks

The first paragraph introduces a narrative centered around a Buddhist monastery in China where 500 monks practice self-awareness under their master's guidance. A young man arrives seeking truth and is tasked by the master with grinding rice for the entire monastery, a mundane task intended to occupy his mind fully. As time passes, the man's thoughts diminish, and he becomes absorbed in his task, achieving a state of thoughtlessness. This leads to his enlightenment after 12 years, where he is chosen as the master's successor due to his profound understanding that the mind is an illusion and there is no 'mind' or 'mirror of the mind' for thoughts to settle upon.

05:02

🧘‍♂️ Meditation in Action: Overcoming Overthinking

The second paragraph delves into the concept of meditation as not just a seated practice but an immersive state of being fully engaged in any activity, exemplified by the rice grinder's complete absorption in his task. It discusses the importance of living in the present moment to avoid overthinking and the realization that the mind exists only as long as thoughts exist. The narrative then transitions into a discussion on the causes of overthinking, such as worrying about the past or future, excessive stress, fear, lack of confidence, and a preponderance of negative thoughts. It concludes with steps to overcome overthinking, including acknowledging the tendency, focusing on positive thinking, practicing yoga and meditation, living in the present, writing down concerns, controlling emotions, engaging in creative activities, accepting oneself, and maintaining a calm mind.

10:02

🌟 Stories of Self-Belief and Overcoming Limitations

The third paragraph presents three stories aimed at changing one's perspective on self-worth and potential. The first story involves a poor man who is given a blue stone by a sage and discovers its true value when presented to various people, teaching that one's value is determined by self-belief rather than others' opinions. The second story is about a deaf frog that escapes a pit due to its belief in its own abilities, illustrating the power of self-belief over the negativity of others. The third story tells of an eagle raised among chickens, which never realizes its potential to fly high, highlighting the importance of not letting others' limitations define one's own capabilities. The paragraph concludes with an encouragement to change one's thinking and find solutions to overthinking, and a call to action for viewers to share, like, and subscribe to the channel.

Keywords

💡Self-awareness

Self-awareness refers to the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. In the video, it is a central practice among the monks, guiding their spiritual journey. The young man's quest for self-awareness leads him to the monastery, where he is tasked with a simple yet profound task of grinding rice, which eventually becomes a meditation in itself, illustrating how self-awareness can be cultivated through dedicated action.

💡Overthinking

Overthinking is the act of excessively analyzing a situation or problem, often leading to increased anxiety and stress without reaching a resolution. The video addresses this issue by sharing stories and strategies to overcome it. For instance, the rice grinder's simple task of grinding rice, devoid of complex thoughts, contrasts with the overthinking that often plagues individuals, highlighting the importance of mindfulness and focused action over incessant rumination.

💡Meditation

Meditation is a practice of training the mind to achieve a state of calmness and focused attention. The video suggests that meditation is not limited to formal sitting but can be integrated into daily activities. The rice grinder's immersion in the task of grinding rice exemplifies a form of meditation, where complete absorption in the present moment quiets the mind and leads to self-realization.

💡Self-realization

Self-realization is the process of discovering one's true nature or identity. In the video, the rice grinder achieves self-realization not through traditional meditation or study but through the dedicated performance of his task. His enlightenment comes from being fully present and absorbed in the act of grinding rice, demonstrating that self-realization can be attained through any activity when done with complete focus.

💡Mind

The mind, as discussed in the video, is often the source of overthinking and stress. It is depicted as a 'mirror' that gathers 'dust' from thoughts and desires. The video suggests that by clearing the mind of these distractions, one can achieve clarity and liberation. The rice grinder's approach to his task symbolizes the mind's potential for transformation when freed from the clutter of excessive thought.

💡Truth

Truth, in the context of the video, is the ultimate reality or understanding that one seeks, often through spiritual or philosophical inquiry. The young man's search for the truth is the catalyst for his journey to the monastery. The video implies that truth is not found in books or teachings but in the experience of living fully and authentically in the present moment, as exemplified by the rice grinder's simple yet profound realizations.

💡Successor

A successor is a person who inherits or takes over the position or role of another. In the video, the master seeks a successor who has attained self-realization. The rice grinder, despite his illiteracy and simple task, is chosen as the successor due to his deep understanding and embodiment of the teachings, highlighting that true succession is not about status or knowledge but about inner realization.

💡Enlightenment

Enlightenment, in the video, is the state of profound understanding and spiritual awakening. The rice grinder's enlightenment comes unexpectedly through his dedicated and mindful work, illustrating that enlightenment is not reserved for the learned but can be achieved by anyone who can transcend the limitations of the mind through focused attention and presence.

💡Overcoming Overthinking

Overcoming overthinking is a central theme of the video, with various strategies provided to help viewers manage and reduce excessive thought processes. The video suggests that by acknowledging the tendency to overthink, focusing on the present, and engaging in mindful activities, one can mitigate the negative impacts of overthinking and lead a more balanced and peaceful life.

💡Present Moment

The present moment is emphasized in the video as the key to overcoming overthinking and achieving peace of mind. By living in the present moment, one can avoid the pitfalls of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. The rice grinder's story exemplifies the power of focusing on the task at hand, which allows him to transcend his thoughts and achieve a state of tranquility and self-realization.

Highlights

The story of a Buddhist monk is used to illustrate a solution for excessive thinking and anxiety.

A young man seeks truth and self-awareness under the guidance of a Buddhist master.

The master assigns the task of grinding rice as a path to self-realization.

The disciple's thoughts fade as he focuses solely on the task of grinding rice.

After 12 years, the master announces his succession and a test for self-realization.

A senior disciple writes about meditation and mind clarity, but the master rejects it as bookish knowledge.

The rice grinder, despite being illiterate, offers profound insight into the nature of the mind.

The master recognizes the rice grinder's enlightenment and chooses him as his successor.

The successor is advised to leave the monastery due to the potential jealousy of other monks.

Meditation is not limited to sitting in one place; it can be achieved through complete immersion in any task.

Overthinking is a common issue with multiple causes, including past/future worries and excessive stress.

Steps to overcome overthinking include acknowledging the issue, focusing on positive thinking, and practicing yoga and meditation.

Creative activities and accepting one's best self can help reduce overthinking.

Three stories are shared to change perspectives on self-worth and potential.

The story of the blue stone teaches that our value is determined by our self-belief, not others' opinions.

The frog and the pit narrative shows the importance of self-belief and perseverance.

The eagle and the chicken tale emphasizes the need to recognize and believe in one's true potential.

Transcripts

friends if you find yourself unable to

focus constantly feeling anxious and

your heart racing due to excessive

thinking and negative thoughts

frequently Cloud your mind then today

through the story of a Buddhist monk we

will help you find a solution to this

problem watch the story in its entirety

so that after listening to it you too

can find relief from your troubles so

let's begin today's Story Once in a part

of China there was a large monastery

where about 500 monks lived they were

all practicing self-awareness under the

guidance of their Master One Day a young

man came to the monastery to become a

disciple he said to the master master I

want to know myself I'm in search of the

truth I want to find out what the truth

is the master looked at him and said if

you want to know the truth you will have

to stake your entire life on it it might

take your whole life to discover the

truth and even then there's no guarantee

that you will find it in this lifetime

are you prepared for that the disciple

replied master I did not come here to

turn back I am ready for it the guru

said if that's the case then I have a

task for you in this Monastery there are

500 monks you will grind rice for them

just do this task from morning until

night and when you are tired go to sleep

wake up the next morning and and start

grinding rice again don't do anything

else don't think about anything else

just keep following this path and don't

come back to me I will come to you when

needed the young man followed the guru's

orders and started grinding rice the

monastery required a lot of rice to be

prepared daily for the 500 disciples so

he would wake up very early and grind

rice until late at night when he was

tired he would sleep in the same room

where he was grinding rice he didn't

talk to anyone and no one approached him

either for the first few months old

thoughts kept coming to his mind but

without any new subject to dwell on they

gradually faded away over time his

thoughts began to decrease after a few

years he even forgot his name he

remained silent and thoughtlessly

continued grinding rice he never

meditated or read scriptures and the

other disciples thought he was a fool 12

years passed this way

one day the master announced my time is

near and I must choose a successor who

will lead the monastery after me

therefore any disciple who feels that

they have attained

self-realization and knows themselves

completely should come to my door at

night and write a few lines on this wall

that sum up their entire experience of

Life many disciples thought about doing

this but one of the senior disciples who

was very knowledgeable about Buddhist

scriptures went and wrote some lines

everyone believed he would be the next

successor he wrote the mind is like a

mirror which gathers dust from thoughts

and desires meditation is the process of

removing this dust and when the dust is

gone the mirror of the mind is clear

leading to

Liberation the next morning when the

master saw these lines he said which

fool has written this nonsense on my

wall the disciple who wrote it remained

silent though the lines were full of

knowledge they were all bookish the

disciple was clever enough not to sign

his name because he wasn't sure if it

was correct the master completely

rejected the lines leaving everyone in

the monastery surprised this event

became a topic of discussion among the

disciples as two disciples were

discussing it they passed by the one who

had been grinding rice for 12 years upon

hearing their conversation the rice

grinder chuckled the two disciples asked

him why he was laughing to them he was

just a simple insign significant monk

who knew nothing but rice grinding the

monastery had many learned Scholars but

the rice grinder didn't interact with

anyone so the two disciples were puzzled

to see him smile they asked again why

are you laughing he replied I laughed

because the master is right these lines

are garbage they hold no value the

disciples were shocked and asked can you

write something better than this the

rice grinder replied no

because I am illiterate but yes I can

say a few lines and if you can write

them down for me I'm willing to go with

you the disciples agreed and took him to

the Master's room the rice grinder spoke

a few lines which the other disciple

wrote on the wall signing them as the

rice grinder they expected the master to

be angry again but the lines he dictated

were remarkable the mind is just an

illusion neither is there a mind nor is

there any mirror of the mind and when

there is no mind where will the dust

settle the one who understands this

knows the

truth when the master saw these lines he

got up in the middle of the night and

went to the rice grinder the rice

grinder was sleeping and the master woke

him up saying here take my staff and my

robe from today you are my successor but

leave this Monastery and go far away

because many scholars here consider

themselves Superior to you and they will

kill you they cannot bear the fact that

a simple Rice grinder is more

enlightened than they are you have

attained the same knowledge that I have

and I know that wherever you go people

will flock to you because when a flower

blooms its fragrance spreads

everywhere he touched his master's feet

and left the monastery that very night

if we reflect on our own lives we'll

realize that many people believe that

meditation can only be done by sitting

in one place with closed eyes but in

reality that's not the case meditation

can be done while walking or even while

doing some work in essence meditation

means being completely immersed in

whatever you are doing just like the

rice grinder who was so absorbed in

grinding rice that he lost awareness of

everything else even himself through

this he achieved

self-realization living in the present

moment and not overthinking is key the

Mind exists as long as thoughts exist

when thoughts cease the Mind disappears

and when the Mind disappears you truly

begin to know yourself to truly know

your real self you don't need any other

practice just get completely absorbed in

whatever you are doing so that your work

itself becomes

meditation for those who struggle with

overthinking we'll now share another

mysterious story that might help you in

a village there lived a man who was an

expert at breaking locks whenever

someone needed to break or unlock

something his name was the first to come

up one day some wise men decided to test

his skills and informed him that he

would be called to unlock something on a

specific date when the day came he was

told that he would be placed in a box

that would be submerged in water and he

had to unlock the box and come out if at

any point he felt he couldn't unlock it

he could press the emergency button and

be brought back up but he would lose the

competition he agreed to the rules and

went underwater as soon as he was

submerged he took out a wire from his

pocket and tried to unlock the box after

trying four or five times he kept

failing and the lock wouldn't open he

was finding it increasingly difficult to

stay underwater because holding his

breath was becoming harder finally he

used all his mental energy for one last

attempt but he failed and pressed the

emergency button he slowly came back to

the surface and when the Box was brought

out and given a slight push it opened he

was astonished and thought Why didn't it

occur to me to push it open it's

possible that the Box wasn't even locked

this is what happens when we overthink

we complicate things

unnecessarily sometimes Solutions are

simpler when we don't overthink that's

why it's said those who do nothing

achieve wonders yes friends this is true

sometimes when we keep our minds calm

and think with a cool head we find

better Solutions

now let's discuss the main causes of

overthinking number one worrying too

much about the past or the future when

you divert your focus from the present

moment to dwell on the past or worry

about the future you become prone to

overthinking number two excessive stress

from work when there's too much workload

the mind starts to race leading to

stress and unrelated thoughts begin to

arise making you a victim of

overthinking number three constant fear

whether it's fear of losing a job not

getting promoted failing in work or

financial loss this fear can lead to

excessive imagination and ultimately

overthinking number four lack of

confidence when a person feels uncertain

about a task their confidence diminishes

allowing negative thoughts to take over

leading to overthinking and

worry number five negative thoughts

outweigh positive ones when a person

starts focusing more on the negative

aspects of small things they gradually

fall into the Trap of overthinking now

the big question can you get rid of

overthinking the answer is yes though it

might take some time if you follow the

steps outlined below you can overcome

the problem of

overthinking steps to overcome

overthinking number one acknowledge that

you overthink accepting that you tend to

overthink is the first step once you

acknowledge it you'll prepare yourself

to overcome it become aware of

overthinking and whenever you catch

yourself doing it stop immediately and

Trace back to where you started this

will help you realize how much time and

energy you're wasting on unnecessary

thoughts number two focus on positive

thinking instead of dwelling on what

could go wrong think about what could go

right negative thoughts create fear and

anxiety but positive thinking empowers

you and and helps you take control of

your

mind number three practice yoga

meditation and exercise these activities

keep both the mind and body healthy make

meditation a part of your daily routine

as it's particularly

beneficial number four live in the

present moment people often dwell on

past events or worry about the future

leading to stress learn from the past

and prepare for the future but focus on

the present moment

number five write down what's bothering

you there's a strong connection between

how you think and how you feel write

down what's troubling you why it bothers

you and whether worrying is the solution

if not find a solution or Let It Go

gradually this practice will help you

stop unnecessary

thinking number six control your

emotions this doesn't mean suppressing

your emotions but you need to manage

them effectively controlled emotions

help you see reality clearly while

uncontrolled emotions fuel unnecessary

thoughts number seven engage in creative

activities instead of wasting time on

unproductive thoughts engage in

activities you enjoy like reading

listening to music singing or spending

time with friends and family number

eight accept your best self overthinking

often leads to negative self judgment

remember no one is perfect accept who

you are continue to learn and stay

positive number nine keep your mind calm

in today's fast-paced life stress has

become so common that people don't

realize how it's affecting their mental

and physical health if you want to get

rid of overthinking learn to keep your

mind calm three stories to change your

perspective now let me share three

stories that will change the way you

think AO one the blue stones value a

poor man once approached a wise Sage

asking for help with his financial

struggles the sage gave him a shiny blue

stone saying this is a precious gem go

and see what price you can get for it

the man took it to various people

including a fruit seller a utensil

Merchant a jeweler and finally a diamond

Merchant the responses varied from

offering a th000 Rupees to a lack but

the diamond Merchant finally said this

is priceless even if I sell everything I

own I cannot afford it the lesson here

is that our value is not determined by

what others think of us we are as

valuable as we believe ourselves to be

never let others negative opinions

diminish your

self-worth two the frog and the

pit a group of frogs was hopping through

the forest when two of them fell into a

deep pit

the other frogs shouted that they

couldn't escape and should give up one

of the frogs eventually listened and

stopped trying but the other kept

jumping and eventually made it out it

turned out the second frog was deaf and

thought the others were encouraging him

the lesson is to believe in yourself and

keep trying no matter what others

say three the eagle and the chicken an

eagle's egg once fell into a chicken

Coupe and hatched among the chicks the

eagle grew up thinking it was a chicken

scratching the ground and never flying

high one day it saw another Eagle

soaring in the sky and asked its chicken

mother why it couldn't fly that high the

chicken told it you're a chicken you

can't fly like that the eagle believed

this and lived its life like a chicken

never realizing its true potential the

lesson here is to believe in your

abilities and not let others limitations

Define you friends I hope these stories

help you change your thinking and find

solutions to your overthinking problem

if you learn something valuable from

this video please share it with your

friends give it a like And subscribe to

our Channel thank you for watching this

video