The thought of “This is ‘I’, this is mine, this belongs to me” is so strong, rigid and comprehensive that it incessantly blocks the whole process of becoming-conscious. Here again every judicious person is offered a field of rich activity. The thought of “I am” has restlessness for its consequence. How could it be otherwise, since the strain of will (to make possible the impossible, to turn dynamic into static, arising and passing away into something permanent, into an immutable “I am”) must overcharge any human force potential, in the long run! The nervous system as well as metabolism is confronted with impracticable demands.

What can be done?

Not relax in the activation of will, energy, intelligence and reason! Carefully observe and control the physical process of breathing, though on no account practice childish trainings of respiration which, in  the long run, would bring restlessness and disturb a perfect concentration of life force! Cut out every urge in restlessness, keep constantly at hand those four faculties and forces! Strive to become quiet and remain quiet!

Only then, the increasing emptiness, the emptiness of the conscious process will evolve into strong force of pacified thinking, of a higher happiness. Happiness flows through the whole organism, joy and stillness contribute to the strived for concentration of life force which is, at the same time, intensification of strength. The waving, restless ocean of thinking has lost its might. Under the control of attentiveness “the thoughts are coming consciously, consciously they are holding on, consciously they are fading away” (Majjhima Nikaya 123).

“Inner stillness” is not the silence of death from unconsciousness, not darkness. It is, on the contrary, the fair shining light of cognition in clear-consciousness. Then the sensible and judicious can see: “If this is – then that too; if this is not – than also not that” (Udana I, 3). Is this (namely the illusory thought “I am”) – then is that (namely liberation from suffering).

With attained stillness of thought the individual is free to survey the great string of efficacy, chain of efficacy, which the captive in “I am” sees as causality, as the Nidana chain or Paticca Samuppada. He does not consider that in transistoriness no “living” creative force is inherent. Creative power is embedded in transcendence, in the unfathomable, incomprehendable. Human creations are certainly manifestations of this transcendental power not to be defined. But they are subject to transistoriness. He who has stilled his thought sees furthermore that the illusive thought of “I am” is also ignorance. Is ignorance –then the three great processes of our individuality (breathing, speaking, thinking) are appealed to as “mine” and “belonging to me”. Likewise with the remaining parts of the Nidana Chain: “Are the three great processes of breathing, speaking, thinking – then is becoming-conscious. Is becoming-conscious – then the intellect divides the indivisible individuality into mind-corporeality. Is mind-corporeality - the six domains come to work. With these coming to work, contact is given. If there is contact, then thee is sensation. If there is sensation, then there is thirsting and craving. If there is thirsting and graving, then there is apprehension. If there is apprehension, then there is coming into existence. If there is coming into existence, then there is being born, and if there is this, then there is growing old, growing ill and dying (Samyutta Nikaya XII; Digha Nikaya XV).

For the captive of thinking, this indivisible life-suffering process always comes to pass under the compelling thought: that is “I”, that is mine, that belongs to me, namely this working string, this Paticca Samuppada. And it is all the same whether the series is looked at, valued and treated as 12, 10 and 8 links or as the two pole points only: coming into existence and dying. It is not solely a matter of methodical, intellectual knowledge but of the practical ending the illusive, compelling thought: this is I, this mine, this belongs to me. In other words, it is the matter of the realization of the anatta truth. Purely intellectual cognition is still hanging on and adhering, it is blocking evolution, the equilibrium of the saps and forces.

He who has been able to quiet down his thinking comprehends this working-chain as the greatest force in the world. He can see it thus, because he has experienced it himself. He who is under the spell of the illusory “I am” can but understand the simply unconquerable mass of suffering as alpha and omega, meaning and substance of his life. He knows well the shock produced by suspicion that this monumental building, this force-concentration of suffering – “I” – might fall in, might perish. Again, it is anxiety caused and fed by the right in it self notion of this structure of suffering to be hollow and empty! No doubt it is, but hollow and empty of “mine” and “belonging to me”. The total experience of emptiness is, in truth, liberation from spasm of thought and consciousness and no loss of force is connected with it.