Geshe Ben Gungyal

There was once a Tibetan Geshe called Geshe Ben Gungyal who used to spend all his time in his room, doing no meditation in the traditional posture, and reciting no prayers. His unorthodoxy attracted attention, and others asked him 'You do not recite prayers and you do not meditate in the usual way, so what do you do all day long in your room?' Geshe Ben Gungyal replied 'I have only one task - I am thrusting the spear of the opponents into the head of my delusions. When a delusion raises its ugly head I increase my alertness and with effort I plunge the spear straight into it. Then it leaves me in peace and I am happy. That is what I do all day long in my room.'

(Source: Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Understanding the Mind, © Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and New Kadampa Tradition 1993)

Geshe Ben Gungyal was famous for the constant mindfulness he employed while training his mind. From morning to night he would keep a close watch on his mind, checking to see whether the thoughts that arose were virtuous or non-virtuous. Whenever a negative thought arose he placed a black stone on the ground in front of him, and whenever he generated a positive thought he placed a white stone there. At the end of the day he would add up the stones. If there were more white stones than black he would shake himself vigorously by the hand, offer praises, and address himself as 'Venerable Geshe'; but if there were more black stones he would chastise himself, 'You rogue, you scoundrel, you charlatan! Don't you fear death? How can you be so confident when your mind is so treacherous?' Then he would exact from himself a promise not to allow such negative thoughts to arise again. If we are serious in our desire to tame our mind and to accomplish something meaningful with our life, we should practice in a similar way.