How to correct wrong thoughts and behaviors 如何糾正錯誤思想行為的心法

Ananda asked the Buddha how sentient beings can eliminate bad habits and obsessions.

The Buddha said that most sentient beings suffer countless untold sufferings due to the bad habits and obsessions accumulated over many kalpas in past lives. There are three ways to recognize and correct one's mistakes:

1) Correction in practice: The person merely follows the instructions and makes superficial corrections, without any intention to change.

2) Correction in principle: The person understands that a certain practice or behavior is inappropriate, but continues to make the mistake. Knowing the need to change in principle but continuing to make the mistake is a matter of knowing the need to change, but not the intention.

3) Correction in the heart: The person clearly understands the wrongdoing in both thought and action, and will not continue to act in accordance with the wrong thoughts and actions. This represents a complete change in both mind and reason. This demonstrates a thorough understanding of the reasons for the mistake and a determination to overcome the obstacles in one's mind and body. This is the best way to eliminate bad habits and obsessions.

阿難問世尊众生要如何去除惡习和执念？

世尊言,多数众生因过去生中多劫所累积的惡习和执念促使自己受到許多無名苦厄！改过的認知有三种方式；

1）在 事上改：当事者只是跟着所指導的方法去做表面功夫的更正個人身心沒有絲毫改過的念頭.

2）在理上改：當事者在思想上已經明瞭某一種做法和行為是不恰當的但是在行為上繼續的犯错.在理論原則上知道要改但繼續從容自己去犯錯這是在念頭上知道要改心意上不改！

3）在心上改：當事者在念头上和行為上都清楚明瞭所做的事情不正確,也不會去執行错誤的思想行為！那是心上理上都完全改了！這說明當事者已經完全理解犯錯的原因也有決心的去克服自己的身心障礙這是去除惡习和执念的最佳方式.