[Buddha-l] Buddhist psychology

[Mike Austin]

In message <002601c61ec2$dc045d00$25e79804 at y6v0e1>, Dave Strausfeld 
<davestr at oco.net> writes

>My question is, is there a similar story in Buddhism, or, if not a
>story, a similar recognition of the same principle of psychology, that
>is, that trying not to think of something can lead to that very
>thought?  I am trying to track down the exact sources and citations so
>any sort of direction to primary sources (sutras etc.) where this
>principle might appear in the Buddhist tradition would be tremendously
>helpful.

This is an interesting subject to investigate.  I do not know of a story 
or teaching in Buddhism about it, but I would also like to hear if there 
is one.

Some thoughts come to mind. Would this be an attraction to that which is 
prohibited? For example, would it be like the joke that is more funny in 
a classroom, where one is suppose to be quiet? Or is it simply having to 
recall what one should do, when that very recollection is the opposite? 
These are two opposite attitudes of mind.  The former attitude is a 
non-compliant attitude and the latter is a compliant attitude.

I suppose we have something akin to this in meditation on emptiness. One 
tries to ascertain the object of negation in an attempt to realise  that 
it has no essential nature. One tries to recollect what once appeared to 
exist in this way but, from my experience, it is difficult to do so.  It 
is not because I realise emptiness,  but because my mind seems reluctant 
to comply with this process.

-- 
Metta
Mike Austin