We take it for granted that to be human is to be able to think. The more intellectual we think we are, the more time we spend being lost in thoughts. Amidst all this thinking, we never for a moment think about who it is that thinks.
If we were the ones that were thinking, then we should be able to not think at will. Anyone who has tried meditating is well aware that it seems almost impossible. Successful meditating techniques teach one to ignore the thoughts, let them float by, be just a witness.
Surely, this should pose a dilemma - if we are simply witness to the thoughts and they are never under our control, then who is thinking?
Most of us can recall times when an idea simply popped into our heads, something as simple as 'I want a coffee'. A poet or a writer might suddenly get an inspiration and has to put it to paper. A scientist gets a breakthrough idea out of nowhere.
What really happens is that thoughts appear at random like the ripples on the surface of water. The self, being in ignorance tends to get attached to certain thoughts. As the self pays attention to a certain thought, it appears to get stronger. Similar, related thoughts then flood your mind. The Ego is ever there, ready to take credit for the thought, 'I thought that'.
Truly, we never think, have never thought, since the Self doesn't need to. It is the mind that keeps attaching itself to external objects, thoughts and feelings. Next time you sit down for self-inquiry or even meditation, know that these thoughts are simply passing by. You don't have to pay any attention to them.
