Who Controls Your Mind?

Story: Mahatma Buddha and Brahmin

One day, Buddha was sitting under a tree. A very angry Brahmin priest came to him and started shouting and abusing him. The Brahmin thought Buddha would get angry and shout back. But to his surprise, Buddha’s face stayed calm. He didn’t react at all.

Seeing this, the Brahmin became even more furious and shouted even louder. Still, Buddha sat quietly, looking at him with kindness. After some time, the Brahmin got tired of shouting and asked, “I have been insulting you so much. Why aren’t you angry?”

Buddha smiled and said calmly, “My dear brother, I have not accepted even one of your abuses.” The Brahmin was confused and said, “But you heard everything, didn’t you?”

Buddha replied, “I do not need your abuses. If I don’t accept them, why should I let them affect me?”

People Will Behave Based on Their Own Perspective
People will say and do what they believe is right from their point of view. They may respect us, criticise us, appreciate us, cheat us, and more. Their actions are under their control, not ours. What is under our control is how we respond.

How We Typically React

When someone criticises us publicly, we often feel hurt, disrespected, and angry. We may react by shouting back, using strong or abusive words, believing we have “given it back” and protected our dignity. This response seems natural because society and upbringing have conditioned us to behave this way. People around us often validate this reaction, reinforcing it.

The Lingering Pain
However, the story doesn’t end with that one incident. Even after reacting, the hurt remains alive inside us. We replay the event repeatedly in our minds — sometimes for hours, sometimes for years. A single comment (like “your dress looks horrible“) can trigger endless self-doubt: “Am I ugly? Am I bad at dressing? Do I lack a sense of style?”

Who Really Has the Control?
If the event keeps disturbing us, it shows that someone else has taken control of our minds. We are allowing their words to dominate our thoughts long after the moment has passed.

Understanding the Reality

We cannot control what others say or do. Others cannot enter our minds unless we give them permission. The choice is always ours:

• Choice 1: Let others control our emotions and live like a pendulum, swinging based on what they say.
• Choice 2: Take charge of our thoughts, decide what we believe about ourselves, and protect our peace.

Consequences of Each Choice

• Choice 1: We stay fearful, reactive, and live in victim mode, blaming others for our unhappiness.
• Choice 2: We accept responsibility for our emotions, create our inner peace, and live with confidence and stability.

Final Thought
People will continue to speak and act from their own insecurities and challenges. Our job is to stay aware, protect our inner world, and focus on healing for ourselves and others.