BANDHA: The Secret of the Second Thought & Path to Liberation Through Meditation

A Living Teaching of Meditation and Freedom. Revealed through Meditation Class by Prem Chaitanya

Why do we feel trapped in endless cycles of thought, desire, and identity? Ancient wisdom points to a subtle truth: bondage begins not at birth, but with the second thought. In this article, we explore the profound teaching of Bandha—the root of attachment and how meditation can lead us back to freedom.

Why Are We Born?

We are born because of Bandha — bondage.

Bandha means attachment, relationship, connection — all of which arise from a single root: icchā (desire).

This bondage does not begin with birth, but with the second thought. Time begins not with the clock, but with the moment you move from being to becoming.

As long as you remain in one pure thought, no karma can catch you. The moment you have a second thought, the whole web of bondage unfolds.

This is the secret of the Siddhas. They taught that liberation is not found by controlling the world, but by returning to that space before the second thought arises.

Let's delve deeper into understanding the relationship between the first and second thoughts.

What is the First Thought?

The first thought is usually spontaneous, innocent, and without friction. It could be:

• The breath rising and falling

• A feeling of presence

• Just “I AM” — pure, nameless awareness

  
  

This first thought doesn’t bind you because it has no storyline, no past or future. It is like the silence before the first word. It's rooted in present being, not in becoming.

What is the Second Thought?

The second thought is the bridge between the inner stillness and the restless outer world.

• It is the reaction to the first thought.

• It is the interpretation or judgment.

• It is the attachment or aversion.

• It is the seed of the chain.

Example:

1st thought: “I am.” 2nd thought: “I am sitting here.” 3rd thought: “I should meditate better.” 4th thought: “I wonder if I’m progressing.” 5th thought: “Maybe I should ask someone about it.”

With the second thought, mind is born, time begins, karma ignites, and the I-sense becomes a person again.

Why Is the Second Thought So Binding?

The thoughts that play in our mind

Let us return to the core secret:

Bondage begins with the second thought.

The first thought is the moment of being — simple, spontaneous, aware.

The second thought is the beginning of becoming — desire, doubt, story, identity.

Why is the second thought so powerful?

Because it connects!  It tries to make meaning, explain, or continue. It invites more thoughts, and before you know it, you’re in a mental movie — emotions, memories, desires, fears — all unfold. Not only that, but it creates duality. It moves from “I AM” to “I am this”, from stillness to storyline, from witness to wanderer.

Example in daily life:

• You feel peaceful. (First thought)

• Then you think, “I should stay like this always.” (Second thought)

• Then, “Why am I not like this every day?”

• Then the doubt, the guilt, the goal-chasing starts…

The first thought reveals the Self.

The second thought binds the self-image.

The first thought is vertical — it connects to the Self. The second thought is horizontal — it spreads into the world.

The Practice: Watch the Second Thought

The art of deep meditation is not suppression, but non-engagement with the second thought.

Exercise:

When you sit, and the first thought arises — notice it. Then wait… and when the second thought tries to form — pause. Do not follow. Do not fight. Just rest in the space before it.

This gap — between the first and second thought —Is where the Rishis sit, where karma dissolves, where time sleeps, where You Are.

Why is Single-Pointedness So Important?

A young girl in meditation

In meditation, we are asked to focus on one mantra, one breath, or even just one awareness.

You might wonder, “Why should I not question, explore, or analyse during meditation?”

Because all of that belongs to the second thought — the moment when the Witness becomes the thinker, and thought becomes a trap. To maintain stillness is not to deny thought, but not to be captured by its second wave.

The first thought is like a mirror — it reflects Being. The second thought is like a movie — it draws you into an illusion. The second thought — this is the gateway through which bondage enters and karma begins. It is subtle yet powerful. The siddhas and sages often emphasised that liberation is not in destroying the world, but in not following the second thought.

Let’s further explore the various levels of Bandha or bondage.

The 8 Bandhas – The Journey Through Meditation

When you sit in meditation, you begin to notice these 8 levels of bondage. Each one is a doorway. You must pass through without becoming attached.

1. Deha Bandha – Body Bondage

You begin to feel calmer. But the mind is full of the day’s residues — meetings, emotions, likes and dislikes. The mental monkey jumps tree to tree.

Do not fight the body. Watch it like a tree watches the wind — unmoved.

2. Mano Bandha – Mind Bondage

You sit for meditation, and your legs feel heavy, your nose itches, or your back demands your attention. This is the first layer — the pull of the body.

Let it dance. Don’t give it a stage.

3. Svara Bandha – Sound Bondage

You have gone deeper. The body and mind quieten, but now you become hyper-aware of sounds — the ticking clock, a distant voice, a car passing.

Let sound be. Don't name it. Don’t resist it. Let it pass through like wind through bamboo.

4. Varna Bandha – Color/Light Bondage

You see light, colors, sometimes even forms or visions. You feel drawn to them, maybe even guided. But this is the play of inner light, not yet the Light beyond.

Don't get attached to what appears. Even divine visions are part of the subtle bondage.

5. Chitta Bandha – Memory Bondage

Long-forgotten memories arise. A lost friend, a pain, a joy. The chitta coil unrolls. Your deeper samskāras rise up from the subconscious.

Let them burn in your awareness like dry leaves in sunlight. Don’t stir the ashes.

6. Ahamkara Bandha – Ego Bondage

Now all is silent, but a subtle thought remains: “I am meditating.” This ‘I’ is the refined ego — the spiritual pride of being the doer.

Drop even the ‘I’ that says, “I am progressing.” Witness without ownership.

7. Asti Bandha – Existence Bondage

All thoughts fade, but a presence remains — a subtle sense of “I exist.” There is no name, no form, but there is being-ness.

Even this must dissolve. You are not presence — you are beyond presence.

8. Turiya – The Transcendent Witness

Now, there is nothing left to do. No meditator, no method, no time, no movement. Only the Silent Witness remains — not born, not dying, not changing.

This is not a state. This is your eternal truth. You are That. Dissolve within this experience without giving any form 

Final Message for the Day

Before we close, let these words sink in — a reminder, not for the mind, but for the heart. A whisper from silence to silence. Read them slowly, as if each word is a breath returning to the First Thought…

Meditate Daily. Don’t Give Up. Even if the world shakes, sit. Even if thoughts roar, sit. Even if nothing happens, sit. Because you are undoing karma with every silent breath. Return to that First Thought. Remain before the Second. Abide as the Witness. This is Freedom.

The journey of meditation is not about fighting thoughts but understanding their nature. Banda teaches us that freedom lies before the second thought arises. When we rest in that pure awareness, beyond stories and identities, we experience the essence of liberation. May this understanding guide you toward silence, simplicity, and the eternal truth of who you are.

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Ready to explore this truth in your own life? Join our Path of Light Meditation Program at Soul Search Malaysia—a space to return to stillness, dissolve mental noise, and discover the freedom of the first thought. Start your journey today.